A CANCER patient in Glasgow waited around 10 months for treatment to start after being referred urgently for tests, figures show.

The longest wait for patients to receive treatment in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde from January to March was 315 days.

Overall, 83.3% of patients started treatment within 62 days of being referred urgently for tests.The target is 95%.

NHSGGC has failed to meet the target for more than four years.

Macmillan cancer charity described the figures as “disappointing” and said long waits for patients for test results or treatment could cause “real distress” to people with cancer and their families.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it was determined to improve cancer waiting times but added that the board treats a significant number of patients across the West of Scotland.

NHS Lanarkshire was one of only two health board to meet or exceed the target with 95.9% of patients treated within 62 days. Dumfries and Galloway was the other with 96.3% of patients receiving cancer treatment within the target.

The figures show that NHSGGC also fell short of the 31-day target to treat 95% of patients within this time frame once cancer is diagnosed.

The board achieved a 93.9% rate, the fourth lowest in Scotland.

Janice Preston, Head of Macmillan cancer charity in Scotland said: “We are disappointed that once again the cancer waiting times target has been missed.

“The target has now been missed for over four years.

“Waiting for the results of tests or to start treatment can cause real distress to people with cancer and their families at a time when they are at their most vulnerable.”

Overall, across Scotland 88.1 % of patients started treatment within the 62 day standard, an increase from 87.5% in the previous quarter.

NHS Fife achieved the lowest rate with 80% of patients treated within the target.

None of the ten cancer types successfully met the 95% standard.

Breast cancer achieved the highest referral to treatment rate with urological cancer patients faring the worst, followed by cervical cancer.

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “We are determined to improve our cancer waiting times performance for our patients.

“We are already increasing diagnostic and treatment capacity in a number of key specialties including urology, colorectal and breast cancers.

“As a regional centre for complex case we do treat a significant number of cancer patients every year from across the West of Scotland.”