Treatment needs to be restored as an urgent priority

Cancer care needs to be urgently restored in Scotland as new figures show death rates are five times higher because of the pandemic.

Macmillan is calling on the Scottish Government to set out clear plans for restoring cancer care.

Janice Malone, from Macmillan, said: “People with cancer need answers on when their treatment will restart and how it will do so safely.

“We also need to know when screening will get back up and running and how the government plans to counteract the significant drop in urgent GP referrals.

“Cancer can’t be allowed to become the forgotten C.

“We urgently need a plan from the government that sets out how it will get the cancer care system back up and running and how those who missed tests, diagnoses and treatments will be prioritised.”

Figures from the Scottish Government’s show almost 600 cancers will have gone undiagnosed if screening, paused on March 30, doesn’t resume.

Last month the government said urgent referrals had improved – but were still nearly 50% lower than normal.

Macmillan says the covid-19 pandemic has caused huge disruption to cancer care across Scotland, affecting diagnosis, treatment, and care for tens of thousands of people.

That has created fears of a possible increase in the number of people dying from cancer caused by a predicted build-up of those waiting for treatment, together with fewer people being seen for suspected cancer due to the coronavirus.

This is against the charity forecasting an income loss of up to 50% for this year.