Responding to the latest NHS Scotland Cancer Waiting Times figures, Kate Seymour, Head of External Affairs at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
“Given recent slight improvements to Scotland’s cancer waiting times, we are shocked to see this progress in reverse. The latest figures confirm Scotland started 2025 with the worst quarterly performance against the 62-day target since records began, meaning more than 1,300 people waited over two months to start treatment after an urgent referral.
“While the cold weather over January, February and March may have played its part, putting a strain on an already stretched healthcare system, we need urgent scrutiny as to why waiting times have increased so dramatically.
“Let’s not forget that behind these figures are real people all over Scotland facing agonising waits for diagnosis and treatment. They deserve better, no matter who they are or where they live.
“The Scottish government must ensure that the cancer workforce has everything they need to bring these waiting times down.”
“Given recent slight improvements to Scotland’s cancer waiting times, we are shocked to see this progress in reverse. The latest figures confirm Scotland started 2025 with the worst quarterly performance against the 62-day target since records began, meaning more than 1,300 people waited over two months to start treatment after an urgent referral.
“While the cold weather over January, February and March may have played its part, putting a strain on an already stretched healthcare system, we need urgent scrutiny as to why waiting times have increased so dramatically.
“Let’s not forget that behind these figures are real people all over Scotland facing agonising waits for diagnosis and treatment. They deserve better, no matter who they are or where they live.
“The Scottish government must ensure that the cancer workforce has everything they need to bring these waiting times down.”
- Macmillan’s recent analysis has revealed the number of people living with cancer in the UK has surged to almost 3.5 million, the highest figure ever reported for the UK and including around 290,000 people in Scotland[1]
- If you or someone you love is affected by cancer, we’re here, whatever you need to ask. Call Macmillan’s free support line on 0808 808 00 00, open every day 8am to 8pm or visit our website at www.macmillan.org.uk.
Key facts
- Macmillan’s analysis of the latest official NHS data shows that performance against one of the two national cancer waiting times targets in Scotland (the 62-day target) dropped to a new worst on record in the first three months of 2025, in contrast to the previous year-on-year improvements seen at the end of last year[2]
- In January to March 2025, more than 1,300 people newly diagnosed with cancer in Scotland waited more than two months to start treatment, the highest quarterly number since current records began in 2012[3]
- In contrast, between October and December last year, performance against the 62-day target improved compared with both the previous quarter and the same quarter in 2023, although both national cancer waiting times targets were still missed[4]
- Macmillan’s previous analysis showed that despite some signs of improvement, 2024 was the joint worst year on record for the 31-day cancer waiting time target and the second worst year on record for the 62-day target[5]
- Other recent figures from Macmillan Cancer Support show that half of people having cancer treatment in the UK (50%) are worried about general pressures on the NHS affecting their chances of survival[6]
- For some cancer types, performance is particularly concerning. For example, in January to March 2025 just one in three men with prostate cancer (33%) and two in five people with urological cancer (40%) started treatment within two months of an urgent referral for suspected cancer, and performance against the 62-day target fell to new worst levels on record for those with ovarian, upper gastrointestinal and urological cancers[7]