Clwyd West AM Darren Millar is concerned that the Welsh Government’s target time for cancer patients starting urgent treatment is still being missed in North Wales.
The Government’s target is to treat 95% of newly diagnosed patients within 62 days.
While Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board exceeded that target for April, with 98% of patients starting treatment within the 62 days, for the following four months the target was not achieved (May-93%, June 93%, July 92% and August 89%).
Shadow Health Minister Darren said:
"It is a real worry that some newly diagnosed cancer patients in North Wales are having to wait such a long time before starting treatment. Being told you have cancer and waiting to begin treatment is a frightening and distressing time for patients and their families.
"Commencing treatment promptly is critical to the patient’s prospects for a successful outcome and is important to help alleviate their worries."
He added: "Long delays for urgent cancer treatment should be rooted out and fixed swiftly. Instead, Wales is stuck with an on-going problem that is getting worse.
"This is the health minister’s responsibility and until these delays are permanently shortened we are nowhere near a first class cancer treatment service in Wales.
"Frontline staff need support to meet these targets and I fear Labour’s record-breaking health cuts are only making a dire situation much worse.
"The minister must also look very closely at our calls for a Cancer Treatment Fund, which would end the postcode lottery in access to cancer drugs and other treatments."