Proportion of eligible referrals that started treatment within 62 days of receipt of an urgent referral with suspicion of cancer.

Number of eligible referrals that started treatment within 62 days of receipt of an urgent referral with suspicion of cancer.

Number of eligible referrals (urgent referral submitted with a suspicion of cancer by a General Medical Practitioner or General Dental Practitioner, or direct referral to hospital (self, GP or NHS24 referral to A&E or other) where the signs and symptoms are consistent with the cancer diagnosed as per the Scottish Referral Guidelines, or referral from a National Cancer Screening Programme).

Patients who had a clinically complex pathway, who died before treatment or refused treatment.

Responsibility for collating and submitting the data to ISD lies with the NHS Board that received the patient's initial referral to secondary care. Data is collected by cancer trackers and administrative staff (including medical secretaries) across NHS Scotland, and are based on locally available information drawn from sources such as patient administrative systems, laboratory systems, and medical records across the country; which are then recorded onto the NHS Boards' Tracking systems.

Published on the Public Health Scotland website report: Cancer Waiting Times in NHS Scotland.

webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20231129155341/https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/Cancer/Guidance/_docs/CWT%20Data%20and%20Definitions%20Manual%20v5.4.pdf webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20231129155341/https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/Cancer/ www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/20456/2023-06-27-cwt-guidance-note.pdf

Data reported on: www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancer-waiting-times/cancer-waiting-times-1-january-to-31-march-2023/