Talking-up Scotland

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Quality-Indicators/Publications/2019-04-09/2019-04-09-Breast-QPI-Report.pdf

Note: These are the latest such figures published today.

As Reporting Scotland determinedly attempts to shake NHS Scotland to death, like a demented Border Terrier (other breeds are available), reliable statistics emerge to paint a different picture. You can see from the above table:

1. A reduction to only 3 out of 17 targets not met.
2. Targets exceeded in 14 of 17 cases.
3. Incredibly high, near 100%, performance in the diagnosis and assessment phases.
4. Performance improving year-on-year in 12 cases.
5. The final target with worsening performance is pointless*.

*On further investigation (5), it appears that the increasing percentage is a function of a decreasing population, already very small, of those for whom home-based palliative care is not possible and for whom life beyond the 30-day target is less likely. The number treated in hospital has decreased by 25% from 2006 and the number treated at home has increased by around 20%.

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Cancer-Statistics/Place-of-Death/

See this:

‘The percentage of patients dying within 30 days of receiving palliative chemotherapy from breast cancer has increased from 7% in 2015 to 11% in 2017 which is above the target of <5%. It should be noted, however, that the number of patients in this category was relatively small in each year.’

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Quality-Indicators/Publications/2019-04-09/2019-04-09-Breast-QPI-Report.pdf

Recent reports on related facts:

NHS Scotland hits 31 day cancer waiting time target for third time in a row despite massive demand

In the quarter ending December 2018, 94.9% of patients started treatment in 31 days from decision to treat, hitting the demanding 95% target. The 0.1% deficit is not statistically reliable and should be rounded up using BBC Scotland’s editorial…

Scottish Government invests £100 million in cancer strategy even as incidence falls

Thanks again to list MSP Annie wells for exposing the Scottish Government’s £100 million investment in cancer treatment despite falling incidence of the disease, their encouragement of preventative strategies such as in the reduction of alcohol consumption and smoking and…

NHS Scotland beats 95% target for cancer treatment despite 6.6% increase in demand

For the three months ending September 2018, 95.1% of patients waited 31 days or less for first treatment after diagnosis. In the previous quarter the figure was 95%, also meeting the target. This was despite a 6.6% increase in demand…

As NHS England cancer treatment wait statistics ‘set to be worst on record’, NHS Scotland’s success is ignored