SOUTH Scotland MSP has tabled a question in the Scottish Parliament demanding answers as to what action the government is taking to end the scandal of Galloway residents being forced to travel hundreds of miles for cancer treatment.
Patients from Dumfries and Galloway currently have to travel to Edinburgh for treatment which is double the travel time for patients from the west of the region when compared to being treated in Glasgow.
NHS D&G is part of the Southeast Scotland Cancer network, which is mainly covered by the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, rather than the West of Scotland Cancer network where most treatment is carried out in Glasgow.
The Glasgow centre does not have enough capacity to absorb patients from the region so an increase in capacity is necessary for D&G residents to avoid the extra-long travel.
MSP Colin Smyth said: “This has been a huge issue for local people for far too long.
“I have repeatedly urged different Health Secretaries to intervene to spare those needing treatment the long trek to the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, to no avail.
‘I have tabled another parliamentary question asking what action the government has taken up now and what they intend to do.
‘I will keep raising it in parliament until the matter is resolved.”
