Progress on treating cancer could be undermined by shortages of key staff, an inquiry looking at the future of care for the disease has concluded.

Holyrood’s cross-party group on cancer is warning “urgent action” is needed to recruit more people to work in diagnosis and holistic support provided by nurses and allied health professionals. 

Demand for tests is only likely to grow with the number of cancer cases expected to rise to 40,000 by 2035.

Statistics from June show nearly one in five patients waited for longer than the recommended six weeks for a key diagnostic test – more than double the proportion compared to just three years ago.

The report is being presented at the Scottish Cancer Conference in Glasgow today.

Cancer Research UK’s chief executive Michelle Mitchell, who will be attending the meeting, said the findings were “deeply concerning”.

“Cancer services in Scotland are already struggling. Without urgent action, this will only worsen as demand increases.

“The Scottish Government must act now and publish a long-term cancer workforce plan – to enable the NHS to do its best by patients today and prepare for rising demand in the future.”

81-year-old Edinburgh resident Tom Martin faced a 90-day wait to start treatment for prostate cancer.

Now the father-of-three and grandfather-of-eight campaigns for better care.

“Waiting for my cancer diagnosis and treatment was such an anxious time, for me and my family,” Mr Martin said.

“You don’t know where you stand and there are times you fear for the worst.

“I know that if cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the more successful the treatment is likely to be. I do wonder if I had been seen earlier, would the prostate cancer have been caught sooner, before it had spread. Who knows?

“The Scottish Government must not shy away from making long term plans that will ensure cancer services are able to cope now and in the future. People like me will depend upon it.”

Today’s report raises concerns about diagnostic staffing levels, a key part of the push to detect cancer early.

It criticises the Scottish Government for not putting enough money into building a “sufficient and sustainable” workforce.

But it also calls for a “step change” in the physical and emotional support provided to cancer patients.

Elsewhere it says health service “red tape” is standing in the way of patient data becoming a “game-changer”.

Potential benefits include tracking patient outcomes to learn more about side effects and even reducing appointment times.