Cancer patients that are being forced to travel to Edinburgh for treatment say it has "dragged on too long and it's time for action."
Patients from Dumfries and Galloway are having to travel hundreds of miles for cancer investigations and treatment, with South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has tabled the question to Scottish Parliament, demanding answers.
Mr 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.
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"While the local health board has previously agreed to change where people will receive treatment from Edinburgh to Glasgow, progress has been far too slow and their action has been half-hearted.
"The idea of people now having to travel to the central belt for investigations which could take place locally is also unacceptable. I will keep raising it in parliament until the matter is resolved."
The Daily Record reports that currently, NHS Dumfries and Galloway is part of the South East Cancer network, which is largely covered by the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, rather than the West of Scotland Cancer Network.
At present, the Glasgow Cancer Centre has little capacity to absorb all patients from Dumfries and Galloway.
Mr Smyth added: "I accept that the power to make this change happen isn’t entirely in the hands of the local health board but the time for talking is over.
"To make the change from Edinburgh to Glasgow for the whole region will require the Scottish Government to intervene and support NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
"The local NHS will either need one of the Health Boards in the West of Scotland Cancer Network, more than likely Forth valley, to agree to a swap with NHS Dumfries and Galloway, to free up places at the Glasgow Cancer Centre for patients from our region.
"Alternatively, the Government needs to intervene by investing in extra capacity at the Glasgow Cancer Centre to deal with the extra patients from Dumfries and Galloway as a result of this change. Either way the Scottish Government’s intervention will be the key to change."
Media reports told recently how a grieving daughter called for an urgent review of cancer care services after her mum had to endure four-hour round trips from her home in Dalbeattie to Edinburgh “writhing in pain” for treatment that took just 12 minutes.
Rea Hunter, 39, spoke out after her mum Olivia Craig died last month having being diagnosed in November.
She described the current situation as "deplorable" and claimed "animals are treated with more dignity and compassion" than patients.
Lochmaben man Stuart Roxburgh also called for change.
Mr Roxburgh, 82, is forced to travel to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for check-ups every six months because he can’t access services closer to home.
He said: "I have to make a 130-mile round trip, pay parking charges at the hospital and sometimes wait for an hour and a half to be seen just for a 10-minute appointment. It’s utterly ridiculous.
"I’m not slating the hospital or staff as they’re first class. They saved my life years ago but it’s a long way to go for a 10-minute appointment.
"This region is getting bigger and bigger and it’s about time we had similar facilities here as in Edinburgh."
