More than 360 women from Tayside have been forced to travel to other NHS health boards for treatment, new figures show.
NHS Tayside chiefs admitted some 365 patients have been sent to other hospitals in response to a new freedom of information request.
This is up This from 204 patients as of September 2022 and 315 patients in January 2023.
Breast cancer services in NHS Tayside have been in turmoil after a controversial government report into the use of lower doses of chemotherapy in 2019.
It claimed women were put at increased risk of their cancer returning.
NHS Tayside’s response prompted a staff exodus, with bosses accused of throwing the medics “under the bus”.
The health board has struggled to recruit since the crisis, with three cancer consultant vacancies unfilled.
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “Years have passed but cancer services in NHS Tayside are still in turmoil and women are still being failed.
Labour: ‘Women’s lives at risk’
“The SNP’s continued failure to get a grip of this crisis is putting women’s lives at risk and forcing hundreds of vulnerable cancer patients to travel across the country for lifesaving treatment.
“Patients and staff alike have been completely betrayed in this long-running scandal.
“As health secretary Humza Yousaf failed to address this crisis – he must do better as First Minister.
“The SNP government must work with NHS Tayside to help them fill these vacancies and get services up and running again as a matter of urgency.”
NHS Tayside ‘committed to delivering cancer services locally’
NHS Tayside said it was committed to delivering cancer services locally.
A spokesperson said: “There is a national shortage of oncology consultants and NHS Tayside oncology teams have been working with three other centres in Scotland to ensure treatment pathways are in place enabling cancer patients to be treated in a timely manner.
“NHS Tayside’s oncology team has been working very hard to recruit to our vacant positions and has successfully recruited to a number of specialist oncology positions within Tayside Cancer Services including consultants and speciality doctors’ posts.
“This successful recruitment of specialised clinical staff will support the continuing reduction of mutual aid provided by the three cancer centres.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Tayside Cancer Centre has a committed and caring clinical team, focused on delivering their rebuild plan for the centre.
“We do not want patients to have to travel beyond Tayside for any longer than necessary and note the number of patients being asked to do so is reducing significantly.
“We would expect NHS Tayside to do all they can to continue this progress.”
