On her first engagement as Health and Wellbeing Cabinet Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon also announced that she was making the abolition of 'hidden waiting lists' one of her key early priorities.

At the new Beatson Hospital in Glasgow, Ms Sturgeon praised NHS staff for their hard work in meeting and maintaining waiting times standards for inpatient and outpatient cases.

Ms Sturgeon said:
"I readily acknowledge the hard work of all NHS staff in delivering high quality healthcare for the Scottish population. However, as some of today's statistics show, there remains much to be done, not least in the area of cancer waiting times.

"I am also absolutely determined that boards deliver on the abolition of hidden waiting lists by the end of this year at the latest. Patients deserve nothing less."

On cancer waiting action, Ms Sturgeon said:
"It is a sad fact that cancer will touch all of us at some stage in our lives – as a patient, or through family or friends. It is vital that patients get the best treatment, appropriate to their needs, as quickly as possible.

"The fact that cancer targets have not yet been met is simply not good enough. That is why today I am setting out my clear expectation that the NHS proceeds quickly and effectively to deliver on its cancer waiting time target, with a requirement that it be finally and fully delivered from the end of this year.

"This is not about a short-term quick fix. I will expect steady week-on-week, month-on-month improvements in cancer performance between now and the end of 2007, so that the targets are met and maintained thereafter.

"I shall therefore be receiving weekly reports on progress from all Health Boards to ensure that they are on track to meet the target.

"It is clear to me that not all Boards face the same challenges in improving cancer services. I want to see best practice spread across Health Board boundaries as fast as possible.

"Boards like Lothian have significant challenges in the scale of their task – they treat almost 20 per cent of all Scotland's cancer patients. Other Boards like Lanarkshire have clearly got more to do on sustaining and improving performance.

"For these reasons, I have arranged that the current Cancer Performance Support Team be redirected from Glasgow and Forth Valley – where cancer performance has increased significantly over the course of the past year – into Lanarkshire and Lothian, providing additional extra help for those Boards with the biggest challenges."

On the issue of Availability Status Codes, Ms Sturgeon added: "Patients have lived with hidden waiting lists for far too long. They deserve better. Patients have a right to openness and transparency in relation to all aspects of their treatment, and I am very clear that the use of hidden waiting lists must be abolished by the end of this year.

"I expect Boards to be planning now for sustained action to ensure that this pledge is delivered, and will closely monitor progress over the coming months, including a series of meetings with Boards over the summer.

"Finally ending the system of hidden waiting lists will bring a fairer and more consistent approach across Scotland, ensuring that no patient will be placed outside waiting time guarantees and that long waits will be eliminated."

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing concluded:
"A healthier Scotland is one of the Scottish government's strategic priorities. A better deal for all patients is at the heart of our agenda, an agenda focussed on delivering the best possible services for patients in a modern, fit for purpose and forward looking NHS.

"Staff throughout the NHS will have a vital role to play in achieving our vision. They should take great credit for the positive and progressive waiting time figures announced today. This progress is impossible without their hard work and goodwill."