FIFE MSP Alex Rowley is preparing for face-to-face talks with NHS Fife's new boss on ways to meet government targets.

New figures show waiting time targets for cancer treatments had not been met in the Kingdom for the period from October to December last year.

Only 85.5 per cent of cancer patients started treatment within 62 days when the Government's target is 95 per cent.

Mr Rowley said a problem recruiting specialist consultants was affecting results.

"That ongoing issue is having a knock-on effect across many different parts of NHS Fife and that is why we need to be able to find a way forward which the Government doesn't seem to have been able to do," he said.

"So they are not meeting any of these targets. Our NHS staff in Fife are under immense pressure and are doing an amazing job under such pressure.

"We want to address some of these long-standing issues in terms of recruitment. We need to find a solution."

Mr Rowley said he was due to meet NHS's new chairperson, Tricia Marwick, in a week's time when he would raise his concerns.

"She was appointed in January and I wanted to give her time to find her way through the many issues and many challenges," he added.

"The key point is some of these challenges have been going on for a number of ears and the inability of the Scottish Government to work on a solution is having an impact on many health board areas and is doing so in Fife."

Fellow MSP Liz Smith expressed her disappointment at the latest figures.

“These cancer waiting times are set at 95 per cent for a reason and it's disappointing that health boards in Mid-Scotland and Fife are not meeting them," she said.

“When compared to last December, performance is actually getting marginally worse, which should be a real cause for concern for the Scottish Government.

“In Fife, one patient waited an incredible 309 days for treatment, which is completely unacceptable and was the longest anyone in Scotland waited for care.

“Quick diagnosis followed by prompt access to treatment is key to improving cancer survival rates and it is important that improvements are made soon.”

NHS Fife chief operating officer, Professor Scott McLean, said: “At 98.1 per cent, the percentage of patients in Fife beginning their cancer treatment within 31 days continues to be above the national average; patients prioritised during this time are generally those with more aggressive forms of cancer that require more urgent attention.

“On average, patients in Fife wait just one day to begin this treatment – across Scotland, the average wait is almost a week.

“Whilst the vast majority of patients were seen within the 62-day target, we continue to explore at ways of improving our performance, including making treatment pathways for patients with cancer more effective and working with neighbouring boards to improve access to testing.

"However, it is important to note that only a small number of patients requiring non-urgent treatment have waited beyond this time.”