A HEALTH board has refuted claims by the Tories that a patient waited nearly five years for a “crucial diagnostic” CT scan.

The figure was widely reported last week with Tory health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane describing it as “scarcely believable” that certain patients had been waiting that long for a “potentially life-saving” test.

But NHS Grampian, which provided figures in response to a freedom of information request, has said they relate to pre-planned and scheduled scans for checkups on patients who have already been treated for conditions such as cancer.

The Scottish Tories told the Sunday National they had no further comment to make as they “faithfully reported” the figures supplied by the health board.

The issue was raised at Holyrood last week when the First Minister was quizzed by Tory MSP Sue Webber on the action being taken to clear a backlog of people waiting for key diagnostic tests.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon responded: “A range of work is being taken forward by national health service boards to increase capacity, workforce and activity for diagnostics, including the use of seven mobile MRI and five mobile CT scanners to provide additional activity.

“I am conscious that the Conservatives claimed this weekend that there are five-year waits for diagnostic tests and that they described that as ‘scarcely believable’. There is, of course, a reason for that – which is that it is simply untrue.

“NHS Grampian has pointed out that the Tories have misrepresented data that they received in a freedom of information request response.

“It is routine for patients who have been treated for forms of cancer or received neurosurgical care to have pre-planned and scheduled scans in future years, to monitor their progress and condition after treatment.

“Those are not diagnostic tests prior to treatment, as the Conservatives claimed.”

She added: “Clearly, our NHS is wrestling with a number of very significant pressures right now, but it does no service to anyone when the Conservatives distort figures and mislead the public.”

The information sent out by the Tories stated: “People in Grampian are waiting almost five years for routine diagnostic tests. The longest recorded wait in Grampian for a CT scan in 2022 was 258 weeks, equivalent to four years and 11 months.

“Someone also waited 255 weeks for an MRI, and 107 weeks for a non-obstetric ultrasound, all the longest waits for that kind of diagnostic test.”

A spokesperson for NHS Grampian said: “It is routine for patients who have been treated for forms of cancer or have received forms of neurosurgical care, to have pre-planned and scheduled scans in future years, to monitor their progress and condition after treatment.

“These are not diagnostic tests prior to treatment.”