Tougher targets have been unveiled today for patients diagnosed with cancer in Scotland, aiming to improve the length of time it takes to receive treatment after referral.

By 2011 the Scottish Government is committed to delivering treatment to all cancer patients within 31 days of the decision to treat being taken. Furthermore, the current urgent referral target is being broadened to include referrals from national screening programmes and urgent cases where a doctor suspects cancer.

In addition, £500,000 has been made available for Macmillan Cancer Support to expand its benefits advice work, as well as to trial an employability scheme for patients who successfully recover from cancer treatment.

"The new measures announced today are deliberately designed to relieve the anxiety that accompanies a cancer diagnosis," Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said.

"This includes improved access to treatment through the new waiting times targets, our commitment to working with the voluntary sector to improve all aspects of cancer patients' care, for example funding to support the excellent work of Macmillan Cancer Support in relation to financial and benefits advice.

"For patients in the initial stages of a cancer diagnosis we must ensure action is taken at the earliest opportunity after diagnosis. All those patients screened must know that their access to treatment will be swift, which is why we are extending Scotland's current urgent 'referral to treatment' target to screened positive patients," she added.

The 'Better Cancer Care' action plan also include greater access to modern screening techniques, including the introduction of 'two view' breast screening north of the border by early 2010.

However, Labour has raised doubts about funding for the new plan. Health spokesperson Cathy Jamieson welcomed the aims of the plans while warning that they "will be impossible to deliver" because of inadequate funding.

"The most recent waiting times statistics showed that the SNP were still failing to ensure that 95 per cent of patients were treated within 62 days of urgent referral.

"And in order to give cancer patients access to the best possible treatment the SNP Government must now provide additional resources to allow health boards to meet the targets set out in this new action plan," she added.

'Survivorship' is also a key part of the new plan, focussing on ways to improve the lives of cancer survivors by offering structured support. As well as the Macmillan work there will be a survivorship taskforce set up to guide these efforts.