Health Secretary Neil Gray has said a move to speed up diagnosis for a common cancer will help give patients the “very best chance of recovery”.

His comments came as the Scottish Government confirmed £1.5m is being invested in what it said is a “redesigned and accelerated diagnostic pathway” for bowel cancer.

Also known as colorectal cancer, it is the fourth most common form of cancer in Scotland and is responsible for 11% of the country’s cancer deaths.

Under the changes, which are being brought in with £1.5 million from the Government’s Detect Cancer Early programme, patients will be able to have multiple tests done at the same time, where this is clinically appropriate.

This should reduce the number of hospital visits and speed up the time it takes to get a diagnosis.

Gray said: “B

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