Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 01 February 2022
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this important debate and thank Jackie Baillie for securing it. Unfortunately, all members know someone who will be affected by cancer in some form, whether through a personal diagnosis or that of a partner, family member or friend.
According to NHS Research Scotland, every year, about 30,000 people in Scotland are told that they have cancer. Trends predict that that number is likely to rise to almost 40,000 by 2027. The impact of a cancer diagnosis is devastating for many people. It is vital that we get services back on track and maximise the support that is on offer to people with cancer and their families. We must then use that opportunity as a platform to transform the services that are on offer so that we improve them beyond the previous levels of our cancer plan.
I praise the excellent work of Macmillan Cancer Support and thank it for the briefing that it provided for the debate. I welcome what Macmillan is doing with the Scottish Government transforming cancer care partnership. That partnership will ensure that, by 2023, Scotland will be the first country in the UK in which every cancer patient has access to a key support worker and gets dedicated financial, practical and emotional support.
From my previous job as part of the nursing team at the St Margaret of Scotland Hospice in my constituency, I know about the full impact that cancer has on the physical, mental and financial welfare of people with a diagnosis. As inequality is a driver, the financial impact of cancer must not be ignored. Macmillan advises that 87 per cent of people with cancer in Scotland experience some kind of financial impact from their diagnosis. Therefore, a holistic support package is essential if we are to provide the best help at the time of greatest need.
I highlight the work of the Beatson Cancer Charity, which supports people affected by cancer every step of the way. It does brilliant work at the Beatson west of Scotland cancer centre and in the hearts of our communities.
In the past 20 years, the majority of cancers have shown improvements in survival rates five years post diagnosis. Cancer that is diagnosed at an early stage is more likely to be treated successfully. For instance, almost all women diagnosed with breast cancer at the early stage survive their disease for at least five years.
With the pause of screening appointments due to Covid, it has become even more imperative that the most vulnerable receive invitations as soon as possible. We must also fully understand why many people do not attend their appointments. It is not enough simply to urge people to attend appointments; we need to understand any unexpected barriers or misinformation that needs to be addressed.
In a recent debate to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, I shared the experience of a constituent who, sadly, did not get an early enough diagnosis of their cancer. Their heart-breaking experience highlighted the need for early diagnosis and to have access to effective and compassionate care where it is needed most.
For world cancer day, let us unite around a cancer plan that gets beyond Covid, does more than pick up from where we left off, lets us reduce the barriers that are fuelled by poverty and inequality, and helps us to save lives.
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