Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 01 February 2022
I hope that Finlay Carson will repay my kindness at some point in the future. However, the point is well made. In her remarks, Jackie Baillie also made the point about rural provision, and I know that colleagues across the chamber recognise the need to have such facilities in place. I am sure that the cabinet secretary will have more to say on that.
In my remaining time, I will highlight the work of blood cancer charities in Scotland. I might repeat some of what Jackie Baillie said in that regard, but as I am the shadow minister in her team, she usually assures me that repeating what she says is absolutely the way to go, so it should be fine.
I met the Blood Cancer Alliance, which clearly articulated that blood cancers are often misunderstood and underdiagnosed. It can often feel like the Cinderella service of cancer care, and awareness of blood cancer symptoms, care, and treatment remains limited relative to solid tumour cancers.
To focus on our theme of closing gaps in care, it is clear that as the NHS continues its recovery from Covid-19, it is important that we see parity in the care and resources that are given to blood cancers, including improvements to diagnosis, pathology services, patient support and the NHS workforce. That is a critical factor in improving all cancer patient outcomes in Scotland, and would have long-lasting benefits across the entire healthcare system.
I hope that the cabinet secretary will address some of that in closing, although he might be too busy to do so, given Finlay Carson’s intervention. I am sure that he will write to me, or we will have the opportunity in the future to go into more detail on the matter.
On this world cancer day, as we continue to enter the new reality of life with Covid, we must put cancer diagnosis, research and treatment at the heart of that. I think that that is what those who are living with cancer, and their families, expect.