Hansard

I thank my colleague Bill Kidd for bringing the motion to the chamber. I pay tribute to him for his years of tireless support, advocacy and work on behalf of Anthony Nolan, which I know has been recognised. He is a tremendous ambassador for the charity and an example to us all of how to champion a cause. I certainly draw inspiration from Bill’s work, and I am sure that many in the chamber do, too.

I also thank Fulton MacGregor, Sandesh Gulhane and Carol Mochan for their important contributions to the debate.

Cancer remains a priority for the Scottish Government, and our ambition is clear: to prevent more cancers, reduce the impact of diagnosis and deliver compassionate, consistent services that improve outcomes and survival rates. Our cancer strategy for Scotland in 2023-33, supported by our initial cancer action plan for 2023 to 2026, will help us to get there. The latest statistics show that the risk of dying from cancer in Scotland is at a record low. However, we know that we must do more, at a greater pace, to improve survival rates and support for those who are affected by cancer.

I recognise the significant physical and mental impacts that cell therapies can have on individuals. As we have heard, the immunocompromising nature of the treatment means that patients must isolate, unable to work or socialise, while managing not only the physical side effects but the anxiety of waiting to find out whether the treatment has been successful.

Advanced therapies are transforming treatment pathways, particularly for rare conditions and cancers. Their introduction requires co-ordinated planning across clinical services, data, logistics and workforce. CAR-T is, as we have heard, one of those advanced therapies. The treatment is personalised for individual patients, meaning that their immune system is no longer compromised in the same way as it is with traditional cell therapies, offering patients a more targeted and potentially less burdensome treatment.

Such treatments for cancer are often provided in tandem with other chemotherapy services. Access to those medicines is vital for patients with cancer. The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to ensuring access to medicines that the people of Scotland need. Through the Scottish Medicines Consortium, we have a robust and independent process for assessing the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of new medicines, which ensures value for patients and the NHS. We have committed to additional funding for chemotherapy services, reaching up to £10.5 million a year by 2027, with £3 million released in 2023-24, £4.6 million released in 2024-25 and £6.6 million in 2025-26. That funding will support increased regional working and workforce recruitment and will maximise capacity across the existing workforce through initiatives such as non-medical prescribing and treatment closer to home.

Of course, as we have heard, cancer care is not just about treatment. Facing an unknown journey is daunting, and people need emotional, practical and sometimes financial support. That is why we have invested in the £27 million partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to roll out the improving the cancer journey service nationally. As part of that programme, each patient will receive a holistic needs assessment to generate a care plan to meet the needs that are identified.

In addition, our single point of contact pilots are improving access to care and timely reporting of results, and are supporting people to navigate complex cancer pathways, as well as placing individuals firmly at the centre of decisions and actions that affect them. The pilots have had more than 30,000 patient interactions, freeing up more than 3,900 hours of clinical nurse specialist time and, crucially, improving experiences. We are actively considering how to best scale up that approach to benefit all patients with cancer in Scotland.

Just as the Anthony Nolan research focused on patients’ reported experience, the Scottish Government is committed to supporting the development and use of patient-reported outcome measures in Scotland. Capturing PROMs in routine cancer care can help to monitor the impact of treatment on quality of life, improve discussion with patients, inform treatment decisions and transform care pathways that impact the value and sustainability of cancer care. Further, the Scottish Government’s communities mental health and wellbeing fund for adults has provided funding to a range of initiatives, including cancer-specific projects delivered by the Beatson Cancer Charity in Glasgow, Team Jak in West Lothian and Western Isles Cancer Care.

As well as supporting programmes of work that specifically focus on psychological support for people affected by cancer, the Scottish Government published the mental health and wellbeing strategy and accompanying delivery plan and workforce action plan. The strategy commits to improving mental health outcomes for all, including people with long-term physical conditions, and prioritises reducing inequalities. Since 2020, we have invested £164 million in community-based supports for adults and children. That support will continue, with a baseline of £15 million going to local authorities every year and £15 million in funding for projects for adults in 2026-27 as part of the fairer funding pilot. Both funds provide much-needed focus on early intervention and prevention, delivering tailored support to keep people mentally healthy.

Finally, I give my sincere thanks to organisations such as Anthony Nolan that provide valuable information, help and support to anyone who is undergoing cell therapy as part of their cancer treatment. We will continue to work closely with the third sector, including Anthony Nolan and community and social care partners, to deliver the right care at the right time for the people of Scotland.

I reiterate my sincere thanks to Bill Kidd for his tireless work in this area and for bringing this important motion to the chamber.

Meeting closed at 18:58.