Hansard

I thank and commend Rhona Brankin for securing the debate. It has, after all, been six years since Parliament last debated the issue. I also join the tributes to Margaret Ewing, who is very fondly remembered not only here, but in Moray.

This year, with a number of colleagues I took part in the Edinburgh moonwalk, helping to raise funds for, and awareness of, breast cancer. The enthusiasm and dedication of the 10,000 walkers are testament to the commitment of Scottish women to combating breast cancer. I also commend the Maggie's centres. Rhona Brankin talked about how difficult it is to sit down with the family—sometimes it is easier to talk to strangers than to the family.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women. In 2006, more than 4,000 women were diagnosed, which accounted for almost 30 per cent of all cancers affecting women in that year.

When we talk about referral to treatment, we should ensure that all women who request reconstructive surgery are given it. Referral to treatment must include all treatment, when requested and when appropriate.

Under a female Prime Minister, the United Kingdom was one of the first countries in the world to establish a national breast screening programme, with the first screening centres being operational in England and Scotland in 1988. Since national coverage was attained in 1991, there have been more than 2.1 million screening episodes and in excess of 15,000 breast cancers have been diagnosed. The national screening programme has been an invaluable tool in reducing the number of deaths from breast cancer. I am pleased that the Highland NHS Board mobile unit was in Inveraray car park on Friday, which shows that the programme goes to every town and village in Scotland.

As Rhona Brankin said, 39 per cent of the 4,079 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 could have prevented the diagnosis if they had maintained healthy weight, increased their physical activity and limited their alcohol intake. Unfortunately, only between 5 and 9 per cent of women are aware of those preventive measures. As with breast screening, women must be encouraged to go to their general practitioner as a preventive measure. It is disconcerting that, in deprived areas, the presentation rates for breast screening are much lower than the average and women present later and with more advanced conditions, which helps to explain why survival rates are higher in more affluent areas. The Government must address that.

I turn to treatment. The latest figures on waiting times after urgent referral to treatment in NHS Highland range from a minimum of 22 days—they can be long days, as Christine Grahame said—to a maximum of 92 days. The maximum wait in Lothian NHS Board is 101 days. In NHS Highland, there has been a 70 per cent increase in treatment for breast cancer in the past six years, so there is no doubt that staff are working hard to meet the targets. I welcome the review of staffing groups in the north of Scotland, which is addressing the resource and staffing needs for breast cancer patients. At present, only four health boards in Scotland exceed the maximum wait of 62 days. However, all health boards currently exceed the new target of 31 days that the Government has set for 2011. That highlights that many more resources are needed urgently.