Cancer (Diagnosis)

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 1 June 2022.

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Photo of Foysol Choudhury Foysol Choudhury Labour

I recently raised with the First Minister the case of a constituent who waited seven months to be diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

We now hear from the international cancer benchmarking partnership and Cancer Research UK that almost two fifths of cancers in Scotland are being diagnosed in accident and emergency units. This week, I heard from Myeloma UK that in the case of myeloma the proportion is up to a third. How can the Scottish Government reassure my constituents that they will not be made to wait a dangerously long time for a cancer diagnosis?

Photo of Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Sturgeon Scottish National Party

We are already investing in early diagnostic centres for cancers, and we have been investing in the detect cancer early programme for some time and continue to invest in that programme.

I agree with the member that early diagnosis is vital, for all cancers, and that it is important that we do everything to support that. We also need to encourage people who have symptoms that could be indicative of cancer to come forward to see a doctor as quickly as possible. We will continue to do everything possible to support that early access, because we know that the earlier somebody is diagnosed, the better their chances of survival and recovery.