3. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that Scotland has among the worst survival rates for some of the most serious cancers. (S6F-02717)

Cancer remains a national priority for the national health service and the Scottish Government, which is why we published a 10-year strategy in June 2023, focusing on improving cancer survival and providing equitable access to treatment. The strategy includes a focus on the less survivable cancers and improving their outcomes. The strategy and the plan take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways in cancer, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care.

I am heartened by the fact that, overall, cancer mortality in Scotland has decreased by 11 per cent over the past 10 years, but we of course recognise that we have much more to do, particularly when it comes to less survivable cancers. I know that Alexander Stewart has raised these issues on a number of occasions, and the importance that he attaches to this subject is shared by the Government.

The Scottish National Party Government has been responsible for running health for nearly 17 years. Data shows that, out of 33 countries of comparable wealth and income levels, Scotland ranks as low as 32nd for five-year survival from pancreatic cancer, 31st for stomach cancer and 29th for lung cancer. First Minister, you should be ashamed that your Government has allowed the five-year survival rates for those cancers to deteriorate to some of the lowest levels in the developed world. What action will you take to resolve that?

The Presiding Officer:

Always speak through the chair, please.

The First Minister:

With those survival rates, there is work for the Scottish Government to do—there is no getting away from that. I have often spoken about my personal experience in relation to pancreatic cancer: I lost a dear uncle to pancreatic cancer, so the issue is very personal to me.

There are areas where we compare very favourably among those 33 countries—in liver cancer, for example, where Scotland’s survival rate is 12th, whereas that of the United Kingdom overall is 21st, and England is in 25th place. Although there are some cancer types where we are seeing progress, there is clearly still much more for us to do in other areas such as pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, brain cancer and lung cancer.

In relation to what we are doing, I will ensure that the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care writes in detail to Alexander Stewart. We are trying to speed up diagnosis where we can, and that is why we are investing in our detect cancer early programme. We are also investing in rapid cancer diagnostic services, which are currently operational in five national health service boards across Scotland. The early evaluation from those rapid cancer diagnostic services shows that hepato-pancreato-biliary or HPB cancers—liver and pancreatic cancers—are among the most common cancers that are being diagnosed through that pathway.

I will return to and end on this point. Overall, cancer mortality in Scotland has decreased by 11 per cent over the past 10 years, but there is clearly still work to do on less survivable cancers, as Alexander Stewart says.

Labour MSPs shamefully failed to support minimum unit pricing, a policy that has been proved to save lives and reduce hospital admissions since its inception. What assessment has the Scottish Government made of the impact of policies such as minimum unit pricing on liver cancer rates in Scotland?

The First Minister:

Public Health Scotland’s evaluation of minimum unit pricing shows that it has had a very positive impact on health outcomes during the study period. It is estimated to have cut alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable deaths, and it is likely to have reduced hospital admissions. Public Health Scotland estimates that about half of liver cancers in the UK are preventable, and that is why we continue to take action on the most prevalent factors, particularly alcohol consumption. Prevention of cancers takes longer to realise, but we hope that MUP impacts will be seen in the future for liver cancers. Our cancer strategy places a focus on less survivable cancers, including liver cancer.

Recently, I met a courageous group of women from the west of Scotland who shared their experiences of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer and being forced to use their families’ life savings to fund private treatment in England. According to Target Ovarian Cancer, people in the west of Scotland cannot access the life-saving surgery that women in NHS Lothian can access. Consequently, they face poorer outcomes with survival rates for the disease. It is nothing short of a national scandal that women with ovarian cancer are having to pay for the surgery that they need and deserve because of where they live. Can the First Minister tell us why women in the west of Scotland cannot get surgery? What urgent action is being taken to end that life-threatening postcode lottery?

The First Minister:

I am happy to ensure that the cabinet secretary for health writes in detail to Jackie Baillie about the actions that are being taken. I do not want anyone in the country, regardless of their condition, but particularly when it is cancer, to have to wait a day longer than they have to in order to get treatment. We know that the earlier that cancer is diagnosed and the earlier treatment begins, the better the chances of survival, which is why we have taken action. For example, there has been an almost 100 per cent increase in the number of consultant oncologists since the SNP has been in position. We have also increased the number of consultant radiologists by more than 66 per cent.

To address the point about private healthcare, when comparing Scotland to the rest of the UK, fewer people are having to self-fund for private in-patient day-case care. Notwithstanding that, I want to see the work that we are doing, particularly on ovarian cancer, being extended across Scotland so that there is no postcode lottery for care. I will ensure that the health secretary writes to Ms Baillie in detail.