Chamber and committees

Thank you. I thank all the witnesses for their evidence and for giving us their time. If witnesses would like to raise any further evidence with the committee, they can do so in writing. The clerks will be happy to liaise with you about how to do that.

I am sorry, but we do not have time. We might come back to you.

I am sorry, but we have to move on.

I thank Clare Adamson for bringing this important debate to the chamber and members for their informed contributions.

As we have heard, pancreatic cancer can be ruthless. Recently, I was told a touching story about a family whom pancreatic cancer has devastated, and they have given me permission to share it today. Bridget, a mother of three and grandmother to 13, was 79 when she died from pancreatic cancer, just three months before her 80th birthday. She went back and forth to the doctor’s for two years. She was told that the pain in her back was due to wear and tear; that the night sweats were due to her age; that indigestion was a hiatus hernia; that the weight loss was from her diabetes; and that her low mood was because she was depressed due to caring for her husband.

However, when a new doctor joined the practice, Bridget was sent for an ultrasound, which detected black lesions on her liver. The consultant thought that it could be secondary cancer that had spread from somewhere else. Bridget was referred for a magnetic resonance imaging—MRI—scan that never happened, because she was rushed to hospital screaming in uncontrollable pain shortly after her ultrasound. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which had spread to her liver and lungs, and died at home 40 days after the diagnosis.

Tragically, 17 hours after Bridget died, her husband Dick passed away—of a broken heart, the family said, after watching his wife of 40 years suffer from that cruel disease. That was seven years ago, but the heartache continues daily for Bridget’s family.

Have we made progress since 2014? We have heard from colleagues the facts and figures that surround pancreatic cancer, the most shocking of which being that it has the lowest survival rate of any of the most common cancers. If Bridget’s story tells us anything, it is that early detection is key and that knowing the signs is just as important.

Pancreatic Cancer UK reports that two thirds of people in the UK cannot name a single symptom of the disease. We need to change that. Can members spot them? We have heard some of the symptoms thanks to the earlier speakers, but it is important to reiterate them: back pain, stomach pain, weight loss and yellowing of skin or eyes, as well as the ones that Bridget had, such as hot flushes, the shivers and indigestion.

I thank people such as Gavin Oattes, a Troon-born author and comedian, whom Pancreatic Cancer Action Scotland asked last year to share the story of his father, who died from the disease. Gavin set out to spread awareness of the symptoms and to encourage people to seek out a diagnosis. His father Eric died at just 65. He had been given six months to live, but fought bravely for 16 months. His symptoms presented as indigestion.

The message that members have repeated is that early diagnosis is key. Under Scotland’s cancer recovery plan, three early diagnosis centres are being piloted across Scotland, including one at University hospital Ayr, which I visited earlier this year.

The centre, which comes under NHS Ayrshire and Arran, is dedicated to early diagnosis, with the aim of getting patients tested and, if required, referred to a specialist within 21 days. That is life saving and will help to pick up cancer earlier if patients do not meet referral guidelines and have non-specific symptoms like Bridget’s weight loss and fatigue.

We are getting better, but we have a long way to go. Let us look at Australia. Although Australia has one of the highest cancer rates in the world, it also has one of the lowest mortality rates for cancer. Why is that? According to the World Economic Forum, the answer is sound policy and planning. Every country needs a cancer control plan in which data is monitored and which aims to treat and prevent cancer.

We need to continue to raise awareness of the signs of this cruel disease. We owe it to people such as Bridget and their families. The message, again, is: know the signs and symptoms, visit your doctor and trust your instincts.

I wish to inform the chamber that the COVID-19 Recovery Committee will be initiating a debate on Covid-19—preparing for winter and priorities for recovery. The debate will be held on Thursday 2 December. We are keen that as many committees as possible take part.

We feel that the timing is right to hold the debate. The committee has been following the Scottish Government’s response to Covid closely and we are aware that case numbers remain stubbornly high. Scottish ministers and others warn that we face a very challenging winter. Although we are all keen for it to be over, we feel that we cannot take our eyes off the ball.

For that reason, the committee has decided to examine the on-going use of baseline measures to respond to Covid-19. The Scottish Government’s strategic framework, which was updated today, states that the aim of the measures is

“to suppress the virus to a level consistent with alleviating its harms while we recover and rebuild for a better future.”

The committee is keen to highlight the evidence that we have heard on the use of the measures, as we know that Scotland’s on-going response to Covid-19 is an issue that concerns all members. The committee is also keen to hear what work other committees have been doing in relation to Covid-19. We want them to use the debate to highlight the issues that they feel that Parliament should be prioritising for recovery.

The COVID-19 Recovery Committee hopes to turn its focus to recovery in the new year and to add value to the important work that is being led by other committees. I hope that many committees will take part in the debate, and I encourage as many members as possible to get involved.

All medical advice has indicated that the transmission rate, including the number of people who are unfortunately in hospital, is higher among people who have yet to receive the vaccine. As we head into the winter months, will the First Minister elaborate on some of the concerns that clinical advisers have about the pressures that the NHS will face if the trend continues as it is?

I am conscious of time; we have 14 minutes until the two-minute silence at 11 o’clock and we still have two members to go to, so we move to questions from John Mason.

Thank you for the challenging insights into all your sectors.

My question is probably for Donald Macaskill. During the pandemic, care home visiting was stopped to protect the most vulnerable. That was very difficult for all the families. However, following the petition that was lodged by the care home relatives Scotland group, the Scottish Government is planning to introduce legislation known as Anne’s law, which will define a resident’s right to see and spend time with those who are important to them. What are your views on the feasibility of balancing visiting in care homes with the need for infection prevention and control measures?

Thank you very much for that. I put my next question to Donald Morrison. To give a bit of background, it is a case that I have been made aware of in the past 24 hours. Back in September, a lady was diagnosed with a tooth abscess and a related infection. Her dentist prescribed antibiotics and said that she needed to have root canal surgery. However, due to Scottish Government restrictions, she was not able to get an appointment for that surgery until April 2022, so she continues to be in a lot of pain. What is your response to claims that private patients are being prioritised at the expense of NHS patients? Are those true?

Thank you for that guidance. I am sure that all elected members have such issues in their inboxes at the moment, because of this very challenging time.

During the past 18 or 19 months, it would have been irresponsible if we were not putting measures in place to stop the challenging situation, and we all know that we are facing a challenging winter. However, on Tuesday 9 November, 2,233 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Scotland and yesterday that number rose to 3,852 new cases, which is very alarming. Do the three of you believe that the vaccination passports should be extended to other settings?