Chamber and committees

The Scottish Cancer Registry, hosted by Public Health Scotland, collects information on registrations for primary cancers. It does not hold information on secondary cancers.

There is work ongoing to develop systems for the routine collection of secondary cancer data, including secondary breast cancer. However, validation of these systems would require clinical time that is being focussed on seeing patients as we continue to prioritise cancer in the NHS. Any national system for the routine collection of secondary breast cancer would take several years to produce the first tranche of data. The Scottish Government’s National Cancer Plan has committed up to £114.5m until March 2023 which will drive a range of improvements across all cancer services.

Cancer continues to be a top priority for this Government. On 28 June I announced £10 million of funding to support cancer waiting times improvements during 2021-22. This funding will support targeted diagnostic activity, including for breast cancer. We have also provided five mobile MRI scanners and four mobile CT scanners to increase diagnostic capacity across NHS Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01559 on
‎ 24 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01559 on
‎ 24 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01559 on
‎ 24 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01559 on
‎ 24 August 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government has allocated £165,625 to NHS Shetland for 2021-22 to support the Scottish Rural Medical Collaborative develop the Rediscover the Joy in General Practice Project to ensure that remote and rural, including island, health boards can recruit and retain GPs to permanent positions. Currently there are 30 doctors recruited from other areas to work up to 18 weeks a year in practices in remote and rural areas.

By the end of July, all Health Boards had completed the audit of cases where individuals have been excluded from the cervical screening programme despite their records indicating they may have had subtotal hysterectomies before 1997. Further work was then carried out to collate and analyse the findings. By Wednesday 18 August, around 174 letters were issued by Boards to all those who have been identified as requiring to be re-instated in the programme, or to be offered a gynaecological appointment either because it is not clear from their records if the exclusion is appropriate, or because their age means they are no longer eligible for cervical screening.

In total, 484 records were reviewed. Of these:

• 204 individuals were found to have been correctly excluded and no further action is necessary.
• 39 individuals have been wrongly excluded and are still in the eligible age range for screening. These patients will be re-instated to the programme and asked to contact their GP practice to make an appointment for screening.
• 46 individuals have been wrongly excluded but are now no longer eligible for screening due to their age. These patients will be offered an appointment at a gynaecology clinic.
• 89 individuals’ records did not allow a determination to be made on the appropriateness of their exclusion. These patients will also be offered an appointment at a gynaecology clinic.
• A small number of individuals are no longer resident in Scotland. Efforts will be made to trace them, and they will be re-instated in the screening programme so that they will be invited again for screening should they return to Scotland.
• 100 individuals are now deceased. As noted in the statement given to Parliament on 24 June, a review is being carried out into the deaths of anyone who may have been excluded in error from the programme to verify whether cervical cancer was a main or contributory cause of death.

The care pathways in place for anyone written to in August are the same as for all those written to at the end of June. Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust also continue to offer support through their helpline services. The helpline can be reached by calling 0808 802 8000 or emailing [email protected]. If anyone believes they have had a subtotal hysterectomy and therefore thinks they should have received a letter, Jo’s Trust will also be able to redirect them to a Health Board contact.

We recognise the anxiety anyone receiving a letter will almost certainly feel, and we are sorry for that. It is important to stress that the risk of developing cervical cancer is extremely low – less than 1 in 100 women will develop it in their lifetimes.

As we have stressed throughout this incident, anyone who is experiencing symptoms of cervical cancer – that is anyone experiencing unusual discharge, or bleeding after sex, between periods or after the menopause – should make an appointment with their GP practice. More information on symptoms is available on NHS Inform.

I will provide a more detailed update to Parliament on this issue after recess.

The timing for restarting the over-70’s self-referral scheme is regularly reviewed. The Breast Screening Programme Board (BSPB) agreed criteria to resume the option for women over 70 to self-refer in line with the programme’s recovery route map. The option for women over 70 to self-refer into the breast screening programme will resume once all screening centres are able to offer those aged 53-70 their breast screening appointments within 39 months of their previous screening. Progress towards this criteria is being closely monitored, and the National Screening Oversight, National Screening Committee and BSPB continue to work with Health boards to increase the number of available appointments within the programme.

Regardless of their age, women should remain symptom aware and report any symptoms to their GP immediately for these to be investigated.

The Scottish Government currently only allows travellers returning from green and amber list countries to use NHS Covid-19 tests.

These home PCR kits are sold at a fixed price and can be booked through CTM, the UK Government’s booking portal for international travel.

Wales currently also only allow use of NHS Covid-19 tests, booked through CTM and have the same fixed pricing structure as offered in Scotland.