Question reference: S6W-26075
- Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 8 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 March 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the expert advisory group’s work regarding the roll-out of a national targeted lung cancer screening programme, including what the expected timeline is, and what additional capacity and investment is required.
Answer
The Scottish Government has welcomed the recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) that the 4 UK Nations should move towards implementing a programme of targeted lung screening for those between 55-74 with a history of smoking.
The Scottish Expert Advisory Group (SEAG) was established to assess the specific challenges and opportunities for a Scottish programme. The SEAG met for the first time in August 2023. Further meetings are scheduled in the coming months as part of work to develop a business case.
The complexity of the challenge means a national screening programme is likely to take years rather than months to implement. Until the business case is complete, we cannot provide timings for implementation or specifics relating to implementation and annual running costs.
Lung cancer remains a national priority, which is why the Scottish Government has a dedicated chapter in our £114.5 million National Cancer Plan, and last December we redesigned lung cancer diagnostic services to help ensure patients receive faster access to treatment.