Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has received the final report from the Breast Screening Modernisation Board, and is grateful for their work. We are working with the organisations responsible for screening to implement the recommendations from the report. Funding has been provided to Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland to oversee and progress this work.

The final report will be published in the coming weeks. In line with the prioritisation of recommendations suggested within the report, immediate work is focused on exploring possible changes to the way in which breast screening is managed.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) announced on their website that they have delayed publication of their breast screening report to December 2025. This is due to data quality concerns identified during their standard quality assurance process. PHS are in communication with their data supplier to investigate and resolve these concerns to ensure accurate data is published in the report. These identified issues have not affected the operation of the breast screening programme itself or participants’ results.

Scottish Government is aware that research is essential if we are to continue to develop new and effective approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours.

There are no plans for the Scottish Government to provide direct funding support to the Scottish Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, however, Individual researchers or groups of researchers based at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence and who are employed by a Scottish University or NHS Board can apply for CSO research grant funding.

We look forward to working with the Centre co-leads and funders to facilitate awareness of and engagement with the NHS Research Scotland support infrastructure.

Through delivery of the Out of hospital cardiac arrest: strategy 2021 to 2026 - gov.scot we are working with our Save a Life for Scotland partners to improve access to defibrillators by ensuring that they are publicly accessible, registered and to take a data driven approach to their placement.

The Scottish Government provided the Resuscitation Research Group funding to support the development of PADmap - Increasing cardiac arrest survival through optimal defibrillator placement. This is a free to use, data-driven service to help defibrillator guardians make informed decisions about where to place their devices in order to have the most impact.

Scottish Government recognises that diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging as symptoms are wide-ranging and often vague.

Through our Cancer strategy 2023 to 2033 - gov.scot and initial three year Cancer action plan 2023 to 2026 - gov.scot published in June 2023, a new Earlier Cancer Diagnosis Vision was developed. This vision aims to reduce later stage disease by 18 percentage points in 10 years’ time, with a focus on reducing the health inequalities gap, including for those with brain tumours.

Actions and resources to aid this vision include the Get Checked Early and NHS Inform websites, which highlight the possible symptoms of brain tumours, encouraging individuals to contact their General Practice for early detection and referrals.

In August 2025, Scottish Government published the updated Scottish Referral Guidelines for Urgent Suspicion of Cancer. These guidelines support primary care clinicians to identify those with symptoms suspicious of cancer and identify those who require urgent assessment by a specialist and for the first time, the guideline includes an update to the guidance for urgent referral for suspected brain tumours

Other resources to support primary care also include:

• Gateway C, a new primary care cancer education platform launched in April 2024. Gateway C provides tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis and enable effective decision-making. This platform is accessible to all primary care clinicians and includes a brain tumour course specifically aimed at assisting the effective assessment and management of patients with a potential brain tumour.
• A new National Headache Pathway published by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. This pathway, based on presentation at General Practice, clearly lists red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumour.

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) has developed a Clinical Management Pathway on adult neuro-oncology. It sets out the delivery of a Scotland-wide approach to optimal treatment options throughout the patient journey, from diagnosis through to follow-up or end of life care.

The neuro-oncology pathway provides a clinical consensus to delivering the optimal treatment and support options to individuals diagnosed with and living with brain cancer, regardless of individual or geographical variation. It also signposts resources and support services to live well with a brain tumour, take control and find practical help that meets their specific needs.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39990 on 4 September 2025. 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.

Scottish Government knows that the earlier cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat, and even cure. Diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging as symptoms are wide-ranging and often vague.

We continue to have a focus on the less survivable cancers, including brain tumours, and improving their outcomes and this vision is part of our Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 along with an initial three year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 – 2026.

The Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme initially launched in 2012, takes a whole-systems approach to early detection and encompasses primary care, diagnostics, public education, data, innovation and screening.

A new primary care cancer education platform - Gateway C, launched in 2024, is a free online platform providing innovative and tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis efforts and enable effective decision-making.

The Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRGs) for Suspected Cancer support primary care clinicians to identify those with symptoms suspicious of cancer and identify those who require urgent assessment by a specialist. For the first time, the guidelines includes an update to the guidance for urgent referral for suspected brain tumours, to help ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time.

A new National Headache Pathway has also been published by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. This pathway, based on presentation at General Practice, clearly lists red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumour.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39986 on 4 September 2025. 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.

Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that anyone diagnosed with cancer has access to a range of services throughout their cancer pathway. We are aware that individuals’ support needs change and evolve during this time.

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) has developed National Clinical Management Pathway (CMP) for adult neuro-oncology. This sets out an optimal treatment and support pathway for adults diagnosed with a brain tumour from diagnosis to end of life care.

The CMP outlines a consensus of clinical best practice, and includes information on a range of treatment and supportive care support following a diagnosis. This, ensures that everyone diagnosed with and living with a brain tumour have access the best possible care and support.