Question reference: S5O-00962
- Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 3 May 2017
-
Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 May 2017
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to cancer treatment.
Answer
We launched our cancer strategy ‘Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action’ in March 2016. This strategy, supported by £100 million of investment, will support improvements in the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare for people with all types of cancer.
The strategy sets out our plans to ensure equity of access to sustainable, high quality, timely treatment across Scotland to improve outcomes. This includes investment of:
-
£39 million in radiotherapy equipment;
-
up to £2.5m to support the delivery of the Cancer Plan for Children and Young People in Scotland 2016–2019, developed by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer; and
-
£7.5 million over the next 5 years to support improvements in surgical treatments
We are also working to improve access to medicines. In December we announced that we will be taking forward the recommendations from the Montgomery review. We have undertaken extensive work in collaboration with partners and stakeholders to begin implementing these recommendations.