We work with the Scottish Parliament

Macmillan Cancer Support campaigned hard to influence the new Scottish Government Cancer plan. The new plan now includes commitments to:

• Collaborative working across health, care and third sectors. This will enable early identification and access to the care and support that suits an individual’s needs at the time that is right for them. Our partnership with Macmillan, and “Improving the Cancer Journey” will continue over the next 10 years to achieve future sustainability within the Health and Social Care Partnerships and Local Authorities.
• Work with the Scottish Cancer Network, Regional Cancer Networks, Macmillan Cancer Support and other key stakeholders to further test and embed successful prehabilitation approaches within management guidelines and pathways of care, whilst also evidencing impact of outcomes.
• The launch of the final Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) service, in partnership with Macmillan. This service will give everyone diagnosed with cancer in Scotland access to a key support worker.
• Completion of the Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey (SCPES), working with Macmillan Cancer Support.
• Work with Macmillan alongside other third sector organisations and Health Boards to determine any new actions required to improve the experience of people diagnosed with cancer and how best to measure this.
• “Mental Health As Part Of Basic Care will recognise the mental health impacts on people of all ages affected by long term conditions including cancer. These tools should be embedded in all cancer care”

We will aim to hold the Government to account on these vital pledges in the coming years.

Macmillan are calling on the Scottish Government to publish a new plan for palliative and end of life care in Scotland which is fully funded.

The previous Scottish Government Plan: Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care 2016-2021 was welcomed by the sector. But as we look forward, there remains a significant challenge in ensuring appropriate support for people at the end of life, and the strategy has not achieved its overall ambition.

We want to see a comprehensive new plan for Scotland that focuses on ensuring the health system is supported and prepared with the resources required to meet the needs of everyone who is at end of life.

Action must also be taken to ensure the health inequality gap within cancer care does not become even wider due to the impact of COVID-19. Cancer incidence statistics routinely show that cancer rates are significantly higher in deprived communities, with lung cancer in particular, three times more common in these areas compared to the least deprived communities.

Macmillan are concerned that the disruption to the cancer system caused by the pandemic could particularly impact those from deprived communities, who were already more likely to be diagnosed later. We must ensure that all our services are focused on reducing inequalities in their design and delivery.