How are the SNP strengthening cancer services?

Cancer remains a national health priority for the SNP.

As the Scottish Government  the SNP published our Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 along with an initial three-year Cancer Action Plan with an overall ambition to improve survival.

We are delivering at pace 136 actions ranging from prevention and early diagnosis to treatment and post-treatment care.

The SNP have also invested over £40m over the past five years to support cancer services and improve waiting times, with a focus on urology, colorectal and breast as our most challenged pathways.

In response to oncology pressures, we committed additional funding for chemotherapy services which will increase up to £10m per annum by 2027, with £3m released in 2023/24, £4.6m released in 2024/25 and £6.6m in 2025/26.

We have also reduced the risk of developing cancer by focusing on prevention measures.

Our determination is also to ensure a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034.

Our 2018 Diet & Healthy Weight Delivery Plan sets out ambitious and wide-ranging actions to ensure everyone in Scotland can eat well and has a healthy weight. A healthy, balanced diet and active lifestyle are beneficial for the prevention of some cancers.

With the SNP in government, Scotland has a range of interventions to prevent and treat alcohol harm including minimum unit pricing, advertising and promotions, and treatment.

We have continued improvement in public awareness, including investing in Detecting Cancer Early adverts and raising awareness of access to screening services.

Our investments in prevention measures such as the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme are paying off.

Vaccine coverage remains high and there have been no cases of Cervical Cancer to date in fully vaccinated women who received their HPV vaccination at aged 12 and 13 years old since the HPV programme was first introduced in 2008.