I congratulate Clare Adamson on securing this important debate and commend her for her thoughtful contribution. Like other colleagues, I associate myself with her remarks.
Like many other members, I come to the debate thinking of Christina McKelvie. I first met Christina when she was a young learning and development officer in social work services, working to improve the lives of families in Glasgow. It was absolutely characteristic of Christina that, even before she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, she already supported Breast Cancer Now’s wear it pink campaign. She responded to her diagnosis by campaigning even harder to encourage women to regularly check their breasts and attend screening appointments.
Sadly, however, breast cancer remains one of the main causes of death in Scotland, and the vast majority of those who are affected are women. As Marie McNair rightly said, one in nine women in Scotland will develop breast cancer, but they are five times more likely to survive it if it is caught early.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of chairing a meeting with Atos Scotland and Breast Cancer Now to discuss what more progress can be made in screening. Uptake in Scotland right now is just over 75 per cent, which is good, but that still means that one in four eligible women are missing that vital opportunity. Although around 80 per cent of women from the least deprived fifth of the population take up screening, the rate among the most deprived fifth is 65 per cent. Last week, I urged the Scottish Government to publish the cancer deprivation figures, and I repeat that call now, because it is only with accurate data that we can target those who need it most effectively.
Raising awareness of screening is only part of the picture. For screening to work, not only do we need women to come in the door; we need radiographers to take scans and radiologists to make diagnoses based on the results. It is the whole journey that matters. I heard earlier this year from the Society of Radiographers, which warned that many of its members are at the point of burnout. Demand for diagnostic radiography has increased by 11 per cent year on year, and there is no equivalent increase in radiographer numbers or their equipment. Meanwhile, the latest census from the Royal College of Radiologists found that there was a 25 per cent shortfall of radiologists in Scotland, which is expected to rise to 35 per cent by 2029. In addition, of all the UK nations, Scotland has the worst shortage of clinical oncologists who treat cancer. Further, Scottish Labour research that was published earlier this year found that Scottish hospitals are relying on scanners that, in many cases, are decades old. We can do so much better.
There is a new drug to treat secondary breast cancer, which the Scottish Medicines Consortium considered recently—this week, I believe—and an announcement is expected next week. However, we lack the capacity for the type of genetic testing that is required along with the drug, which is routinely available to women in NHS England. I plead with the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to act quickly to ensure that the drug can be used in Scotland, if passed by the SMC.
For 2025-26, the UK Labour Government delivered a record budget settlement for Scotland, including around £2 billion extra for Scotland’s NHS. It is up to the Scottish Government to ensure that that money is invested appropriately. I ask the Scottish Government to commit to investing in scanners and developing a proper workforce plan so that women who turn up for screening know that, if anything is found, they will have the fastest possible route to treatment.
