Scotland may have to wait up to a decade before a nationwide lung cancer screening programme is fully operational, the country’s public health minister has confirmed.
Jenni Minto, Minister for Public Health, said the Scottish Expert Advisory Group has estimated it could take between seven and 10 years to establish a full rollout, despite the UK National Screening Committee recommending targeted lung cancer screening in 2022.
The programme would offer screening to people aged 55 to 74 who currently smoke or have smoked in the past. While pilots have begun in deprived areas of Scotland – where lung cancer rates are disproportionately high – a nationwide scheme is not expected until the 2030s.
Ms Minto cited challenges around resources, infrastructure, and the potential impact on NHS services as reasons for the delay. The scheme is expected to cost around £36 million to set up, with running costs of £29–39 million a year.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats, who have launched a petition calling for immediate rollout, have urged ministers to “move heaven and earth” to speed up progress. Party leader Alex Cole-Hamilton pointed to advances elsewhere in the UK, noting that Wales is preparing to invite its first patients in 2027, while England is already beginning its programme.
Lung cancer screening vital in saving lives
Analysis suggests that nationwide screening in Scotland could help diagnose around 4,000 patients earlier, with the potential to save 2,300 lives if even half of eligible people take part.
Lung cancer remains Scotland’s biggest cancer killer, accounting for nearly a quarter of all cancer deaths. Mortality rates are more than three times higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived.
Paula Chadwick, Chief Executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said: “We simply cannot afford to wait another decade for Scotland-wide lung cancer screening.
“Every year of delay means more families devastated, more lives cut short unnecessarily. Screening is proven to detect lung cancer earlier, when treatment is more effective and survival chances are far higher.
“England is already moving forward, and Wales has set a clear timeline. Scotland is already lagging behind and its communities are paying the price. We urge the Government to accelerate its plans so that people at risk have the best possible chance of surviving this disease.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have already committed to a lung screening pilot which will initially concentrate on some of the most deprived areas in Scotland, as the first step to national rollout.
“We know earlier diagnosis is crucial for lung cancer. That is why Scotland published an optimal diagnostic pathway for lung cancer back in 2022, which is supported by almost £3.5 million and sets ambitious timeframes for diagnosis and treatment.
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers being diagnosed by our Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services, which are finding cancer faster. NHS Forth Valley opened a service in May 2025, bringing our national total to six.”