Michael Matheson, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, launched the new Scottish Cancer Strategy 2023–2033. The strategy sets out 11 ambitions to cut cancer risk, diagnose cancer earlier, improve treatment, modernise services, and narrow gaps linked to health inequality.
Why Ambition Matters
Cancer services face huge pressure. More people receive diagnoses as the population ages. The NHS continues to recover from the pandemic. Cancer remains a major health burden. The Scottish Government has shown commitment by producing a standalone strategy, while NHS England includes cancer inside its Long-Term Plan.
First Action Plan
The plan includes three three-year phases. The first lists 137 actions due by June 2026. These actions aim to speed up diagnosis, use growing knowledge of cancer types and targeted treatments, and improve how services deliver care.
Lung Cancer Priority
Lung cancer stands out as a clear challenge. Sixty-six per cent of patients receive a diagnosis at stage 3 or 4 when treatment is still possible but cure is unlikely. Lung cancer remains the biggest cause of cancer deaths, so improving outcomes is critical.
Screening Opportunity
Targeted screening for people at highest risk offers major potential. The National Screening Committee supported screening in September 2022. Scotland now needs resources and strong communication to build screening services and encourage participation, especially where fear or pessimism still exists. England’s Lung Health Checks show what is possible, with 76 per cent of lung cancers caught at stages 1 and 2.
One Pathway for All
A national Optimum Pathway will guide tests, results, referrals, and treatment. The aim is for patients in any part of Scotland to follow a clear route from diagnosis to care. Long waits and uncertainty place strain on families, and this pathway seeks to ease that burden.
Innovation and Prevention
Knowledge continues to grow about lung cancers not caused by smoking. Advances in biopsies and genetic testing offer new ways to treat disease. Scotland still needs strong action to reduce tobacco-related risk and nicotine addiction.
Supporting People
Keeping people as well as possible before, during, and after treatment makes a difference. The strategy commits to better access to prehabilitation, wellbeing support and mental health services. NHS teams and cancer charities both play a key role. More collaboration will make support easier to access for patients and families.
Less Survivable Cancers
The plan prioritises cancers with the lowest survival rates: brain, pancreas, liver, stomach, oesophagus and lung. These cancers often receive later diagnoses and have poorer outcomes. Projects like the Single Point of Contact model and Rapid Diagnostic Centres already show promise and need wider adoption.
Workforce and Data
Strong cancer services require skilled staff and reliable data. Pandemic pressures increased strain on the workforce. Scotland needs short-term fixes and long-term planning to grow capacity and support evolving treatments. Good data ensures teams put time and resource in the right places so services can improve.
Shared Drive for Progress
People affected by cancer want systems that work, not structures they must battle. Change can feel daunting, but ambition matters to patients, charities and professionals alike. Everyone has a role in creating better cancer care for Scotland in the decade ahead.