Share your views on the Scottish Government’s new cancer strategy

The ALLIANCE welcomes views of our members on the Scottish Government’s new cancer strategy proposals.

The Scottish Government have started developing a new cancer strategy for Scotland. They are looking for wide ranging views on what should be prioritised as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The consultation is live from 12 April 2022 until 7 June 2022.

A copy of the consultation document is available on the Scottish Government website (this link will take you away from our website).

The ALLIANCE will submit a response to the consultation which is representative of our members’ views and experiences.

To help us do so, we have identified five broad question areas below. The questions are also available in Microsoft Word form.

To contribute to the ALLIANCE response please send your views to us at macmillan@alliance-scotland.org.uk by Thursday 19 May.

Alternatively, if you want to respond to the consultation directly to Scottish Government as an organisation or individual, you can do so on the Scottish Government website (this link will take you away from our website).

Question 1:

What are your views on the priorities set out in the consultation?

• When answering this question, consider what you think are the most important aspects of the cancer journey?
• What do you think the Scottish Government should prioritise over the next three to ten years? For example, this could include prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support for people affected by cancer and other care.
• Are there any particular groups of cancers which should be focused on?

Question 2:

What are your views on the vision and aims set out in the consultation?

• The Scottish Government’s proposed vision is for ‘a compassionate and consistent cancer service, that provides improved support, outcomes and survival for people at risk of, and affected by, cancer in Scotland.”
• Do you agree with this vision? If so, why? And if not, why not?
• Is there anything missing from this vision that you would like to include?
• The Scottish Government’s proposed aims are:
  • Slowing down the increasing incidence of cancer
  • Earlier stage at diagnosis
  • Shorter time to treatment
  • Lower recurrent rates
  • Higher survival rates
  • High quality, consistent experience of the health service for people affected by cancer
  • An enabling environment for research and innovation in diagnosis and treatment
  • And reduced inequalities in all these areas
• Do you agree with these aims? If so, why? And if not, why not?
• Is there anything missing from these aims that you would like to include?

Question 3:

What are your views on the key themes set out in the consultation?

• Key themes currently include:
  • Person centred care
  • Prevention
  • Timely access to care
  • High quality care
  • Safe, effective treatments
  • Improving quality of life and wellbeing
  • Data, technology and measurement
  • And outcomes
• Do you agree with these themes? If so, why? And if not, why not?
• Is there anything missing from these themes that you would like to include?

Question 4:

If you have been affected by cancer, what have your own experiences of a cancer diagnosis been?

• When answering this question, consider where the support you received worked well and why that was?
• What could have improved your experience?

Question 5:

How does inequality affect the experiences of people affected by cancer?

• When answering this question, consider the aspects of cancer diagnosis, treatment or care that may affect people from seldom heard groups differently.
• Protected characteristics may include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
• Do people affected by cancer from these communities have more negative experiences?
• And what could be done to prevent this happening?

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