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FOREWORD
Over the years since the launch of Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change, significant improvements have been made in the accessibility and quality of cancer and related services in Scotland.
Evidence of these improvements is readily available through feedback from patients, performance information and annual reports from cancer networks. These are detailed on the Cancer in Scotland website ( http://www.cancerinscotland.scot.nhs.uk).
Although much has been achieved, there is more to be done. More and more people are being diagnosed with cancer and at the same time more and more people are surviving cancer. Against this background and with an ageing population, the various caring services will need to continue to seek out and implement innovative, robust and supportive ways of delivering care. They must focus on the needs of patients and also deliver services in ways that better meet the expectations of all those affected by cancer.
This discussion document sets out a range of broad action areas that we believe will need to be addressed if healthcare services are to keep pace with changes in the level and type of demand across Scotland. It includes questions about specific issues and an open invitation to provide your views and ideas about any aspect of cancer care. We are committed to involving and engaging patients, carers, healthcare professionals and the public in developing our new cancer action plan and your feedback will therefore be invaluable to us. The detailed updated strategy will be published in summer 2008.
Nicola Sturgeon, MSP
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing
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