Written Question · S5W-24440 · Session 5
What activity it is planning to raise awareness of melanoma.
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what activity it is planning to raise awareness of melanoma.
The answer
The Scottish Government is committed to the early detection of cancer – this is reflected in our £42 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme that aims to improve cancer survival rates in Scotland by finding and treating the disease at an early stage. The Programme has traditionally focused on Scotland’s most common cancers
- breast, bowel and lung
- which account for around 45% of all primary cancers diagnosed in Scotland. However, following an options appraisal exercise, malignant melanoma was added to the Programme in 2016. Since then, Boards have introduced local pilots to explore and promote best practice for referrals of Suspicious Pigmented Lesions (SPL), in order to achieve earlier diagnosis of cancer.
Meanwhile, DCE’s latest awareness campaign – Survivors – is currently running across Scotland to highlight the fact that more people are surviving cancer than ever before and getting checked early plays a big part. All channels
- including TV, radio and digital
- signpost to DCE’s website where people can learn about the common signs and symptoms of cancer, including melanoma. A roadshow will be travelling the country later this year to raise further awareness and help empower people who notice any unusual/persistent changes to act early.
Further to this, there is advice available to the public through the following NHS Inform pages:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/summer-health
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/cancer/cancer-types-in-adults/skin-cancer-non-melanoma
- breast, bowel and lung
- which account for around 45% of all primary cancers diagnosed in Scotland. However, following an options appraisal exercise, malignant melanoma was added to the Programme in 2016. Since then, Boards have introduced local pilots to explore and promote best practice for referrals of Suspicious Pigmented Lesions (SPL), in order to achieve earlier diagnosis of cancer.
Meanwhile, DCE’s latest awareness campaign – Survivors – is currently running across Scotland to highlight the fact that more people are surviving cancer than ever before and getting checked early plays a big part. All channels
- including TV, radio and digital
- signpost to DCE’s website where people can learn about the common signs and symptoms of cancer, including melanoma. A roadshow will be travelling the country later this year to raise further awareness and help empower people who notice any unusual/persistent changes to act early.
Further to this, there is advice available to the public through the following NHS Inform pages:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/summer-health
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/cancer/cancer-types-in-adults/skin-cancer-non-melanoma
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-24440 by reference.