³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Scottish Government recognises that diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging as symptoms are wide-ranging and often vague, contributing to presentations in emergency settings. We continue to work with primary care to improve the earlier diagnosis of brain cancers.

A clinical review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer has just concluded to help ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time. For the first time, the review has ensured the inclusion of a nationally agreed non-specific symptoms referral guideline, as well as an update to the guidance for urgent referral for suspected brain tumours. Publication of the reviewed guidelines is expected this month.

A new primary care cancer education platform, Gateway C, was launched in April 2024. Gateway C provides tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis and enable effective decision-making. This platform is accessible to all primary care clinicians and includes a brain tumour course specifically aimed at assisting the effective assessment and management of patients with a potential brain tumour.

A new National Headache Pathway has also been published by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. This pathway, based on presentation at General Practice, clearly lists red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumour.

The medicines regulatory body, the MHRA, has issued regulatory action on labelling of topical steroids with their potencies, so that prescribers and patients can have informed discussions about the length of treatment of these products and associated risks and benefits.

It is a matter for Health Boards to consider the implementation of any new medicine to meet the needs of their local population. However, in response to concerns raised regarding access to givinostat in Scotland, the Cabinet Secretary has met with the four health boards who provide regional services across Scotland for children and adults with neuromuscular disorders, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). He has asked them to set out their timelines and approaches to the families who have children with DMD, and this is now underway. In addition, the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO) has been assured that the consultants have reviewed all those who eligible to ensure fair and equitable access across Scotland.

The Scottish Government collects and publishes data on the total number of diversion from prosecution cases commenced for people aged under 18, this is published in the .

Over the past five years a total of 3,444 diversion from prosecution cases were started for individuals under 18. However, information on the specific alleged offence in each case is not available.

In partnership with NHS Scotland colleagues, the Scottish Government are developing tools to support GP practices to proactively identify people on topical steroids so that their treatment can be reviewed.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have and are continuing to take action to simplify scheduling of these complex cases. Following updates provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on 19 February and 9 June, I will be meeting with members of the board and clinicians in September 2025 to seek further clarity in terms of progress made.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38143 on 13 June 2025.

Following extensive stakeholder engagement and data review, we published the first optimal cancer diagnostic pathways on lung, head & neck and colorectal cancers. Prioritisation of the next optimal diagnostic pathways to be developed in the subsequent Cancer Action Plan(s) will be based on data and stakeholder engagement.

A clinical review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer has just concluded to help ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time. For the first time, the review has ensured the inclusion of a nationally agreed non-specific symptoms referral guideline, as well as an update to the guidance for urgent referral for suspected brain tumours. Publication of the reviewed guidelines is expected this month.

The National Headache Pathway was published by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, has been developed to support the assessment, diagnosis and management of primary headache disorders. This includes the red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumours.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Spending on additional support for learning by local authorities reached a record high of over £1bn in 2023-24

We have continued to invest £15m per year since 2019-20 and provide over £11m of funding, to directly support pupils with complex additional support needs and services to children and families.

The 2025-26 budget sets out a further £29m of additional investment, specifically for ASN for local and national programmes to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce.

We are also providing £186.5m to councils this year to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels and maximise the number of teaching posts available.

Scottish Government and COSLA work in partnership on additional support needs through the Additional Support for Learning Project Board. The new Education and Childcare Assurance Board provides a further opportunity for jointly agreeing priorities and joint working in this context.

It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate and the Scottish Government expect them to exercise their statutory responsibilities and deliver a safe environment for all school users.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people living with kidney diseases are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective, and put people at the centre of their care.

We are aware of the findings of Kidney Care UK in their 2024 report, and Ms Minto met with the group shortly after publication. In 2024 we published the transport to health plan to support work across Scottish Government, Health Boards and Transport partners.

Following engagement between Scottish Government and NHS Boards, a Short Life Working Group is set to be established across NHS Boards to consider in more detail the issues relating to transport access for patients attending for kidney care treatment. We look forward to the outcomes of this work.