Speakers

• Kenneth Macintosh MSP
• David Davidson MSP
• Andy Kerr MSP
• Sir David Carter
• Professor Jim Cassidy
• Peter Bates
• Dr Bob Grant
• Bill Clark
• Dr. Anna Gregor

Kenneth Macintosh MSP, Co-Convener, Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cancer

Ken was first elected to represent Eastwood in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003. Before entering the Scottish Parliament he was a television producer for the BBC and where he worked on national news programmes. He and his wife Claire live in Busby in East Renfrewshire with their four children.

As well as serving on the Parliament's Education Committee, Ken is co-convener of the Parliament's Cross Party Group on Cancer and is a member of several other Parliamentary Groups. Ken is a member of the following committees:

• Member of the Education Committee
• Member of the Subordinate Legislation Committee
• Substitute Member of the Health Committee

He is active in the following Cross Party Groups:

• Co-Convener of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cancer
• Member of the Buidheann Thar-Phartaidh na Gàidhlig
• Member of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on a Culture of Peace in Scotland
• Member of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Asthma
• Member of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Culture and the Media
• Member of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Deafness
• Member of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Palliative Care
• Member of the Cross-Party in the Scottish Parliament International Development Group

David Davidson MSP, Co-Convener, Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cancer

Born in Edinburgh in 1943, David attended Trinity Academy before studying Pharmacy at Heriot-Watt University and Business Administration at Manchester Business School. David is a registered Pharmacist and former proprietor/director of a group of community pharmacies in Northern England and Scotland. He is also a former farmer. He was previously Director of Unichem Ltd and the founding chair of the Association of Scottish Community Councils. David was a member of Stirling Enterprise, Stirling Business Works, Stirling Landfill Tax Trust and the Pharmaceutical Advisory Committees of the Scottish Office. He is a member of the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. He is married and has five children. He was a councillor in Stirling 1995-1999, being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. He has served as Finance Spokesman, Health Spokesman and is currently Spokesman for Transport and Local Government, and a member of the Conveners Group.

As well as being co-convener of the Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cancer, David Davidson is active in the following Cross-Party Groups:

• Convener - Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Diabetes
• Deputy Convener - Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Asthma
• Deputy Convener - Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Drug and Alcohol Abuse
• Deputy Convener - Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Oil and Gas
• Member - Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Epilepsy
• Member - Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Mental Health

Andy Kerr, Minister for Health and Community Care

Prior to becoming a member of the Scottish Parliament, Andy was a senior officer in Glasgow City Council. During his time on the Council he was responsible for the development of strategy, business planning, performance management and best value. He successfully managed the introduction of the quality standard ISO 9000 and took forward the implementation of the environmental standard ISO 14001 in the Land Services Department. He was active in the Association of Public Service Excellence and was the Managing Director of "Achieving Quality" a consultancy aimed at promoting quality assurance in the public sector.

On entering Parliament, he was appointed as the Convenor of the Transport and Environment Committee, prior to becoming the Minister for Finance and Public Services from November 2001 to October 2004. Andy has been Minister for Health and Community Care since October 2004.

Sir David Carter, Chairman, The Health Foundation; Trustee of Cancer Research UK

Sir David Carter is currently Chairman of The Health Foundation and Chairman of the Board for Academic Medicine in Scotland. He serves as a Trustee and Vice Chairman of Cancer Research UK, having served previously as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee of The Cancer Research Campaign, the Scientific Executive Board and the Programmes Grants Committee of Cancer Research UK. He was Vice Principal of Edinburgh University, served as Chief Medical Officer in Scotland and before that as Regius Professor of Clinical Surgery in Edinburgh and St Mungo Professor of Surgery in Glasgow. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and England, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and Faculty of Public Health Medicine. Recognising his contribution to surgery and medicine he has many honorary fellowships, memberships and degrees from Royal Colleges and Universities throughout the world. He was created Knight Bachelor in 1996 for services to medicine and in 1999 was awarded the decoration Gorka Dakshin Bahu by HM The King of Nepal. Surgical interests centred on hepato-biliary and pancreatic disease and he played a key role in establishing the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit in Edinburgh and was Chairman of its Policy Group. He served as Surgeon to Her Majesty The Queen. Prizes and awards include the Gold Medal (British Medical Association), Moynihan Prize (Association of Surgeons), William Leslie Prize (University of Edinburgh), the GB Ong Medal from Hong Kong University and the Gold Medal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He is currently Chairman of the Scottish Foundation for Surgery in Nepal, Queens Nursing Institute Scotland, and the External Advisory Groups of the Social Dimensions of Health Institute (Dundee/St Andrews) and Glasgow Centre for Population Health.

Outline Address

Approximately one-in-three men and one-in-four women in Scotland will suffer from cancer by the time they are 75. Although there have been major improvements recently in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, Scotland still fares poorly in comparison with many Western European countries.

The clear association between some major cancers and deprivation demands redress. For example, lung cancer is three times commoner in those living in our most deprived areas, and survival following breast cancer and lung cancer is significantly worse in such areas. Scotland must continue to improve overall living conditions and make every effort to improve population diet and reduce cigarette smoking. The recent ban on smoking in enclosed public places is warmly welcomed and may well lower the incidence of smoking as well as reducing passive smoking. Any attempts to erode the ban must be resisted.

Screening can detect cancer that is still in development or at a stage where treatment can eradicate it. Screening for colorectal cancer is now joining the established programmes of screening for breast and cervical cancer. Successful screening programmes for these common cancers coupled to programmes to prevent lung cancer and skin cancer are likely to transform cancer scenarios as we move through the 21st century.

Scotland is fortunate to possess some of the world’s leading cancer research groups. We are well placed to elucidate the causes of cancer in addition to driving hard for improved diagnosis and treatment. For example, cancer genetic services are now well established here and their potential is being realised in terms of improved understanding of cancer, better prevention and tailored treatment.

Scotland has also shown continuing leadership in cancer registration, clinical audit, clinical guidelines, and equitable access to services. However there are still perturbing regional differences, as in the case of outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer. Managed clinical networks have been pioneered in Scotland as a means of promoting uniformly high standards in patient care.

Cancer remains a major challenge for us all but there are now many encouraging signs of improvement in prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Scotland is well placed to capitalise on the partnership between Government, NHS, Universities and cancer charities.

Professor Jim Cassidy, Beatson Oncology Centre and University of Glasgow

Professor Jim Cassidy is a Cancer Research UK Professor of Oncology and Academic Head of the Centre for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology within the Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology at the University of Glasgow. He has a special interest in translational research, and clinical interests in colorectal cancer and drug development. He is also Research Convenor and Deputy Head of the University of Glasgow Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology. He received his medical degree in 1991 and his Fellowship in Oncology in 1978 from the University of Glasgow. Professor Cassidy was the first Professor of Oncology at the University of Aberdeen, where he developed both an academic unit of clinical oncology and a laboratory-based cancer research unit. He has also established a new drug development clinic which conducts Phase I and II trials that meet cGCP standards. Professor Cassidy is a member of a number of professional societies including EORTC, Pharmacology and Molecular Mechanism Group, British Medical Association, and American Association for Cancer Research. He has published over 140 peer-reviewed articles in scientific and medical journals, and contributed to several book chapters.

Outline Address

There is very rapid expansion of our knowledge of the molecular changes that cause cancer to develop, grow and spread. This enables us to make treatments which are selectively targeted and which we expect to be significantly more active than current therapy.

Such agents are usually developed by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. This is an expensive, time consuming and risky business. Most agents do not make it through the process to eventually be in widespread use for human disease. So those that do tend to be expensive.

Such therapies will not be of benefit to all patients and undoubtedly will have associated toxicity. Selection of patient sub-sets will require investment in the diagnostic services as well as drug budgets. But we may save money by not treating patients with agents that are toxic but have no real chance of altering the natural history of the cancer.

We need to take some actions soon to address these issues.

Dr Bob Grant, Chair, Scottish Cancer Group, Scottish Executive Health Department

Bob Grant was aged 14 and living in Aberdeen when he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma of the femur. Following treatment with radiotherapy at Western General Hospital Edinburgh, he continued his schooling and later graduated from Aberdeen Medical School in 1970. Junior hospital appointments, combining clinical work with cancer research, were in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Cambridge. Later he entered general practice with experience in Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire and Markinch and Kirkcaldy in Fife. In 2002, following 14 years of deteriorating health due to sepsis at the original tumour site, amputation of the right lower limb was performed. Subsequent improvement in his health has allowed a return to more normal active life. He currently combines a part time post in general practice with being Chair of the Scottish Cancer Group. He is a member of the NCRI Clinical Studies Development Group for Teenage and Young Adult Cancer.

Peter Bates, Chair, NHS Tayside

Peter Bates is Chairman of NHS Tayside. Following qualification at Birmingham University with the Certificate in Social Administration, Diploma in Social Work and Letter of Recognition in Child Care, Peter moved to Greenock and Port Glasgow, enthused by the challenges and opportunities presented by the new Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Peter has held senior social work posts in councils throughout Scotland, including Community Development Project Manager at City of Edinburgh Council; Social Work Manager with Lothian Regional Council; Depute Director of Social Work with Strathclyde Regional Council; Director of Social Work with Tayside Regional Council, Direct Dundee City Council and The Highland Council; and Change Manager with Stirling Council.
Peter was President of the Association of Directors of Social Work, a COSLA Adviser and is a former Chair of both NFCA (Scotland) and BAAF (Scotland). He has long term involvement with voluntary organisations, the churches and ethnic communities. In June 2004 Peter was appointed by the Minister for Health and Community Care to the Expert Group chaired by Professor David Kerr looking at long term strategic changes to the NHS. In July 2004 Peter became the Chairman of the University of Stirling Cancer Care Research Centre Steering Group.

In August 2004 Peter was seconded from NHS Tayside to the Scottish Executive as Director of Health Service Delivery. This secondment was extended in December 2004.

Bill Clark, Director of Social Work Services, West Dunbartonshire Social Services

Bill Clark has over 20 years in senior management in local authority social work services roles across the West of Scotland. He has had a longstanding interest in disability, health inequality and poverty issues.

West Dunbartonshire Council has one of the most developed welfare rights services in Scotland. Within West Dunbartonshire Council we have secured a partnership model with Macmillan Cancer Support and the NHS which streamlines access to benefits and social care. The model is being promoted as a national approach to integrate benefits advice and social care within 'managed care networks' across Scotland.

Outline Address

Bill Clark will develop some of the key themes from the “Advice & Support for people Affected by Cancer” briefing paper (August 2006), jointly prepared by:

• Allan Cowie: West of Scotland Service Development Manager, Macmillan Cancer Support
• Bill Clark: Acting Director of Social Work Services, West Dunbartonshire Council
• Tommy Gorman: Team Leader, Welfare Rights Service, West Dunbartonshire Council

These include:

• highlighting the links between cancer and poverty
• the complexity of the benefits and social care systems
• the challenge of dealing with the welfare state at a time of personal and family crisis
• the findings from our partnership work with Macmillan Cancer Support and the lessons we've learned about benefits advice and home care
• the value of co-ordinated social care and financial advice
• models for managed care networks and integrated work with CHPs/CHCPs
• service models based around regional cancer centres
• proposals for a pilot project in the West of Scotland supporting the Beatson Oncology Centre

Dr. Anna Gregor, SCAN Clinical Director, Southeast of Scotland Cancer Network (SCAN)

Anna is a cancer clinician who is leading the development of SCAN - a managed clinical network for cancer services in southern Scotland (www.scan.scot.nhs.uk). From 2001-06 she led the development and implementation of the Scottish national strategy for cancer services. The key characteristics of the Scottish cancer programmes are patient involvement, transparent decision making, accountability for financial investments and regional multidisciplinary collaboration.

She has been closely involved with guideline development and quality assurance programmes and national cancer audits. In 2005-06 she has taken up a quality improvement fellowship with the Institute for Healthcare Improvements in Boston. She has become a Fit to Lead fellow of the British Association of Medical Managers in 2006.

Her main clinical interest has been thoracic oncology and malignancies of the nervous system and served both as a Board Member and treasurer for the International Association for Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC).

She has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E) in the 2005 Birthday’s Honours List.

Outline Address

Scottish cancer services have undergone a fundamental change for the better since the start of a national strategy Cancer in Scotland 5 years ago.

Not only are they much better equipped to provide quality care to the current patients, but most importantly we have made important investments equipping Scotland for the challenges of the future that have been discussed at this conference.

We are on track reducing mortality from cancer but in order to speed this up we know that reorganisation of services that would ensure that every cancer patient, regardless of where they lived will have access to the best available care would make the biggest improvements. We did this by establishing regional networks, availability of information, programmes of quality improvements, redesign and standard setting, working as multidisciplinary teams, establishing the research networks and £198 m programme of investment. The main beneficiaries apart from the Cancer in Scotland programme that you know about were replacement programme and expansion of radiotherapy facilities, PET programme, new West of Scotland Cancer Centre, patient support and information programmes and a whole host of other initiatives.

The work around “cancer waiting times” is speeding up the process of care for large groups of patients with common symptoms that may be cancer and we have been careful not to distort other clinical priorities in the process.
Working with the Scottish Medicine Consortium, we have provided equitable access to new cancer medicines for Scottish patients.

What remains are some of the more difficult challenges. We want to continue to improve services for the growing number of patients diagnosed and living with cancer in the future. We want to do this without additional burdens of travel to specialist centres and in a way that is flexible and sensitive to their needs. This will mean doing things differently. Working in teams both within an area and across the spectrum of healthcare. This will need robust and sophisticated technology to support transfer of clinical information and enabling people from dispersed geographical areas to work together.

We will need to learn how to use molecular information from patients and their tumours to target therapy and doses more effectively and safely. There are challenges ahead, but Scotland is in good shape to tackle them. All we need is not to take the eye of the ball- sustainable benefits need sustained action and most importantly focus our attention on the needs of our patients.