Our manifesto for Scotland

This is a crucial moment for Scottish election candidates to commit to earlier prostate cancer diagnosis, so men in Scotland are not left behind.

The facts:

Each year in Scotland, more than 5,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and around 1,000 men die from it.

Almost a third of prostate cancers (31%) in Scotland are diagnosed too late for a cure.  This is the highest rate of all UK nations.

Public Health Scotland data shows that prostate cancer diagnoses increased from 4,434 in 2021/2022 to 5,677 in 2023/2024, highlighting the need to urgently address increasing demands on services and staff in NHS Scotland.

Share our manifesto for Scotland and let your candidates know about our priorities for the next Scottish Government.

Update NHS Scotland guidelines so GPs can actively talk to men at higher risk of prostate cancer about their options. This includes Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer or a confirmed BRCA gene variation. Also, replacing unclear patient information with our 30-second online Risk Checker and investing in campaigns that are proven to help men understand their risk and take action.

Act on the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendations when finalised to ensure men with a confirmed BRCA gene variation can access prostate cancer screening.

Fund research to understand the barriers men in rural areas face when accessing healthcare, and how to remove them, for example through mobile health outreach clinics.

Fund NHS Scotland to roll out innovative personalised approaches, such as the Filters and Cascades pathway from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to deliver fast, high-quality prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment including by adopting new, proven tests and approaches across all NHS health boards.

Publish better‑quality prostate cancer data more quickly by investing in analysts, training and resources, while strengthening collaboration with cancer charities for coordinated research; and publishing prostate cancer-specific data to identify where delays and gaps in care exist so that they can be improved.
Implement risk-stratified active surveillance for men with low-risk prostate cancers that do not require immediate treatment, through cancer service planning and funding where needed.

Address health inequalities for those living in the most deprived areas by offering primary care training on prostate cancer risk factors, as well as researching why health outcomes are worse in some rural communities, and measuring how primary care is proactively tackling health inequalities in their communities.

Fund prehabilitation/rehabilitation services in all areas, including support packs, making sure psychological support is part of urology cancer care pathways.

Download our full manifesto here.