Cancer Research UK-10 years in Scotland
01 Nov 19 |
Ben Chiu- CRUK Cancer Prevention Department
Cancer Research UK is a leader in cancer prevention in Scotland and the rest of the UK. From funding research to supporting campaigns, we have been committed to a healthier Scotland.
We have helped contribute to sectorwide efforts to influence the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament and the media. Liaising with officials on tobacco, obesity and alcohol policy, we have helped shape strategies, set policy priorities, and build consensus and awareness among parliamentarians. From MUP to restricting price promotions, we have worked to ensure that prevention is on the national agenda.
Over the last ten years, we have helped support Scottish academics and campaigners who have worked tirelessly to prevent cancer. Our Tobacco Advisory Group (TAG) has contributed in part to the work of Scottish academics to help inform action to achieve a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034. We have also assisted dynamic and influential bodies such as ASH Scotland, and newer bodies such as the Scottish Obesity Alliance.
Furthermore, in this period we have also boosted Cancer Research UK’s own prevention research outputs. Our Cancer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) was established in 2014 to produce policy reports, while our Cancer Intelligence team published research that, for the first time in Scotland, quantified the attributable modifiable risk factors for cancer cases.
Since 2017, our Facilitator Programme has prioritised increasing health professional awareness of the links between cancer prevention and lifestyle. The Facilitator Programme has supported a wide range of prevention projects on areas such as brief intervention, smoking cessation training needs in pharmacies, and GP raising the issue training.
Looking forward, CRUK will continue to work with others to prioritise cancer prevention in Scotland over the next decade. We want to accelerate progress and see 3-in-4 patients survive cancer by 2034, and the first step to achieving this is prevention.