Cancer strategy 2023-2033: equalities (records) impact assessment
Equalities (records) impact assessment for the National Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033.
4. Assessing the impacts and identifying opportunities to promote equality
Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their age?
Age
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
Impact
Positive
Reasons for your decision
Through our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) campaign, we will develop a public awareness raising campaign based around possible signs, symptoms and risk factors of cancer to facilitate and encourage help-seeking behaviours for anyone concerned about their health. However, we recognise that any public communications should be clear, easy to understand, and unambiguous in their meaning, and across a variety of platforms, both digital and non-digital.
Work will continue with Health Boards to ensure patients are seen and treated on a clinical basis, with no bias against protected characteristics and patients being treated purely on a clinical basis. The use of Scottish Cancer Referrals Guidelines will be encouraged through the Scottish Primary Care Cancer Group.
We will continue to support the Scottish Cancer Network, hosted by NHS National Services Scotland. This is a dedicated national resource to support and facilitate a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach to cancer services which will assist in enabling equitable access to care and treatment across Scotland.
Our vision for a sustainable, skilled workforce where all staff in cancer services are respected and valued will act to eliminate discrimination, regardless of age, disability, sex, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion, gender reassignment status, or sexual orientation.
Age
Advancing equality of opportunity
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
We will promote healthier lifestyles and so reduce the risk of cancer through strategies and plans such as:
Earlier and faster diagnosis will be vital to further improve cancer survival rates in Scotland:
The cross-cutting ambition to eradicate inequalities addresses both specific and systemic aspects of inequality. The strategy acknowledges a broad, societal approach as well as targeting specific actions to disadvantaged groups along the cancer pathway. For example:
Person-centred care is key to advancing equality of opportunity as it enables all people with cancer to make informed choices about their own care and treatment, acts to reduce potential unforeseen harms, and ensures individual dignity, compassion and respect. The needs and preferences of each person with cancer is at the forefront of care, rather than the ‘patient’ or the ‘cancer’.
Mental health support, across low-level to intensive needs and from diagnosis and treatment through palliative to end-of life care, will be made available and accessible to people with cancer and their support networks. This will ensure that emotional and psychological needs will be met for all people facing cancer diagnosis, treatment and care.
Our vision for a sustainable, skilled workforce where all staff in cancer services are respected and valued, and have equal opportunities to continue to work throughout their career.
Age
Promoting good relations among and between different age groups
Impact
No impact
Do you think that the policy impacts disabled people?
Disability
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
Our vision for a sustainable, skilled workforce where all staff in cancer services are respected and valued will act to eliminate discrimination, regardless of disability.
The expansion of certain services, for example the use of digital technologies, should make for better accessibility. However, we recognise that centralisation of specialised services, which is necessary in terms of some cancer treatments and clinical trials, may incur the need for greater travelling distance, expense, and potential separation from family and carers.
Disability
Advancing equality of opportunity
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Disability
Promoting good relations among and between disabled and non-disabled people
Impact
No impact
Do you think that the policy impacts on men and women in different ways?
Sex
Eliminating unlawful discrimination
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Sex
Advancing equality of opportunity
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
As certain cancers only present in male or female organs, services will end up being specific where appropriate.
Sex
Promoting good relations between men and women
Impact
none
Do you think that the policy impacts on women because of pregnancy and maternity?
Pregnancy and Maternity
Eliminating unlawful discrimination
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Pregnancy and Maternity
advancing equality of opportunity
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Pregnancy and Maternity
Promoting good relations
Impact
No impact
Do you think your policy impacts on transsexual people?
Gender reassignment
Eliminating unlawful discrimination
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
All individuals will be screened and tested for cancer based on their anatomy/biology rather than their gender/gender identity. For example, all those with a cervix are offered cervical cancer screening.
Patients presenting with symptoms will be referred into the appropriate cancer pathway; the Scottish Cancer Referral Guidelines were updated in 2019 which supports GPs.
Gender reassignment
Advancing equality of opportunity
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
The cross-cutting ambition to eradicate inequalities addresses both specific and systemic aspects of inequality. The strategy acknowledges a broad, societal approach as well as targeting specific actions to disadvantaged groups along the cancer pathway.
Person-centred care is key to advancing equality of opportunity as it enables all people with cancer to make informed choices about their own care and treatment, acts to reduce potential unforeseen harms, and ensures individual dignity, compassion and respect. The needs and preferences of each person with cancer is at the forefront of care, rather than the ‘patient’ or the ‘cancer’.
Gender reassignment
Promoting good relations
Impact
No impact
Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their sexual orientation?
Sexual orientation
Eliminating unlawful discrimination
impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Sexual orientation
Advancing equality of opportunity
impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Sexual orientation
Promoting good relations
impact
none
Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their race?
Race
Eliminating unlawful discrimination
impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
We will continue to implement the Race Equality Framework and Action Plan (2016) that commits to improving health & wellbeing outcomes and improving access to health and social care services for minority ethnic communities.
See further detail under Age
Race
Advancing equality of opportunity
impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Race
Promoting good relations
impact
No impact
Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their religion or belief?
Religion or belief
Eliminating unlawful discrimination
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Religion or belief
Advancing equality of opportunity
Impact
positive
Reasons for your decision
See detail under Age
Religion or belief
Promoting good relations
Impact
No impact
Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their marriage or civil partnership?
Marriage and Civil Partnership[27]
Eliminating unlawful discrimination
Impact
No impact
Reasons for your decision
N/A
Contact
Email: cancerpolicyteam@gov.scot
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