Beatrice Wishart, Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Shetland, has written to Neil Gray MSP, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, calling for urgent action to improve the speed and effectiveness of brain tumour diagnoses.
Writing on behalf of the Cross-Party Group on Brain Tumours this week, Ms Wishart highlighted the serious delays faced by patients with brain tumour symptoms in getting a diagnosis – an issue that has potentially life-altering consequences.
“Brain tumours are notoriously difficult to diagnose due to their vague and non-specific symptoms. However, a faster diagnosis can drastically improve outcomes, reduce the risk of disability and increase access to clinical trials,” Ms Wishart wrote.
The letter follows a meeting of the Cross-Party Group on 20ᵗʰ February 2025, where startling data was discussed. According to figures from Public Health Scotland, more than 70% of brain cancer diagnoses in Scotland occur via emergency presentation – the highest rate of any cancer type. These findings paint a concerning picture of missed opportunities for early intervention and underline the need for improved diagnostic processes.
Survey data from The Brain Tumour Charity’s Improving Brain Tumour Care initiative revealed that many patients had to visit their GP three or more times before receiving a diagnosis. This suggests significant shortcomings in the current primary care response to potential brain tumour cases.
The letter questions the effectiveness of existing cancer and neurological pathways, with particular concern about the limited use of the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDS) for brain tumour detection. The vague nature of many brain tumour symptoms often excludes them from the RCDS criteria, compounding the challenge for primary care professionals.
To address this, Ms Wishart (pictured above) emphasised the need for:
- Increased awareness among GPs of the symptom combinations that should trigger referrals for imaging
- Greater access to direct imaging to support timely diagnosis
- Wider uptake and monitoring of GatewayC, the NHS-funded online education platform, particularly its brain tumour module
She further proposed the creation of an optimal timed-diagnostic pathway, tailored to support GPs and other frontline healthcare professionals in navigating vague symptoms effectively.
Brain Tumour Research supports this call to action and stresses the urgency of reform. Thomas Brayford, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "We fully support the call for a well-defined, optimal diagnostic pathway, alongside improved access for GPs to the necessary tools, resources and training that will enable earlier and more accurate diagnoses.”
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