Health and wellbeing – Page 16 – The NEN

First Scottish patient enters ground-breaking lung cancer clinical trial

The first patient in Scotland recruited to a major research study has described it as “the light at the end of the tunnel” after he was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer last year.

The TOURIST PRINCE trial is part of the world’s largest clinical trial using radiotherapy in the treatment of metastatic lung cancer, funded by a £3.4m grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The trial is looking at whether modern radiotherapy treatments can improve outcomes for patients with stage IV disease, who often have a poor prognosis and typically have about a year to live.

PRINCE is part of the wider TOURIST trial platform which is sponsored by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester and managed by Southampton Clinical Trials Unit.

81-year-old great-grandfather Robert Brown, a retired managing director from Glasgow, was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the summer of 2025. He said: “At the beginning of July, I had a cough which lasted for six weeks before I went to see the GP. He jumped on it right away and sent me for an X-ray at the New Victoria Hospital and it was then that I was diagnosed with lung cancer.

“I’ve had a decent life and lived pretty healthily for 81 years, so I suppose it’s just life, isn’t it? But when the team at the hospital told me about the trial and asked if I’d consider taking part, I went straight on to it. It’s the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Lung cancer is the 3rd most common cancer in the UK, but is the biggest cancer killer, accounting for 21% of cancer deaths annually.

Between 85 and 90 per cent of cases diagnosed are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and nearly half of these cancers are diagnosed at a late stage when the disease has spread and is incurable, meaning treatment focuses on controlling symptoms and extending life, rather than curing patients.

TOURIST is the first trial in 20 years to look at how radiotherapy could benefit late-stage metastatic lung cancer patients.

It uses a technique called ‘VMAT’ (volumetric modulated arc therapy) which is a form of radiotherapy that uses multiple beams of varying strengths to treat cancer. A device called a linear accelerator (LINAC) delivers high-energy beams while rotating around the patient to treat the tumours.

Professor Matthew Hatton, Honorary Professor of Clinical Oncology at The University of Sheffield, who is the chief investigator for the TOURIST PRINCE trial, said: “Giving the radiotherapy in this way makes it very accurate, shortens the treatment time, and uses a lower overall dose of radiation.

“It means more cancer cells can be killed while also sparing healthy tissue around the organ. Previously this machine has only been used to treat patients with early-stage cancer that has not spread, but we are hoping to show that it could also have benefits for those with late-stage disease. If successful, this trial could change global clinical practice for treating advanced lung cancer.”

Robert, who has been married to his wife Caroline for 56 years and has two children, two grandchildren and two great grandchildren, said: “Being on the trial has been okay for me, I’ve had no issues so far.

“I am still keeping myself fit and strong, and despite my treatment I’m even continuing to go jogging. It feels good to be part of the trial and part of research. Research has got to help.”

The PRINCE trial is aiming to recruit 472 patients newly diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer at hospitals across the UK. It first opened to recruitment in autumn 2024, but Robert is the first patient in Scotland to take part.

Lucy Badesha is a Senior Research Nurse at the New Victoria Hospital in Glasgow. She said: “As a satellite site of the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, part of our mission at the New Victoria Hospital is to offer clinical trials to patients who may not be able to access them otherwise.

“We were delighted to hear that we had recruited the first TOURIST PRINCE participant in Scotland, and we hope to be able to continue to offer participation in this and other life-changing cancer clinical trials to patients living on the south side of Glasgow.”

PRINCE is one of two trials currently recruiting patients in the TOURIST platform, which has been set up to see if radiotherapy, alongside other treatments, improves outcomes and quality of life for lung cancer patients.

Nicky Downs, Senior Trial Manager for the TOURIST trial platform at the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, said: “It is wonderful to see the first patient recruited to the PRINCE trial in Scotland, and we are so grateful to Robert, and to all the other patients who have agreed to take part in TOURIST, for helping further our research into this awful disease.

“We hope to be able to expand the platform in the coming months with new trials, allowing us to include even more patients, understand the disease better, and learn how we can control patients’ symptoms and improve survival.”

Dr David Woolf, consultant oncologist at The Christie and is the joint chief investigator for the TOURIST platform, said: “The TOURIST trials represent a huge shift in the way we potentially treat lung cancer patients and could bring additional benefit to patients undergoing their standard treatments in the future.

“This is the first time we have delivered a trial in radiotherapy for stage IV NSCLC patients for two decades and techniques have advanced massively in that time. We therefore hope to provide enough evidence to change clinical practice globally, which could help up to a million people a year worldwide.”

Professor Anthony Gordon, Director of NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment Programme, said: “Living with late-stage lung cancer is difficult and challenging for patients and their families.

“This important trial demonstrates innovation by harnessing the latest radiotherapy treatments aiming to improve care for people with this disease to help ease their symptoms and improve outcomes and life expectancy.

“This trial demonstrates NIHR’s mission to drive life-changing research for the health and wealth of our society and ensuring more people can get involved in research. Our aim is to help new treatments reach patients earlier, helping them lead healthier and happier lives, while reducing the burden on the NHS.”

Additional investment for neurodevelopmental support

Increased funding to support children and families

Children, young people and their families will benefit from £3.4 million of additional investment to improve access to neurodevelopmental support.

This brings investment in neurodevelopmental supports and services this year to more than £5 million, providing earlier help for families and ensuring people can access support that meets their needs.

More than £1 million is intended to directly support families, including providing access to digital support on neurodevelopmental conditions – including autism and ADHD. A successful hub model developed in Edinburgh will also be expanded to Tayside, bringing together health, education and third sector support for families in one place.

The investment will also help improve services, including testing new approaches to neurodevelopmental assessment and ADHD support for young adults.

Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing Tom Arthur said: “I am determined to drive real, meaningful improvements and deliver the best possible outcomes for neurodivergent people. Demand for neurodevelopmental support and diagnosis has increased significantly in recent years, both in Scotland and globally.

“This additional £3.4 million will improve the help available to families – providing better information, practical support and access to services in their communities. This funding will create the groundwork for additional investment in the future – as proposed in our Budget for next year.

“We want to ensure that children, young people and their families can access the support they need, regardless of where they are on their neurodevelopmental journey.

“A diagnosis is just one part of someone’s experience. What matters most is that people get the right support at the right time, and this funding will help make that happen.”

The investment builds on the additional £500,000 funding announced in June 2025, bringing the total additional investment to £3.9 million in 2025-26.

Funding is being made available for a range of projects, including:

supplementing health board assessment capacity, particularly for young people approaching transition to adult services
providing digital support to 1,000 families through the EPIC Think Learn platform
extending the Yard’s Edinburgh Disability and Neurodevelopment Hub model to Tayside, bringing together support from health, education and third sector services
testing holistic approaches to assessment and support with a new neurodevelopmental research clinic with the University of Glasgow
work to develop and test digital support tools for ADHD for young adults
continuing the Fife children and young people’s neurodevelopmental test of change
and work to better understand support needs of children and young people on health board waiting lists and assist connection of families with local support

Neurodevelopmental conditions include autism and ADHD.

New: Men’s Open Group at North Edinburgh Arts

FORTNIGHTLY – THURSDAYS FROM 6 – 8pm

FIRST SESSION IS ON THURSDAY 5 FEBRUARY

A new bi-weekly group for men is starting at North Edinburgh Arts.

A fortnightly group for men to meet and share what’s going on in their lives in a safe, respectful and non-clinical space.

All conversations are confidential, and the group is supported by local volunteers.

First session will take place on Thursday 5 February at 6pm, and then fortnightly.

For more information, please email: smvwalters@gmail.com

Scottish Parliament team up with St John Scotland to install new Public Access Defibrillator at Holyrood

The Scottish Parliament has installed a new Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) outside the public entrance to the Parliament building.

The installation is a collaboration between The Scottish Parliament and St John Scotland.

Every year, over 3000 people in Scotland suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, an event which is fatal unless CPR and defibrillation are started by bystanders within minutes.

The installation provides 24 /7 access for the public 365 days a year to the PAD.

The Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said: “We’re pleased to partner with St John Scotland to give the public access to a defibrillator outside the Parliament building.

“Evidence shows the chances of survival from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest can be increased two-to-threefold by the immediate provision of bystander CPR and defibrillation so this is a very positive step which can help save lives.”

Barri Millar, Chief Operating Officer, St John Scotland said: “St John Scotland is proud to support the Scottish Parliament with a new Public Access Defibrillator. We are committed to strengthening community resilience across Scotland and ensuring lifesaving equipment is accessible in every community.

“Together with our ‘Save a Life for Scotland’ partners, we continue to expand CPR awareness and increase access to defibrillators — helping save lives across the country.”

Letters: Tinnitus Week

Dear Editor,

As we mark Tinnitus Week (2 – 8 February), we know that for many people with tinnitus, it’s not just a hum in the background, but something that can make everyday life a challenge.

Despite tinnitus being more common than most people realise with one in seven adults experiencing it, too many are still left confused, worried or unsure of where to turn for help. Through our new research, two thirds (66%) of people with tinnitus told us it can impact their stress levels, while half (51%) said it makes them feel anxious or overwhelmed.

Thankfully with the right support, lots of people can live well with tinnitus. There are many practical ways to manage each person’s needs, such as talking therapies, hearing aids, or mindfulness.

No one should face tinnitus alone. If you’re finding your tinnitus difficult to manage or you’re worried about someone close to you, we’re here to help. RNID’s free online tinnitus guide at rnid.org.uk/tinnitus offers plenty of helpful information, practical tips and advice to help you live a good, balanced life with tinnitus.

Sincerely,

Franki Oliver

Audiology Manager at RNID

Together We Can: Public Health Scotland’s new 10-year strategy

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has published its new 10-year strategy, Together We Can, setting out a clear and ambitious direction for improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of people across Scotland.

Scotland continues to face significant and urgent public health challenges. Too many people experience preventable ill health, and the gap in life expectancy between the most and least deprived communities remains far too wide. These pressures not only affect individuals and communities but also place increasing strain on health and public services across the country.

Together We Can responds directly to these challenges. Our strategy provides a focused, evidence-based framework to bring national and local partners together around a shared purpose: improving life expectancy and narrowing health inequalities across the next decade.

It sets out the practical steps PHS will take, and describes how collective action across Scotland’s public, third, and private sectors will be essential to achieving the scale of change required.

Developed with extensive input from PHS staff, Board members, partners and stakeholders, the strategy reflects the insight, ambition and experience of people working across Scotland’s health and care system and beyond. Their contributions have shaped a direction that is both bold and deliverable.

At the heart of the strategy are five drivers for change that will guide Scotland’s approach to improving public health over the coming decade:

Building a prevention-focused system
Improving social and economic conditions
Strengthening places and communities
Enabling healthy living
Providing equitable access to health and care

These drivers structure the actions PHS will take and set a clear foundation for how the organisation will work with partners to improve outcomes for people and communities.

Ally Boyle, Chair of Public Health Scotland, said: “Scotland faces urgent public health challenges, from preventable ill health to deep rooted inequalities. Our strategy, Together We Can, sets out a clear ambition to tackle these challenges and improve health for everyone over the next decade.

“Across every pillar of public health, we’ve been challenged to deliver real, measurable improvement over the next decade – and that is exactly what we intend to do.

“We’ll achieve this by connecting people, ideas and experience, and by shaping a culture that values collaboration, creating the conditions where our shared ambition becomes real and lasting, and positive change is delivered for the people of Scotland.”

Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of Public Health Scotland, said: “Together We Can sets out a bold and hopeful vision for the next decade, which shows how we will work to improve and protect the health of people in Scotland. It provides a focused, evidence-driven direction not just for Public Health Scotland, but for the nationwide effort needed to create meaningful, lasting change.

“We know that no single organisation can shift Scotland’s health outcomes on its own. Real progress depends on working side by side with our partners across national and local government, the NHS, the third sector and communities everywhere. Therefore, this strategy is a shared commitment – one we will deliver collaboratively, drawing on the strengths and experiences of people and organisations across the country.

“Together, we can improve life expectancy, narrow inequalities and create a fairer, healthier Scotland for everyone.”

Public Health Scotland will continue to engage with partners, communities and staff to ensure the strategy leads to real improvements across Scotland.

Local government umbrella body Cosla commented:

Find out more and view our new 10-year strategy Together We Can on the PHS website.

together-we-can_our-10-year-strategy-to-2035_Download

‘Nothing’s Changed? Everything’s Changed. It’s Worse’

UK Poverty 2026: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK

This report sets out the nature of poverty in the UK, and evaluates changes under the last Conservative-led Government.

It also sets out the scale of action necessary for the current Government to deliver the change it has promised.

Today, we’ve launched our annual state of the nation report, UK Poverty 2026. The report, which accounts for the time just before the current government took power and clearly shows the depth of the problem and the scale of the challenge.

Some of the key findings of the report include:

More than one in five people in the UK, around 14.2 million, were living in poverty.
Britain’s poorest are getting poorer: 6.8 million people are now living in very deep poverty, almost half of everyone in poverty, the highest level on record.
Poverty has hardened, not eased: the average person in poverty now lives 29% below the poverty line, compared with 23% in the mid-1990s.
Child poverty has climbed again: 4.5 million children are in poverty, rising for the third year in a row.
Hunger is spreading fast: 1.1 million more people in poverty cannot afford enough food than two years ago bringing the total to 3.5 million, while 2.8 million more people overall are now food insecure bringing the total to 7.5 million.
Work doesn’t guarantee security: around two-thirds of working-age adults in poverty, 5.4 million people, live in households where someone is in work.
New JRF analysis shows that, under central Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) projections, the headline poverty rate will remain broadly unchanged (21.3% to 21.1%) between 2026 and 2029.
Current policies will see little progress towards meeting the government’s manifesto commitment to end the mass dependence on food banks.

People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people.

This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.

Overall poverty rates have flatlined since 2005/06 at just over a fifth. The longer a family spends in poverty, the worse the effects on that family.

The longer we tolerate unacceptably high levels of poverty, the worse it is for our country.

THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW.

We found that Britain’s poorest people are getting poorer. And poverty is hardening, not easing.

Almost 1/2 of all people in poverty in very deep poverty
More than 1/4 disabled people living in poverty
Around 2/3 of working-age adults in poverty live in a household where someone is in work

Feelings of frustration – and the need for urgent action – were evident

The lives behind the numbers — unacceptably tough, and getting harder

With a foreward from our Grassroots Poverty Action Group (GPAG), this report speaks to some of the policies that would lift hundreds of thousands of children, disabled people and other families out of poverty.

It can be done, and it has been done before. The alternative is a reality that feels harder to thrive in.

UK Poverty 2026 – the essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK Download

The State and Future of Social Work and Social Care Funding in Scotland

Social Work Scotland is a membership organisation which represents social workers and other professionals who lead and support social work across all sectors.

In October 2025, after reports of reductions to SDS personal budgets (options 1 direct payments), Social Work Scotland facilitated two separate surveys for disabled people and carers and social workers.

Survey analysis was completed by Three Sisters Consultancy (disabled people and carers) and Dr Gillian MacIntyre and Dr Ailsa E Stewart (social workers).

In addition, Social Work Scotland are proud to publish a bridging paper collating both perspectives to discuss the state and future of social work and social care in Scotland, and pleased to be able to bring lived experience and workforce voices together.

This report is published alongside two complementary research studies: one capturing the lived experience of people who draw on social work and social care support, and another exploring the experiences of social workers operating within the current system.

Its purpose is to connect these perspectives – to show how funding decisions, governance arrangements, and policy choices shape both what people experience and what practitioners are asked to do.

By bringing lived experience, workforce reality, and financial analysis into the same frame, this paper aims to support informed, constructive discussion about how Scotland can build a more sustainable, rights-based, and trusted system of care and support. It is intended as a contribution to collective problem-solving, not an attribution of blame to individuals or organisations working within significant structural constraints.

For further details on Social Work Scotland visit the organisation’s website

Report 1: The State and Future of Social Work and Social Care in Scotland Part 1 (written by Laura Kerr, Head of Policy and Workforce, Social Work Scotland)

Report 2: Impacts of SDS budget reductions on social workers – Survey analysis (written by Dr Gillian MacIntyre and Dr Ailsa E Stewart)

Report 3: Impacts of SDS budget reductions on disabled people and unpaid carers – Survey analysis (written by Rhiann McLean Three Sisters Consultancy)

Report-1_The-State-and-Future-of-Social-Work-and-Social-Care-Funding-in-Scotland-Part-1_Social-Work-Scotland_26.01.26 Download

COSLA has responded to Social Work Scotland’s research on The State and Future of Social Work and Social Care Funding in Scotland.

COSLA’s Health & Social Care Spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly said: “This report serves as a collective call to action for meaningful and sustainable change in social work and social care in Scotland, to deliver the system we aspire to have; one centred around human rights and dignity, where both the people delivering and accessing support feel valued. I offer Local Government’s commitment to work with partners on realising change.

“Scotland’s social work and social care sector faces complex funding, policy and system challenges, and this report makes clear the impacts these can have on people, carers and frontline workers. It is deeply troubling that frontline workers talk about the moral and ethical dilemmas they face as a result of having to balance financial considerations with the care that can be delivered to citizens.

“In collectively considering the reports and working through system challenges, we cannot allow further cuts to be inflicted upon vital social care services at this pivotal time. As it currently stands, the Scottish Budget would represent a further cut to social care funding in Scotland, and risks compounding the very real system pressures which will directly impact people and communities.

“Social work and social care are essential to the fabric of Scottish society. We know that by investing in these services, and by working together to change them for the better, we can make a real difference to people’s lives, to local economies and to our communities.”

Risk of death from cancer falls by 12%

People in Scotland are less likely to die from cancer, with the risk falling by 12% over the past decade, according to new figures published today by Public Health Scotland (PHS).

The new report, which provides the latest insights in cancer mortality in Scotland, highlights that there was a small increase in the number of deaths due to cancer, from 16,011 in 2015 to 16,352 in 2024. This is caused by Scotland’s by Scotland’s ageing population, and older people are at higher risk of cancer.

It also shows that those who die from cancer are now older than in the past. In 2024, 70% of all cancer deaths occurred in people aged 70 and over, up from 66% in 2015. The average age at death also increased between 2000 and 2024, rising from 71 to 74 years for males, and from 72 to 74 years for females.

Lung, colorectal (bowel), prostate, and breast cancers together accounted for 46% of all cancer deaths. Lung cancer remained the leading cause, with 3,651 deaths in 2024, making up 22% of all cancer deaths. Most lung cancer deaths could be avoided by eliminating smoking.

Professor David Morrison, Consultant in Public Health, Public Health Scotland, Scotland, said: “Cancer remains the most common cause of death in Scotland, but the risk has been falling over time.

“Deaths from lung cancer have fallen by a quarter over the past 10 years, and oesophageal and bladder cancer deaths have also gone down. We can see the huge benefits of fewer people smoking and more successful treatment of cancer in these latest figures.

“Among women, the chances of dying from breast cancer have fallen by 11% over the last decade. Breast screening picks up cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage and new treatment options have become available.

“I would encourage anyone invited for cancer screening or offered HPV vaccination to take up the offers.”

Reducing harm from tobacco by creating a smoke-free generation remains a priority for PHS, particularly given lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in Scotland. This, together with reducing harm from alcohol, drugs and unhealthy foods, is one of the key actions outlined in our ten-year strategy, also published today, which sets out how we will work to improve Scotland’s health outcomes.

A second cancer-focussed report published by PHS today, the Place of Death from Cancer in Scotland report, examines the place of death for people who died from cancer between 2015 and 2024.

Of the 49,474 cancer deaths in Scotland during 2015–2024, 39% occurred in NHS hospitals, 37% occurred at home or a private address and 15% occurred in hospices.

The Cancer Mortality in Scotland Annual Update 2024 report can be read here:

Cancer mortality in Scotland – Annual update to 2024 – Cancer mortality – Publications – Public Health Scotland

The Place of Death From Cancer in Scotland 2015 – 2024 report can be read here:

Place of Death from Cancer in Scotland – 2015-2024 – Place of death from cancer in Scotland – Publications – Public Health Scotland

Information on cancer screening available for free through the NHS in Scotland can be found at: Introduction to screening in Scotland | NHS inform

More information on identifying, treating and managing cancers can be found on NHS Inform: Cancer | NHS inform

Last year, we published a joint blog by Consultants in Public Health Medicine, Professor David Morrison, Director of the Scottish Cancer Registry and Dr Fatim Lakha, exploring the seemingly paradoxical good news within Scotland’s rising cancer statistics – and what it means for our future health and care system.

Find out more about PHS’s ten-year strategy: Strategic vision – Together we can: our 10-year strategy to 2035 – What we do and how we work – About us – Public Health Scotland

Palliative care learning hub launched

Free online resource for Scotland’s health and social care workforce

A new online learning hub providing free palliative care education resources for Scotland’s health and social care workforce launches today.

The Palliative Care Learning Hub brings together recommended learning materials from NHS Education for Scotland, Scottish Social Services Council, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Health Boards and third sector organisations in one accessible place.

The hub supports staff and students wherever they work or study – offering advice on providing compassionate end-of-life care – that reflects the refreshed 2025 Palliative Care Education Framework launched in November. It offers free, flexible ways to support learning and development for individuals, teams, and organisations.

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto said: “Everyone deserves compassionate, high-quality care at the end of their life. This new learning hub will help ensure our health and social care workforce has the knowledge and skills to provide that care.

“By bringing together palliative care learning resources in one accessible place, we are making it easier for staff across Scotland to access the education and support they need. This is an important step forward in delivering on our commitment to improve palliative care for people of all ages.”

The hub is a key action from Scotland’s palliative care strategy and delivery plan, supporting the outcome that health and social care staff caring for people of all ages with life-shortening conditions, have access to recommended education and learning resources.

Palliative Care Learning Hub:

https://learn.nes.nhs.scot/86009/palliative-care-learning-hub