Driving change across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Building on our, Unite. Diagnose. Save Lives. Campaign

Earlier this year, our Unite. Diagnose. Save Lives. campaign brought together thousands of voices across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Thanks to our amazing supporters who signed our open letters, joined hand-ins at national parliaments we’ve secured some important political commitments in all corners of the UK.

These achievements were only possible thanks to your support. Now, as all three devolved parliaments return from summer recess, we’re focused on turning those commitments into action. Below, our Engagement Officers in the Devolved Nations, Oscar and Tom, outline what that looks like in each nation.

Wales

Next May, people in Wales will be voting in one of the most significant elections in decades.

Members of the Senedd are current writing their party manifestos which will lay out their commitments for the next parliament This means that the coming period presents a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of pancreatic cancer amongst Welsh political parties

Thanks to the support of over 2,000 supporters in Wales who backed our recent campaign, we’ve secured some fantastic opportunities to push for the changes needed to improve survival.

Over the summer, we met the Welsh Government to discuss measures aimed at transforming early diagnosis for people across Wales. And shortly, we’ll be speaking with Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, Plaid Cymru’s health spokesperson, to explore how our proposals can be embedded in their party’s health policy. We were incredibly appreciative of Mabon and all of the Members of the Senedd (MSs) who joined us at the hand in back in June. It is brilliant to see their commitment to demanding earlier and faster diagnosis for those affected by pancreatic cancer.

Finally, NHS Wales is due to publish its updated National Optimal Pathway for pancreatic cancer later this month. We worked hard to influence the recommendations of this pathway. Stay tuned for our blog on the Pathway, where we will update you on what the guidance may mean for improving pancreatic cancer care in Wales!

Scotland

Now Holyrood is back in session, our Devolved Nations team in Scotland will be working hard to keep pancreatic cancer firmly on the parliamentary agenda. With a national election on the horizon in 2026 and the Scottish Government currently developing its next Cancer Action Plan, the coming months will be critical in ensuring pancreatic cancer is recognised as a top priority for years to come.

Thanks to the amazing support from over 4,000 signatories, we’ve already seen important commitments in Scotland off the back of our recent Unite. Diagnose. Save Lives. campaign, including a pledge from the Cross-Party Group on Cancer to hold a dedicated session on early detection and research for pancreatic cancer. Strong backing from influential Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) has helped create a solid platform for progress.

We’re so grateful to all the MSPs who have supported us, including Jenni Minto, Minister for Public Health, and Claire Baker, who tabled a Scottish Parliament motion urging more government action on early detection. Over the parliamentary year ahead, we’ll work to strengthen these relationships and build new ones, and ensure pancreatic cancer remains at the heart of Scotland’s cancer policy discussions.

Working in partnership

Our partnership working with the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce in Scotland also presents a huge opportunity for progress. This group is made up of charities that represent cancer types with the lowest survival rates in Scotland, which includes pancreatic cancer.

With Scottish elections fast approaching, we will be working together on a manifesto to influence political parties and their policy positions. This manifesto will be developed alongside people with lived experience of all the less survivable cancer types to ensure their voices are heard.

We will also continue to attend the Taskforce’s regular meetings with Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray, to make sure our calls to action are always on the government’s radar.

Finally, the Scottish Government’s five-year strategy on palliative care is expected to be published in the second half of 2025, and we have asked that this considers the needs of people with a less survivable cancer.

Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Assembly is back into full operation this September which presents an exciting opportunity to get pancreatic cancer higher up the political agenda.

Thanks to over 1,000 of our incredible supporters who backed our Unite. Diagnose. Save Lives. campaign in Northern Ireland, we have gained the support of some influential politicians in Stormont. Stewart Dickson MLA, who presented our campaign to Members of the Legislative Assembly back in June, has gained agreement from the All-Party Group on Cancer to host a dedicated session on early detection and research of pancreatic cancer. This will be a great opportunity to raise the profile of pancreatic cancer with health sector decision-makers.

We will also continue to hold the Northern Ireland Executive to account on its 10-year cancer strategy through our membership with the Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition. Finally, we’re looking forward to working with the Northern Ireland Executive and health sector partners to deliver on its commitment to deliver a national optimal care pathway for pancreatic cancer – which was a fantastic result of our Don’t Write Me Off campaign in 2023.

Looking ahead in the Devolved Nations

As Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month approaches this November, we’ll be active across all the nations. We’ll be engaging parliamentarians, hosting events, and working alongside clinical and charity partners to raise awareness of this devastating disease. Each nation will deliver different activities, but our message will be the same: urgent action is needed to improve outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer. Finally, with Wales and Scotland both holding national elections in 2026, we’ll continue to seek out opportunities to promote our policy asks and make sure pancreatic cancer is represented across the political parties as they make their manifesto commitments.

As always, we want to take you with us while we push for change, so stay tuned for opportunities to get involved in our awareness-raising and election influencing over the next year.

Our influencing outside of the Devolved Nations

While we gear up for an action-packed autumn across the Devolved Nations,  the excitement doesn’t end here. Right now in Westminster, the Rare Cancers Bill passing through the House of Lords and a National Cancer Plan on the horizon. Read our latest blog here {insert link} for more updates on what to expect over the coming months in Westminster.