In Scotland, there are national screening programmes for bowel cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer.

This is a study about people living with a severe mental illness such as bipolar disorder or psychosis. We want to learn about things like:

• Whether people with a severe mental illness know about cancer screening
• Whether they want to have cancer screening
• What makes it easier or more difficult for them to have cancer screening

This is important because people living with a severe mental illness might experience cancer screening differently from other people. For example, some may have had negative experiences of healthcare in the past, which could put them off having cancer screening.

We are undertaking focus groups, interviews and workshops with people aged 50-74 living with a severe mental illness, their informal carers and mental health and screening professionals. The aim is to develop ways to improve access to cancer screening programmes.

We are working in partnership with Mental Health Network Greater Glasgow. The research is funded by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office.

This study is running from 2025 to 2027.