Neil Gray
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“I welcome the fact that, through the police and the courts, our justice system is ensuring that justice is done. Victims show enormous bravery and trust in our legal system in reporting crime, and I want that to continue.”
“The Scottish Government-funded Caledonian system is a good example of a community-based programme that aims to address the behaviour of men who have been convicted of domestic abuse, alongside providing support to affected women and children.”
“On the day after my appointment as justice secretary, I visited HMP Edinburgh to see the level of pressure that the Scottish Prison Service is facing due to an increasing prison population. It is clear that staff want to focus on rehabilitation and reducing reoffending but that it is increasingly difficult for them to do so.”
“Scotland shows a clear and persistent trend of increasing the length of average custodial sentences, including a 37 per cent rise between 2014-15 and 2023-24.”
“However, although the operational impact that will result from the changes is expected to be minimal, I still advise the Parliament to give legislative consent to the relevant sections of the bill.”
“I note my thanks and appreciation to the Parliament for expediting consideration of this legislative consent motion. It is regrettable that we are having to expedite scrutiny on an LCM, which is due to the UK Government’s timetabling for the National Security (State Threats) Bill.”
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“As Parliament is aware, it is the Scottish Government’s view that the bill in its current form is outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and that there is a responsibility to maintain the integrity of the devolved statute book. Therefore, in relation to the stage 1 vote and the wishes of this Parliament, and in recognition of the fact that the Scotland Act 1998 order process is intergovernmental, I committed to engage with the United Kingdom Government to try to address the legislative competence issues that were identified. That engagement has taken place in good faith, and the amendments that I have lodged—as well as some that I have provided to Mr McArthur—are the outputs of that.”
“However, we consider that members should be made aware when there are implications for deliverability or for the public purse in relation to some amendments being agreed to and forming part of the final bill, if passed. It is my intention to speak only in relation to amendments where the Scottish Government has identified potential issues to do with legislative competence or significant legal or deliverability challenges, including where it is felt that amendments will have major financial implications. On some amendments, I will speak to where Scottish Government work is already in progress. I will also speak to my amendments, which were lodged in consequence of the section 30 order that the Parliament approved last month.”
“I would like to set out to Parliament the Scottish Government’s position on stage 3 of Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. The Scottish Government remains neutral on the bill. We also consider that we have a duty to assess the technical, legal and deliverability implications of amendments in terms of whether the bill would be workable in practice if passed. We therefore published a commentary on some amendments at stage 2 and a similar document on the stage 3 amendments yesterday. That approach reflects the Government’s neutral position as we provide no comment on ethical matters; that is for MSPs to decide on.”
“On the points that Richard Leonard has made, I have to correct him on the matter of any perception of delay. That was not the case: there was no confirmation as to the roll-out of the working week as described. I recognise that there was some upset when I took the decision to ensure that the final hour was done at once, rather than in two stages, but I have set out clearly and plainly why I took that decision, and I have subjected myself to the scrutiny of trade union colleagues. I am confident, off the back of the assurances that I have received, with my chairs and chief executives, that this is non-negotiable, and that we will achieve that roll-out on 1”
“Why should our committed NHS workers believe that this time will be any different? Can the Government give our workers a cast-iron guarantee today—in Parliament and on the record—that they will all move to a 36-hour contractual working week in four weeks’ time, and that they will all do so with no loss of earnings? Neil Gray: With your forbearance, Presiding Officer, I would like to take what may be the last opportunity for me to pay tribute to the contribution that Richard Leonard has made to the Parliament. He is a local competitor, but never an adversary, and I am very grateful for the advocacy and service that he has given on behalf of the trade union movement in particular, and also on behalf of our shared constituents. I am very grateful to him for that, and I wish him well for the future.”
“Yes, the final 60-minute reduction in the working week for NHS agenda for change staff will be implemented on 1 April 2026. Richard Leonard: When half an hour was supposed to be reduced from the working week on 1 April 2024, it was only partially implemented. When half an hour was supposed to be reduced from the working week on 1 April 2025, it was pulled. Now, on 1 April 2026, a full hour is supposed to be reduced from the working week for NHS agenda for change staff. However, it has been reliably reported to me that although health boards have submitted plans to the Government, they have not been given assurances that the funding will be recurring. Neither, with four weeks to go, have they all reached agreement locally or nationally on how those plans will be implemented.”
“As part of the updated waiting times guidance, patients now receive a period of at least 10 calendar days for an offer of appointment, which has increased from seven calendar days. Patients may also consent to different methods of communication for that offer of appointment, such as receiving a phone call. We will continue to work with NHS boards and Royal Mail to explore all options to ensure that appointment letters can be prioritised where possible.”
“Some say that they are receiving NHS appointment letters after the fact. Notwithstanding what the cabinet secretary has just said, can he advise what progress has been made to enable health boards, health and social care partnerships and general practitioner practices, especially those that cover Inverclyde, to utilise the Royal Mail’s NHS barcode system, so that patients across Inverclyde and Scotland can be assured that important health-related mail is prioritised? Neil Gray: I am sorry to hear of Mr McMillan’s constituents’ experience. We all want patients to receive appointment offers that allow them sufficient time to plan for their appointment or treatment. Any delay to patients receiving letters that results in missed appointments is not acceptable.”
“It is unacceptable for anyone’s mail to be delayed unnecessarily, and such delays are especially concerning for patients who are awaiting hospital appointments. The First Minister visited Royal Mail at Christmas time. During that visit, he took the opportunity to discuss options for optimising delivery times for NHS mail. I have since asked my officials to work with health boards and Royal Mail to explore options for a roll-out of NHS barcodes, which are already in use in some mail rooms, to help to minimise delays to NHS correspondence. Stuart McMillan: The cabinet secretary will be aware that I raised the issue with the First Minister just prior to Christmas. Unfortunately, some of my constituents’ mail deliveries are still sporadic, meaning that they often receive large bundles rather than regular deliveries.”
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“However, we also know what the causes are and we are taking steps to address them. Through the operational improvement plan, investment in community alternatives and a stronger focus on flow and discharge, we will reduce overcrowding in accident and emergency and improve patient care across Scotland. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate. Meeting closed at 17:58. This is the final edition of the Official Report of this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit.”
“However, given the success of the approach in Edinburgh royal infirmary that he just referenced—I agree that it is a success—will the cabinet secretary adopt that model more widely across Scotland? Neil Gray: I assure Ms Baillie that we already are adopting that model. We are working with teams across the country, and that work is also part of the subnational planning work that I have taken forward. NHS Grampian has taken forward great work on the 10 by 10 initiative, which is about getting people discharged by 10 am. Similar work is happening in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian. That work is already under way. We know that performance is not where it needs to be. I accept that. We know that too many people are waiting for too long and that staff are under intense and relentless pressure.”
“Through the new subnational planning structure, we are also taking forward work to address flow consistently across Scotland. We know that some A and E departments, including NHS Tayside, perform better than others . Jackie Baillie is correct in her assessment of the work that we are taking forward in NHS Lothian, where teams work collaboratively to prevent delays to patient flow. Jackie Baillie: Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention? Neil Gray: Presiding Officer, do I have time to take Ms Baillie’s intervention? The Deputy Presiding Officer: Briefly, yes. Jackie Baillie: The situation in Argyll and Bute—it is not West Dunbartonshire, but Argyll and Bute—is that the health and social care partnership is facing a budget cut and, across Scotland, HSCPs now have £562 million less than they need.”
“Moving on to the impact on staff, I acknowledge the dedication of emergency care staff and I have had regular meetings on that subject with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. I have a huge amount of respect for that organisation, and we have taken steps to address its concerns. Brian Whittle asked for action on two areas, the first of which was to reduce the pressure on the front door. I have set out what we are doing about that. He also asked us to increase head count, and we are doing that. The number of senior doctors specialising in emergency care has grown significantly over the past decade, and we will continue to support boards as they develop safe staffing plans under the health and care staffing legislation.”
“The closure of the health and care worker visa route is having a devastating impact on the social care sector, which was already under pressure to fund an increase in employer national insurance contributions. We have announced £500,000 funding to help mitigate the loss of that visa route. We are also taking our responsibility to the social care system seriously by investing more than £2.3 billion in social care and integration in 2026-27, delivering on our commitment to increase funding by 25 per cent by the end of this session of Parliament and, in 2026-27, exceeding that by more than £0.5 billion. Our budget delivers record funding of almost £15.7 billion for local authorities—a real-terms increase of 2 per cent.”
“I agree with Jackie Baillie that many of the people who are delayed in our hospitals are waiting for social care that is delivered by local authorities. For instance, Jackie Baillie’s motion refers to her local area and the latest statistics show that, in January 2026, 56 people in West Dunbartonshire Council were delayed in hospital, which is 51 per cent more than in January 2025. The challenges that West Dunbartonshire Council and other local systems face have been exacerbated by UK Government policy decisions. The UK Government’s closure of the care worker visa route is having a devastating—[Interruption.] I hear groans from colleagues, but this issue has been raised by social care leaders.”
“I do not believe that the effectiveness of any of the interventions that I have set out to address those issues are disputed by any colleague in this chamber. Jackie Baillie: Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention? Neil Gray: I am really sorry—I am now pushed for time. I will come back to Ms Baillie when I have made further points, if I have time in hand, Presiding Officer. I will address Brian Whittle’s point about accident and emergency being the point of least resistance. We are investing a record increase in core general practice funding. We also have more GPs, and we are taking forward GP walk‑in service pilots to relieve pressure on general practice and support the wider system.”
“That delivers better outcomes for those patients and reduces pressure on beds. Hospital at home continues to expand. We are working towards our target of achieving 2,000 beds by the end of this year and making it the single-largest hospital in Scotland, providing safe and effective care to people in their own homes and relieving pressure on acute sites. Alongside that, we are supporting boards to strengthen same-day emergency care, improve the availability of senior decision makers and develop better discharge processes so that people who are ready to leave hospital can do so without delay. That includes work to prevent unnecessary admissions. In the week ending 22 February, 51 per cent of Scottish Ambulance Service emergency incidents were managed without any need for transfer to hospital.”
“High occupancy is the single-biggest barrier to moving patients from accident and emergency into wards. That is why our operational improvement plan is specifically designed to bring occupancy down by improving discharge, strengthening support in the community and expanding services that allow people to be treated safely at home. We are seeing significant improvements in that regard, and I believe that we will see improvements in four- hour performance, which is the canary in the mine, as colleagues have said. To enable that, we are taking a whole-system approach. That means that every health board now has a specialist frailty service at hospital front doors. Those teams are helping many older people to avoid admission altogether, ensuring that they can return home while receiving the care that they need.”
“Brian Whittle: Do you not accept, cabinet secretary, that until we stop judging the level of our NHS services by whatever happens to outperform those of England and Wales, we will fail? The problem is that health is devolved, and the biggest failing of this Parliament has been our inability to do things differently and to make progress. Neil Gray: I did not say what Brian Whittle has set out. I said that we have shared challenges and are facing the same issues. The decisions that we are taking mean that, far from the Scottish Government being at fault for having a worse position than the rest of the UK, we actually have a better one. The decisions that we are taking are the right ones, and they are moving things in the right direction. I will come on to why that is the case.”
“Stephen Kerr: We accept that flow is the big issue, but there is also a lack of pathways for people to access the help that they need when they need it—whether in the evenings, at weekends or on public holidays. Those services simply do not exist in our communities, and as a result, the pressure is concentrated at the front door of the hospital. Neil Gray: We are taking steps to address that, including the points that the member referenced about NHS pharmacy first Scotland, broadening the front door of the health service through the expansion of general practice, and through GP walk-in clinics, which I believe his colleagues oppose. Brian Whittle: Will the cabinet secretary give way? Neil Gray: I will give way to Brian Whittle briefly.”
“To understand how we can fix that, we need to be clear about the cause. Overcrowding in accident and emergency does not begin at the front door. It happens when hospitals are full, when beds are not available and when people who need admission cannot move to a ward. Brian Whittle and Carol Mochan referenced that. When the flow stops, queues build up and staff must care for people in spaces that were never designed for treatment. The real issue that we must address is hospital flow, bed occupancy and the delays that prevent people leaving hospital when they are ready to do so. Stephen Kerr: Will the cabinet secretary give way? Neil Gray: Do I have some time in hand, Presiding Officer? The Deputy Presiding Officer: A wee bit, yes.”
“The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has highlighted that one third of patients were cared for in non-clinical spaces last year. However, Fulton MacGregor is absolutely correct: Jackie Baillie failed to reference in her motion that Scotland is not the only part of the United Kingdom facing these challenges. Although— Stephen Kerr: Will the cabinet secretary give way? Neil Gray: Hold on a second. Although they might like to pretend otherwise, the reality is that the very same challenges that are being faced in our hospitals are persisting in England and Wales. Regardless of the challenges that are being faced in Wales or in England, the current standard of care is not what this Government wants for Scotland. I agree with Jackie Baillie that the case that she referenced about Mr Russell’s constituent, Jean, is unacceptable.”
“There is a shared understanding across the chamber that the pressures facing accident and emergency departments are serious and unacceptable for patients and staff. Those pressures have been exacerbated post-Covid and I will set out the steps that are being taken to address that. I also express my gratitude to all the teams working in those departments every single day. They operate in extremely challenging circumstances and continue to provide compassionate and professional care to people when they need it most. We all agree that too many people are waiting far too long when they attend accident and emergency. I accept that—that is the candour that Stephen Kerr asked for. We know that long delays create real harm and that receiving care in a corridor is undignified and unsafe, as Carol Mochan pointed out.”
“It must create a proper workforce plan so that emergency departments can recruit and retain staff. When the paramedics turned up 17 hours late to collect Jean, they apologised, but it was not their fault. The accountability lies with the Scottish Government. It is time that ministers took responsibility, and took action to get A and E waiting times down. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 17:19”
“Jackie Baillie: Most of us live our lives trying to avoid A and E as much as we can, but we all want to know that if we call for an ambulance, it will come, and that we will be seen as fast as possible and treated with dignity. I call on the Scottish Government to adopt the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s metric of acute hospital bed occupancy, but collecting the data is not enough. The Government must also act on the data. It must invest in social care to create more care packages and reduce delayed discharge. It must show leadership and take accountability for the whole system—for what happens not just in emergency departments but in the rest of the hospital, and outside hospital, too. It must invest in primary care so that more patients are seen early and do not need to go to A and E in the first place.”
“The Royal College of Nursing has highlighted issues with nursing recruitment: 2,800 NHS nursing vacancies are unfilled, and 1,000 fewer people applied to undergraduate nursing courses in 2025 in comparison with 2019. The reality is that NHS Scotland has at no point employed the number of nurses that it says that it needs. The Scottish Government must act, therefore, to stop the crisis getting worse before it leads to more corridor care, more burn-out and even fewer nurses on hospital wards—[Interruption.] I do not think that I have time to take an intervention. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The member is concluding.”
“We know that targeting delayed discharge can improve hospital flow, because the Royal infirmary of Edinburgh does that. Consultants worked with the local health and social care partnerships to fund care packages and help patients out of hospital. The number of patients who were seen within four hours increased by more than a quarter, and there were almost 8,000 fewer 12-hour waits. It is better for patients, and better for staff—what is not to like about that? We must tackle the pressures on emergency departments now. I do not know any member of NHS staff who signs up to keep people waiting for longer than necessary in A and E, and we know that long waits lead to poorer outcomes.”
“To quote Dr Fiona Hunter again, “The A&E crisis is not caused by floods of barely-sick people rocking up to our departments, but by a lack of beds in inpatient wards, which is itself driven in no small part by an under resourced social care system.” In other words, it is not, at source, a hospital problem, but a social care problem. I have spoken many times in the chamber about the current social care crisis, including the £560 million funding gap that is facing health and social care partnerships in the current financial year. At the latest count, there were 26 per cent more people waiting on a social care assessment for a package of care in comparison with the same time last year. In total, that is 10,810 people waiting for social care assessment in February alone.”
“As Dr Fiona Hunter, the vice president for Scotland of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, put it: “This grim milestone should be cause for profound concern among our health service and government leaders. But more importantly, behind this headline figure are individuals who have been let down at their time of greatest need, by a crumbling system that has been neglected, despite repeated cries for help.” It is time that the SNP stopped producing press releases claiming that everything is wonderful and started listening to patients and staff about how to ensure that hospitals are once again run in their interests. I have talked about waiting times, but using the metric of acute hospital bed occupancy can also help to free up A and E.”
“Jean’s story would be shocking if it was a one- off, but it is not. In January, the number of people waiting for more than eight hours and 12 hours at A and E was at its highest point on record. In fact, for waits of over 12 hours, this is the first time on record that the figure has exceeded 10,000. At the Royal Alexandra hospital, which is used by patients in my constituency, the number of people waiting more than 12 hours rose from 66 in December to 314 in January. The proportion of patients who were seen within four hours declined from 70 per cent to 62 per cent over the same period. Things are actually getting worse, not better.”
“Neil Gray: I am grateful that Jackie Baillie referenced the staff, because they are not apparent in her motion. I wish to pick up on a point that Ms Baillie raised at the start of her speech, the suggestion being that, somehow, ambulances will not arrive for patients. Does she accept that it is very important, in this place, that we are careful with our language and that we do not scaremonger patients or, indeed, put further pressure on staff? Will she reflect on that in the comments that she is making? What she said is not accurate. Jackie Baillie: It was staff in the Royal College of Emergency Medicine who asked me to bring the motion to the Parliament. It is patients who tell stories about delays in ambulances. I am bringing their voice to the chamber, and I hope that the cabinet secretary pays attention.”
“Imagine the frustration of staff who know that, for all their training and compassion, they are fighting a losing battle, because of Scottish Government incompetence. Jean’s MSP, Davy Russell, wrote to the Scottish Ambulance Service about her case, and this was the chief executive’s reply: “I do not feel that this is an acceptable situation or one that I wish to see repeated, however I must acknowledge that the entire system has been under extreme pressure due to limited flow through our acute hospital due in no small part to the approximately 2000 delayed discharges in acute hospital beds.” I remind members that the Scottish National Party pledged to end delayed discharge in March 2015, yet figures published today show that, in January 2026, 1,973 beds were lost to delayed discharge every day, making it the worst January on record.”
“Jean’s daughter Karyn told me: “We were sitting in the ambulance outside Wishaw Hospital for seven hours, thinking there must be people in their houses sitting and waiting too. You hear about the state of the NHS and you think that can’t be right, but it is.” One thing that Karyn wanted to make clear was that the paramedics could not have been more helpful. In fact, she felt sorry for them, because they were unable to do their jobs—indeed, not just the paramedics, but the nurses, doctors and other emergency medicine staff, too. They deserve our thanks, because they go the extra mile, and none of this is their fault. People who enter those professions do so because they want to spend their lives helping others.”
“Will the member give way? Jackie Baillie: No—I am about to tell the cabinet secretary a story. On a Sunday morning in December last year, Jean, an 85-year-old great-great-grandmother who has dementia, fell out of bed and broke her hip. Her family called for an ambulance at 11 am, but no ambulance had arrived by the afternoon. After multiple phone calls, an ambulance finally arrived at 4.30 am the next morning, 17 hours after the family first asked for help. Finally, an ambulance drove Jean to Wishaw hospital, only to join the back of a queue of ambulances, because there was no room in A and E. It was 3 pm before Jean was finally taken into A and E, 28 hours after her family first called for help.”
“We will ensure that we do what we can to set out the Government’s position where it is relevant for MSPs, but ultimately it is a decision of conscience for MSPs to take, and colleagues will have a free vote on the bill.”
““Palliative Care Matters for All: Palliative care strategy (2025–30)”, which was published last September sets out areas in which we want to improve performance on palliative care. We have seen data on performance against the 31-day cancer target that demonstrates that we are meeting the target. Indeed, from the time of decision to treat, the median wait for patients on a cancer referral pathway is two days, so it is clear that significant improvements have been made in the performance of our health service. Again, I reiterate that the Government is neutral on the proposition in the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. It is a matter for debate next week when the amendments are considered, and then, at the conclusion of the bill process the following week, there is a decision for Parliament to take.”
“When I come to the chamber and ask for something, the Government always tells me, “If you want to fund something, tell me whose care you will cut.” With regard to funding this bill, we know that the palliative care budget cannot be cut, as one in three people already do not get their care needs met. We know that the funding cannot come from the cancer care budget, because that is still not on target. Can you tell me, cabinet secretary, which group of patients will lose out on their care in order to fund the bill? You must have thought about that. The Presiding Officer: Always through the chair, please, Mr Mountain. Neil Gray: Mr Mountain sets areas in which we are making significant progress.”
“Until such time as those amendments are considered and the bill in its final form is considered and voted on, it will be difficult to ascertain a final figure. However, there is always prioritisation and reprioritisation and the seeking of efficiencies to ensure a sustainable future for our national health service. The Government has embarked on that work over a number of years, culminating in the publication last year of three strategy documents setting out how we can reduce demand on our health service, make our population healthier and ensure the safe and sustainable delivery of services over the coming years. Edward Mountain: I am afraid that I am looking for an answer on the bill as it stands.”
“Edward Mountain: I thank the cabinet secretary for the answer, but, in that letter, he said: “the Scottish Government does not agree with the assumption that much of the provision of assisted dying would be absorbed into existing budgets”, nor does the Scottish Government agree with Liam McArthur’s assertion “that the Bill will have minimal cost”. Surely the cabinet secretary is able to indicate rough costings on the bill as it currently stands. Are we not talking about tens of millions of pounds, cabinet secretary? The Presiding Officer: Always through the chair, please. Neil Gray: As I said in my initial answer, it is difficult at this stage to be able to alight on a figure, not least because there are amendments still to be considered on the back of the closing of the submission period for amendments at noon today.”
“The Scottish Government is neutral on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. The letter to which Mr Mountain referred states: “we recognise the challenges of accurately estimating the costs of delivering this Bill, particularly given that, at this stage, the Bill does not set out a model of delivery. There remain many uncertainties as to the overall costs of the Bill, not least as there may be amendments at Stage 3 that further impact these considerations.” Given that, any funding reprioritisation would need to be assessed if and when the bill is passed and its final form is known.”
“That is because we have taken an approach with our trade union colleagues that is collaborative and based on compromise, unlike other parts of the UK. Our budget investment in the coming year includes a record investment of £22.5 billion in our health service and continuing targeted investment in reducing long waits so that the progress that we have made this year can continue without interruption in the coming year, patients can be seen much faster and waiting times will continue to reduce. City of Edinburgh Council Housing Support 8.”
“Collette Stevenson: Workforce statistics show that, since the SNP entered government, thousands more doctors and nurses have been provided in Scotland’s hospitals. We have also avoided NHS strikes, unlike other parts of the United Kingdom. However, I have been contacted by constituents who are concerned about the waiting times for orthopaedic procedures. How will the 2026-27 budget that was approved by Parliament yesterday support NHS reforms and help NHS Lanarkshire to further tackle the waiting lists and deliver more appointments? Neil Gray: Collette Stevenson is absolutely right. This Government has increased the workforce across the NHS, and Scotland has been the only part of the United Kingdom to have avoided NHS strikes.”
“We are making undeniable progress in clearing waits of more than a year, with consistent month-on-month improvements. We know that there is still more to do, but our plan is working—indeed, waiting lists have reduced for the eighth month in a row. That has been driven by the provision of more appointments and the incredible efforts of our staff. This year, we have allocated more than £135 million of additional funding to health boards to help them to tackle the longest waits, including the targeting of orthopaedic waiting times in NHS Lanarkshire. That includes recruitment to expand the consultant workforce. NHS Lanarkshire continues to receive additional orthopaedic capacity at the Golden Jubilee national hospital to prioritise long-waiting patients, and, from April, it will have such capacity at NHS Forth Valley.”
“Kenneth Gibson: The three towns of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston constitute the second largest conurbation in Scotland not to have a hospital, and they include sizeable levels of deprivation. North Ayrshire has high levels of drug and alcohol misuse, and people lose good health far earlier than the Scottish average. How soon, therefore, can we expect to see a walk-in clinic in the three towns? Will the cabinet secretary meet me to discuss the issue further? Neil Gray: I very much recognise the issues that Mr Gibson has raised relating to the demographic profile of his constituency and the services in it. I also understand why it could benefit from a walk- in GP service. I would be more than happy to discuss the matter further in a meeting, which I ask him to contact my office to arrange.”
“As part of the First Minister’s visit to Shetland this week, we were pleased to announce 16 planned centres, with 12 new sites from Stranraer to Shetland being confirmed. That builds on the opening in February of the first walk- in centre, which is in Edinburgh. The criteria that were used to assess health board proposals were: readiness; workforce feasibility; benefit to patients; estate suitability; integration and coherence; governance; evaluation capacity; funding estimate; and commitment to collaboration. The centres, which will be open from 12 to 8 pm, seven days a week, in accessible locations nationwide, are part of a package of measures to address the 8 am rush that has frustrated so many of us. They will ease GP capacity pressures.”
“As I said, this SNP budget changes none of that. It seeks to fix a few of the mistakes that the SNP has made over the past 20 years, but it will not fix the mess that the SNP has made of our finances and public services. It will not clear out the rot of a complacent Government that has lost touch with the people whom it is meant to serve. The SNP’s record is one of failure, incompetence and missed opportunities for the people of Scotland. The SNP will never take the bold and decisive action that is needed to fix what it has broken in our country, and the real opportunity for change will be on 7 May. 16:32”
“Michael Marra raises waiting times in Scotland. For the past seven months, NHS waiting times in Scotland have fallen. Does he have any comment to make on the report that the NHS in England is paying trusts to incentivise them to remove patients from their waiting lists? Michael Marra: What I can comment on is the conversations that I have had just this week with people in Dundee who are having to take money out of savings and put money on credit cards in order to have hips replaced. The member who claims credit for that is claiming that waiting lists are going down. We also know that we have direct flights from Glasgow to Lithuania, where people are travelling to get basic procedures undertaken. The long waits are ruining people’s lives in Scotland. Frankly, it is a record of failure, and Mr Gray might want to face up to that.”
“The legislation that I referred to in my earlier answer to restrict the promotion of less healthy food and drink from October 2026 delivers one of the first actions under the population health framework. Baby Box 3.”
“That is exactly what we have set out in the population health framework and the service renewal framework to ensure that we have a sustainable and needs- based health and social care system. The Government’s work to continue and increase the minimum unit price of alcohol is an example of our approach to taking concrete action to reduce alcohol harms. Work is under way to consider the range of options for any future uprating of minimum unit pricing. We are also considering Public Health Scotland’s recent evidence review of restricting alcohol marketing, although no decisions have been made. Our tobacco and vaping framework sets out the actions that we are taking to make Scotland tobacco-free by 2034 and to reduce vaping among non- smokers and young adults.”