Jenni Minto
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“I would like to reflect on Willie Rennie’s comments. Bute welcomed families from Syria, who are now an integral part of the island. In Lochgilphead, Ukrainian families have settled and helped to revitalise the town’s main street with two new businesses.”
“Mòran taing, Oifigear Riaghlaidh. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I want to start with the words of one of my constituents: “I am not a politician, nor do I ever wish to become one. I am a leatherworker, a father and a business owner.”
“Ben Macpherson: There are many initiatives and policies in this space to encourage and support our young people to ensure that they can fulfil their potential, including the free tuition that the Government has provided for students.”
“Yesterday, I met pupils at Sunnyside primary school in Glasgow, and we talked about climate change, the Celtic and Amazonian rainforests and the fact that Scotland is the proud host of a rainforest. In my constituency, Dunoon grammar school won the world’s best school prize for community collaboration.”
“If any of the Reform members had taken part in my colleague Maggie Chapman’s debate on university education, they would have heard me talk about the Scottish Association for Marine Science, which is in Oban, in my constituency.”
“He spoke about the impact that Brexit had had on his business and how, because of that vote, his order book collapsed. He had to find new ways of marketing and promoting his business to ensure that he and his family survived. He spoke about the support that he had received from the SNP to expand his business.”
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“Vocational training is also offered in areas such as Dumfries and Galloway, and we are having in- depth discussions with NHS Western Isles about the situation in that health board area. Dental Practices (Island Communities) 5.”
“That is the case despite Government data suggesting that more than 95 per cent of the population are registered with an NHS dentist. That clearly does not represent the reality of accessing a dentist. The situation requires investigation, so what steps will the Scottish Government take to address the problem? Will it consider providing a salaried public dental service to ensure that everyone has access to an NHS dentist? Jenni Minto: There are public access dental facilities across NHS boards. In fact, I visited one in Coatbridge today, and I was really pleased to meet new dental students who are doing their vocational training with NHS Lanarkshire, in conjunction with the University of Glasgow. That is an important step forward.”
“We continue to offer a range of additional financial support for areas where access is particularly challenging, such as rural and island areas. The support includes grants of up to £100,000 for establishing new dental surgeries and allowances of up to £37,500 for new dentists practising in qualifying areas. In reviewing the impact of reform, we recognised that its benefits have not yet been experienced equally, so we committed to reviewing and refreshing our financial incentives to support improved access for our most rural communities. We anticipate that revised incentives will be introduced in the 2026-27 financial year. Rhoda Grant: Despite the Scottish dental access initiative grants, areas such as Argyll and Bute, Orkney and Shetland remain, in effect, closed to new NHS patients.”
“I also thank the staff in NHS Highland for the way in which they have coped with the really difficult weather, including the wonderful midwives who are based in Caithness. As I said in my first response, it is for the task force and its expert members to determine whether further action is required—they will determine the scope. As Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, I will chair it, but my co- chairs are both independent of Gov—well, my co- chairs are Ann Gow and Professor Anna Glasier. Scotch Whisky Industry (Importance of Supply Chain) 4.”
“Instead, it would sit within the wider remit of the task force. The cabinet secretary knows that this Parliament voted for an independent review of Caithness maternity services; indeed, the need for it was further highlighted when Caithness was cut off from the rest of the country for days during the recent weeks of bad weather and no one could get to Raigmore hospital. Will the task force be independent of Government? Will it be asked specifically to examine all aspects of Caithness maternity services, including the journey to Inverness, and to make recommendations for the safe delivery of maternity services in the county of Caithness? Jenni Minto: I thank Rhoda Grant for her follow-up question.”
“The Scottish maternity and neonatal task force will look at the requirement for, and scope of, a national review, based on the emerging themes and outcomes of the Healthcare Improvement Scotland inspections of maternity units across Scotland and any other area that the task force might identify. The cabinet secretary has been clear that the task force will look at rural maternity services as one of its first areas of focus, and will review the issues in rural communities, including Caithness and Stranraer. A full work plan will be agreed by the task force following the first meeting in January 2026, and Parliament will be updated in due course. Rhoda Grant: In a freedom of information response, NHS Highland said that there were no plans for an independent review of Caithness maternity services.”
“Correction Shona Robison has identified an error in her contribution and provided the following correction.”
“Some points have been made on national guidance, on which I am happy to write to members, and on the home monitoring kits, which I understand are in a research phase to demonstrate their efficacy and overall value. The chief pharmaceutical officer will be discussing that issue in the meeting that she will be having next month. Families such as those known to Fulton MacGregor and to others in the chamber and across Scotland show extraordinary resilience in their management of PKU day in, day out. I assure them that the Scottish Government remains deeply committed to improving outcomes and to making a real and meaningful difference in the lives of everyone living with PKU and other rare conditions in Scotland. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, minister. That concludes the debate. Meeting closed at 18:05.”
“I will take his intervention quickly because I have an event after this. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Briefly, please. Fulton MacGregor: The minister will probably go on to talk about this, but are she and the Government aware of the three drugs that can be used? She has mentioned sapropterin, which can help roughly 20 to 30 per cent of patients; there is also sepiapterin, which has also been mentioned and which can help a further third of patients, and I think that I am right in saying that clinical trials are under way for a third drug that might alleviate most people’s condition. Jenni Minto: Fulton MacGregor has anticipated what I was about to say. Sepiapterin—I hope that I have pronounced that correctly—is expected to be launched in the United Kingdom in late 2027.”
“The branded version of sapropterin, known as Kuvan, was assessed by the SMC in 2018. At that time, it was not recommended for routine use in the NHS in Scotland because the evidence provided by the pharmaceutical company did not demonstrate its cost effectiveness. The company chose not to resubmit to the SMC. In 2021, the first generic version of sapropterin was licensed in the United Kingdom. Generic medicines are medicines that are outwith their patent period, so they can be manufactured and supplied by a number of companies. The assessment of generic medicines falls outside the scope of the SMC. To support access, a procurement exercise was undertaken by NHS National Procurement, which resulted in a significant discount in the generic price. Fulton MacGregor rose— Jenni Minto: I note that Fulton MacGregor would like to intervene.”
“The post has been advertised and interviews will take place this month—I hope that that goes some way to alleviating the situation, but I recognise that we need to spend more time looking at it and I appreciate members’ contributions on that. In relation to new and existing medicines, the Scottish Government remains firmly committed to increasing the availability of medicines that the people of Scotland need. Through the Scottish Medicines Consortium, we have a robust, independent process for assessing the clinical and cost effectiveness of new medicines, which ensures value for patients and the NHS. I will clarify briefly the current position on access to medicines for people in Scotland who live with PKU, because I know that it is important for them and their families.”
“Scotland has its first rare disease action plan, which is designed to tackle what genuinely matters to individuals and families. We will work closely with the community through Scotland’s rare disease implementation board to ensure that the plan is delivered effectively. As many people have noted, PKU specialist care in Scotland is delivered through the inherited metabolic disorders service and is commissioned nationally by NHS National Services Scotland. Rona Mackay, Katy Clark and Monica Lennon all noted that there have been some staff concerns in that area. As I understand it, the IMD service has been carrying a clinical lead vacancy for some months.”
“One of my constituents has been in touch about her children who live with PKU and who are also autistic. Their health outcomes right now are awful—I will not go into detail about those, but I would appreciate the chance to speak to the minister, and perhaps she could meet that family. There are people with other challenges who are not having their needs met. Jenni Minto: I recognise the fact that many people in Scotland are living with more than one condition. It is important that we as a Government recognise that—I believe that we do—and that we work with health boards to ensure that the person is at the centre of care. I would be happy to have a further conversation with Ms Lennon about that. Several people have commented on the fact that PKU is deemed a rare disease.”
“A number of people have asked about the work that the Scottish Government is doing. I confirm that the chief pharmaceutical officer will meet the chair of the medical advisory panel at the NSPKU in early February to discuss the challenges experienced by people who live with PKU in obtaining specialised low-protein food products on the NHS. The chief pharmaceutical officer is in the chamber tonight, so she will have heard many of the points that have been raised and I will ask her to ensure that they are reflected in her conversations. Monica Lennon: I am encouraged by the minister’s remarks so far. Does she agree that it is important that we get it right for every single PKU patient, including those who have other health conditions or who may be neurodivergent?”
“I pass on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care’s apologies for not being present for the debate. The subject is close to his heart and I know that when he was an MP at Westminster, he worked very hard with the NSPKU and many of his constituents. I pass on his gratitude to them for the clear arguments that were provided to him to improve the service. Monica Lennon: Will the minister take an intervention? Jenni Minto: I would like to make a bit of progress first, please. We are equally committed to listening to those with lived experience and to working collaboratively with clinicians, patient groups, the third sector and our counterparts across the UK. Their insights and partnership working are essential in shaping services that truly meet people’s needs.”
“It is fair to say that the people who I met who are living with PKU described a life of constant challenges, living only with foods classified as red, amber and green. However, once they were able to access sapropterin, life was more like a rainbow. I take on board Katy Clark’s point about social isolation. I would be pleased if Douglas Ross could write to me about his constituent. I am very happy to look into the situation in NHS Highland. I confirm that the reason why I shook my head is that I do not like describing any of our constituencies as remote. Remote is a state of mind—let us look at it that way. The Scottish Government is committed to improving the care and support available to people who are living with rare conditions, including PKU.”
“That debate and this one have been two important debates through which members have been able to raise awareness of conditions and challenge what the Scottish Government is doing and ensure that it speaks to health boards. Christine Grahame is absolutely right that the debate is not party political. I extend my sincere thanks to the NSPKU and everyone who attended the drop-in event in December. Their advocacy and willingness to share the realities of living with PKU have been absolutely invaluable. Paul McLennan’s point that food becomes a calculation for those with the disease stuck with me. Being shown the traffic light system, as it was explained to me, was very powerful. I know that other members have talked about that, too.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to respond to the motion on phenylketonuria—I will use “PKU” for the rest of my speech because, like others, I do not have a medical background and I recognise the tongue- twisters that we seem to be approaching. I recognise the experiences of individuals and families across Scotland who live with this rare and lifelong metabolic disorder. I thank Fulton MacGregor for lodging the important motion and welcome those who are in the gallery to the Scottish Parliament—it is your Scottish Parliament. The event that was held in the Parliament has informed members’ contributions to the debate, which shows the importance of raising awareness among MSPs and ministers. Like Christine Grahame, I reflected on the debate on aphasia that I responded to late last year.”
“I pass on my appreciation to mountain rescue teams across Scotland, which have been playing an important part through established partnership arrangements alongside other community sector organisations and statutory emergency response agencies in assisting communities during the current severe weather. Ms Smith raises the important point. We need to recognise that conditions at ground level are not what they could be at the summit of—or even on the way up—a mountain. The Scottish Government is supportive of the proposed mountain safety action plan. My colleague the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy and Sport recently met Mountaineering Scotland to discuss overall mountain safety, and those discussions also covered the work that is being undertaken on the creation of the mountain safety action plan. Ardrossan Harbour 5.”
“Liz Smith: The minister will have seen the warnings from Welsh mountain rescue teams just before Christmas about the worrying increase in irresponsible behaviour in the mountains placing unsustainable pressure on resources. She will also have seen the report from Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, which had to rescue two young men who had headed out to Ben Macdui in trainers and joggers at night and in -15°C. What is the Scottish Government doing to address such irresponsible behaviour, much of which is championed on social media? It is clear that the current strategy is not working. Jenni Minto: I thank Liz Smith for her important follow-up question. I also thank her and other members for their work on promoting mountain safety and the ThinkWINTER campaign.”
“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting safety in the mountains to provide safe opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors and reap the physical and mental health benefits of being active in nature. We continue to engage regularly with the chair of Scottish Mountain Rescue and the spokesperson for the two independent teams at Glencoe and Cairngorm about a range of issues affecting mountain rescue teams across Scotland. We are supportive of the ThinkWINTER campaign, which encourages people to plan ahead and think about winter conditions before heading out on the hills and provides an online resource with links to all the information that is needed for exceptional mountain adventures.”
“It is important to recognise that, when community first responders respond to calls, they are covered by Scottish Ambulance Service insurance. Some schemes, with the support of their communities, have developed beyond the core model and secured their own vehicles, equipment and funding. It is understood that it is their responsibility to source business cover and suitable training. If Emma Roddick would like, I am happy to meet her to discuss the issue.”
“However, many have reported to me that barriers to carrying out that role are increasing with time—from difficulties securing the correct insurance to being unable to access training courses or administer emergency medication such as EpiPens. Can the Scottish Government do more to support those vital volunteers? Jenni Minto: I absolutely recognise the importance of community first responders in our rural and island areas. I had the pleasure of meeting some community first responders who are based on Islay at this summer’s Islay, Jura and Colonsay show, and I absolutely recognise the importance of the roles that they play. In January, I will host a round-table meeting on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, which will include the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service.”
“Scottish Ambulance Service community first responders play a critical role in saving the lives of people across Scotland and I—and the Scottish Government—support them whole-heartedly. The Scottish Ambulance Service has full operational responsibility for community first responder schemes. In 2025-26, the Scottish Government increased the Scottish Ambulance Service’s budget to £437.2 million—an increase of £88 million on the previous year—which will see continued investment in almost 150 of those life- saving schemes. Emma Roddick: Community first responders in the Highlands and Islands are crucial and often bridge the gap when it comes to difficulties with distance or resourcing in rural and island communities.”
“This is the final edition of the Official Report for this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit. Published in Edinburgh by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP All documents are available on the Scottish Parliament website at: www.parliament.scot Information on non-endorsed print suppliers is available here: www.parliament.scot/documents For information on the Scottish Parliament contact Public Information on: Telephone: 0131 348 5000 Textphone: 0800 092 7100 Email: sp.info@parliament.scot”
“I have asked my officials to review how those tools might be utilised to support our understanding of the services and support provided to those affected by aphasia. I thank colleagues across the chamber for their contributions, and I thank Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and the Stroke Association for their invaluable work in this area. Above all, I thank the individuals and families who live with aphasia for sharing their stories. Their courage and perseverance will help to ensure that we challenge the stigma of living with the condition. Together, we can make sure that the perspectives and thoughts of people with aphasia are not just heard but at the heart of the decisions that shape their lives. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank, you minister. That concludes the debate. Meeting closed at 18:45.”
“I recently chaired a round-table meeting with those individuals and was heartened by their commitment to working across geographical boundaries and sharing best practice in stroke care. I will continue to ensure that rehabilitation and communication disorders such as aphasia are prioritised in NHS board stroke services. I highlight the points that Jamie Hepburn made around the wider impacts through dignity, respect and inclusion. We are also in the process of developing measures of rehabilitation to be included in the Scottish stroke care audit and patient reported experience measures of stroke care. Those tools will allow us to better understand the provision of rehabilitation and enable people who have been affected by stroke to have a voice in shaping improvements to stroke care and rehabilitation.”
“NHS boards must now offer a formal review to anyone who has had a stroke, to take place six months after the stroke event and allowing re-referral into stroke services where required. NHS boards must demonstrate that they have a documented service pathway describing communication and rehabilitation following stroke. NHS boards must also ensure that people who are identified as having a communication disorder after a stroke are assessed by a speech and language therapist and are provided with an individualised rehabilitation programme. As part of the stroke improvement plan’s commitment to strengthening leadership in the delivery of stroke care, every NHS board now has an accountable individual with responsibility for such care.”
“Common to all the stories that I heard was the profound impact that aphasia has on those who live with it, as well as the strength and support that they are able to provide to one other and more widely. I also heard about the fantastic work that has been undertaken by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to support people who are affected by the condition, including through its course on living well with aphasia. As Rona Mackay noted, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has called for improved access to rehabilitation and support services for those who are affected by aphasia, as well as for a rehab guarantee. An increased focus on rehabilitation is a key component of our stroke improvement plan, which was published in June 2023.”
“I hope that we move some way to ensuring that aphasia is no longer a complete unknown, whether we achieve it through the power of art, which Michael Marra talked about, the work of groups such as Speakability Tayside, which Mercedes Villalba spoke about, or initiatives such as rocking aphasia, which Emma Harper mentioned. As Carol Mochan said, we need to ensure that there is suitable training, and we need to understand, have patience and take the time to find and listen to people’s words. I was struck, too, by the fact that no two individuals’ experiences of aphasia are the same, with its impact being felt in different ways and at different times.”
“The group acts as a source of advice for the organisation, helping to guide service development and campaigning work to reflect the experiences of individuals affected by aphasia. I place on record my thanks to the group for all that it does to ensure that aphasia is given the prominence that it deserves. During the meeting, I met people living with aphasia and their loved ones, and I heard very personal and moving stories about the impact that the condition has on people’s lives—similar to Carol Mochan’s experience earlier today. We discussed everything from the importance of doing daily crosswords to the merits of the Bob Dylan film, “A Complete Unknown”. In reflecting on the contributions that I have heard tonight, I note that, in some respects, that seems an appropriate film title.”
“The Scottish Government remains committed to implementing a high-quality and clinically safe thrombectomy service that is available across Scotland whenever people need it. On 20 November, I wrote to all health board chief executives to reiterate the critical importance of their continued engagement in the development and delivery of the national thrombectomy service, and an update on service developments was sent to NHS colleagues on 12 November. To date, we have spent £51 million on expanding access to thrombectomy. Although we continue to face significant financial challenges, we are committed to further expanding the service. In January, I was privileged to attend a meeting of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s aphasia reference group in Edinburgh.”
“The impact of aphasia is different for everyone, as Rona Mackay noted. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s “No Life Half Lived: 1 in 5 Aphasia Report” highlighted that 52 per cent of people with aphasia said that their condition affects their mental health, which Jamie Hepburn noted in his contribution, and that 38 per cent of people surveyed reported being treated negatively because of their condition. That is unacceptable. I hope that, through our open and honest discussions tonight, we can play a small part in tackling the stigma that accompanies aphasia. I agree with Roz McCall that we should use the debate as a stepping stone. In response to comments from Ms McCall and Michael Marra, I will give a wee bit of an update on the thrombectomy service.”
“I thank Rona Mackay for lodging the motion, which highlights the important and often overlooked impacts of aphasia. As colleagues have noted, this is a historic moment, because it is the first time that the Scottish Parliament has dedicated a debate to the condition. I welcome members of the aphasia reference group to our Parliament this evening. As we have heard, one in every three stroke survivors is affected by aphasia, and an estimated 40,000 people in Scotland are affected by the condition. In addition to stroke, aphasia can arise because of other neurological conditions or from head injuries. As a language disorder, aphasia can impact people’s speech production and understanding, reading and writing, and their ability to use numbers. All these are activities of daily life that many of us take for granted.”
“The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has just written to Ms Gallacher to lay out the Government’s plans, which will involve officials engaging with health boards that do not have adequate accommodation to ensure that that is provided.”
“I could not imagine being a parent of a newborn baby who was sick and vulnerable and being told that I could not stay with my child in the same location. It is understood and accepted that the Scottish Government must do everything that it can to increase the number of beds. Would the minister be willing to keep me and other members who are interested in the issue up to date on the progress that the Scottish Government makes and on any discussions that it has with local NHS boards on the issue? Jenni Minto: I appreciated being able to have a conversation with Meghan Gallacher outwith the chamber to ensure that we both understood the importance of having the right accommodation available nearby or in neonatal units to support families at what can be a very traumatic time.”
“The Scottish Government also provides support to all families with babies in neonatal care to cover the costs of food, travel and accommodation as part of our young patients family fund. If hospital accommodation is not available, the health board will usually be able to book and pay for nearby accommodation for families in advance. Meghan Gallacher: I thank the minister for her answer and for taking the time to meet me yesterday to discuss concerns relating to neonatal care. Bliss Scotland has been championing the need to increase bed numbers, which is an issue that must be taken seriously. At present, for every 10 babies who need neonatal care, only one bed is available for parents to stay overnight.”
““The Best Start: a Five- Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland”, which was published in 2017, recommended that all neonatal facilities should provide emergency overnight accommodation on the unit for parents, and that accommodation should be available nearby for parents of less critically ill babies. Boards are expected to include provision for that in their planning. Every neonatal unit in Scotland has provision for families to stay overnight, where required. All neonatal intensive care units, and the majority of local neonatal units and special care baby units, have rooms on or near the unit, with other accommodation available nearby to allow parents to be with their babies. The majority of boards also provide support to allow siblings to stay, to ensure that families are supported to remain together.”
“The situation is, as is usually the case, more complex than the statistical headlines suggest. However, I absolutely accept that there is more to be done, particularly in GGC, which serves more than 65 per cent of the patient population and provides the only specialist service for young people in”
“That is felt particularly in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which has the largest service in Scotland and the only one providing care to young people. The often-divisive attention and rhetoric that we see has had a negative effect on staff morale, wellbeing and safety and makes the recruitment and retention of specialised medical expertise particularly difficult, as Maggie Chapman and others have said. The report highlights that, despite challenges and a divisive and polarising climate, “the staff are exceptionally passionate about, and committed to, supporting patients and delivering the highest quality care possible”. I thank staff across all the services, who often work overtime and take on additional workloads in this difficult and challenging area of healthcare.”
“I think that my constituents would like to know not a few statistics about where things are getting a little better but what is going to be done to transform the areas where things have got so much worse. What can I tell them? Can the minister tell me what I can tell my constituents about what is going to change now? Jenni Minto: I am finding this debate incredibly difficult. This is something that is close to all our hearts and I want to make a difference. I am trying to act and to make a change. I am working closely with officials and health boards and, if I can continue, I will try to outline what we are doing. The report also highlights specific barriers to improvement, including the increased public, political and media scrutiny of this area of healthcare.”
“Jenni Minto: I will just finish my paragraph. The report highlights that funding supported improvements across Scotland’s gender identity clinics, including the recruitment of additional staff to expand multidisciplinary teams, improved communications with patients, the development of new resources and processes to support people on the waiting lists, and closer collaboration. Patrick Harvie: The minister is drawing attention to areas in which she says that improvement is happening. I am sure that she does not deny that the situation that my constituents face is significantly worse than it was when the strategic action framework was published.”
“That is an increase of 101 people. There was also a clear increase in return attendances. In 2024-25, 6,527 return out-patient appointments took place, which is an increase of 1,773. I whole-heartedly appreciate that those are numbers; however, behind every single one of them is a person. In Greater Glasgow and Clyde specifically, where there has been a focus on moving people through the service to free up capacity to bring people in, the data on adult return appointments shows an increase of 354 in this reporting year. However, waiting times are only one indicator of improvement. Members will recall that, in my September 2024 statement, I highlighted that an independent evaluation of the impact of our investment on waiting times and quality of care was under way. Patrick Harvie: Will the minister give way?”
“We can now properly scrutinise activity levels in gender identity clinics across Scotland. It highlights waiting times in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde specifically, which holds responsibility for a large share of the population, as every member has noted, and therefore faces unique challenges. However, in acknowledging those challenges, it is important to note increased activity across gender identity clinics and the positive progress that is being made. I appreciate that that needs to go faster and further. Additional investment of more than £5.2 million has been provided directly to health boards. That is having an impact on first appointments in Lothian, Grampian and Highland, and on activity across all areas. In Scotland in 2024-25, 700 individuals had a first out-patient appointment with an NHS gender identity specialist.”
“Our commitment was made clear in December 2022, when we published the NHS gender identity services strategic action framework, which outlined 17 actions to improve access to and delivery of gender identity healthcare. Those actions were developed with a multidisciplinary team of professionals and people with lived experience of gender identity services. Fifteen of those actions are now complete, and the remaining two are well under way. One of those actions was to commission Public Health Scotland, which has been referenced in the debate, to publish waiting times for gender identity services. That is the first data of its kind to be published in the UK, giving Scottish services an opportunity to properly determine where progress is being made and where there are, clearly, on- going challenges to address.”
“I thank Patrick Harvie for raising an important matter in the Parliament and for the opportunity to respond to the concerns that have been outlined by him and by Scottish Trans. I also thank members for the respectful manner of all contributions this evening. I begin by speaking directly to all trans and non- binary people who are affected by the issues that we have discussed tonight. I know that you are facing multiple challenges in this time of debate around gender identity, much of which is harmful and unnecessarily divisive. I reassure you that this Government sees you, supports you and remains committed to improving access to gender identity healthcare. I hear clearly the frustrations, and I share them. I have a simple view—that people are people the world over.”
“I have also asked officials to continue to have conversations with the audiology community to improve the service that we are offering people who live in”
“If the Scottish Government committed to delivering a community audiology service, high street audiologists would be able to deliver the service in as little as 18 weeks and clear more than 70,000 people from audiology waiting lists. What is preventing the minister from scoring an easy win and delivering on her party’s manifesto commitment to put community audiology services on par with the successful community eye care model? Jenni Minto: I and the Scottish Government remain committed to our vision for integrated and community-based hearing services across Scotland. We recognise the difficulties that are faced by health boards, as highlighted by the independent review of audiology, and we wanted to check and ensure that we introduced all the recommendations in that regard.”
“I recognise the steps that NHS Grampian is taking to reduce audiology waiting times. The board has recruited a qualified audiologist and is appointing a new team member for Moray to support older adults with hearing loss. Increased staffing will help, although high demand means that progress will take time. NHS Grampian has shortened some clinic appointments, prioritised adult reassessments and introduced text reminders to reduce missed appointments. Workforce pressures remain significant, with one audiologist serving around 28,000 patients, which is well above the average across other health boards. Douglas Lumsden: I can tell from my inbox that it is well above the average.”
“National Health Service Patient Complaints and Feedback 6.”