Chamber and committees

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with the health secretary regarding implementing the commitments contained within the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022. (S6O-03188)

The Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 sets out a vision for Scotland to be a nation

“where people ... take pride and pleasure in, and benefit from, the food they produce”,

purchase and prepare. In order to achieve that aim, it is vital for the rural affairs secretary and the health secretary to work together to support high-quality producers and address ultra-processed foods and foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt, which are detrimental to health. Can the minister reaffirm that cross-portfolio working will continue to take place? Will she comment on whether the good food nation commitments will be enacted?

Those threats will be damaging for Scotland. However, if we had independence, we would be able to manage much better.

I remind members that I am a registered nurse, former clinical educator and perioperative clinical practitioner.

Of course, it is important to reduce NHS waiting times, but I want to highlight the example of how we work in the perioperative environment in theatre. It is a complex environment that requires specialist surgical teams—consultants, surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and perioperative support workers—as well as ancillary co-ordination with labs, blood banks and radiology. Everyone requires knowledge, skills, competency and training, and everyone who works in those areas and across the NHS must be commended for their commitment to providing the best care for their patients.

Tackling waiting times is no easy feat. The Scottish Government is choosing to invest more than £19.5 billion in health and social care in 2024-25, giving our NHS a real-terms uplift, despite UK Government austerity. That includes £14.2 billion of investment in our NHS boards, with additional investment of over half a billion pounds—and it is worth noting that NHS Dumfries and Galloway and NHS Borders, in my South Scotland region, are receiving a real-terms uplift in funding, too.

Of course, that does not come without its challenges. It is worth noting that the current budget, passed by the Parliament, will do more for our NHS. It will provide an additional £230 million to support delivery of the pay uplift to a minimum of £12 per hour for adult social care workers in the third and private sectors from April 2024, representing a 10.1 per cent increase for all eligible workers. It will invest more than £2.1 billion in primary care to improve preventative care in the community, supporting the development of multidisciplinary teams in general practice, sustaining NHS dental care through enhanced fees and continuing free eye examinations. It will also support spend in excess of £1.3 billion for mental health services, for which there is an ever-increasing demand. Those are welcome commitments, given the current strain on all budgets due to economic mismanagement from Westminster.

However, despite that investment, the system is under extreme pressure as a result of the on-going impact of pandemic recovery, Brexit, inflation and UK Government spending decisions. I welcome the fact that the Scottish Government will continue to target resources in order to reduce waiting times, particularly for those who are waiting the longest for treatment, through maximising productivity and additional resources.

Investing in Scotland’s NHS is non-negotiable for the Scottish Government. Against what is a challenging economic and financial context, the Scottish Government is taking the difficult and necessary decisions to ensure continued investment in health and social care services. The UK spring budget was nothing short of a betrayal of public services across the UK. It provided less in Barnett consequentials for health than in-year health consequentials for 2023-24, and it failed to deliver more capital funding for infrastructure. Based on the latest forecasts, Scotland’s capital block grant is now expected to reduce in real terms by £1.3 billion by 2027-28.

I know that my time is short, Presiding Officer, but I was interested to hear Carol Mochan say that she was proud of her party that created the NHS. I wonder whether she is proud of Labour’s shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care saying that he would

“hold the door wide open”

to the NHS for the private sector if his party wins the next general election. Our NHS has major challenges, with lots of things to consider, but the threat to Scotland’s NHS comes from Westminster parties of all colours.

Thank you. I am not sure whether others want to come in.

How would we communicate to the public that a safe zone exists?

My next question is on allowing flexibility for the 200m zone to be reduced or extended, depending on where healthcare is provided. Last week, we heard that the Chalmers sexual health centre is next to a high school. The situation in an urban area might be different from that at Dumfries and Galloway royal infirmary, which I know well and which is pretty rural. It is more than 200m from the perimeter of the campus there to the front doors. There are two front doors—one for midwifery and maternity and one for general visits.

What are your thoughts on the proposal to have a 200m zone, and the ability to extend or otherwise alter it, depending on where the healthcare facility is located?

Good morning, everybody. We have heard a lot about abortion clinics from various witnesses. My understanding is that we do not have stand-alone abortion clinics in Scotland; we have premises that provide healthcare for women. I am interested in hearing about purposeful influencing outside premises that provide a range of healthcare, which could include counselling. Would vigils be needed outside premises, if you could be guaranteed that women were being provided with the range of counselling, other services and knowledge to allow them to make the best and most informed healthcare decisions?

Good morning. I am interested in pursuing questions on the definition of “protected premises” in the bill. There is a future-proofing aspect that might, down the line, include general practices and pharmacies. What do you think about the definition of “protected premises”?

I see Eilidh Dickson nodding.