The Scottish Government remains committed to expanding the national thrombectomy service, and ensuring access to this treatment is as equitable as possible. The delivery of a national thrombectomy service has already received over £38m of investment.

Most NHS Boards now refer to thrombectomy Hub centres, increasing geographical access to thrombectomy procedures. We have also funded thrombectomy specialist nurse posts in spoke hospitals with high rates of ischaemic stroke to ensure people who would benefit from thrombectomy are promptly identified.

Through the National Thrombectomy Programme Board and Thrombectomy Advisory Group, planning is being undertaken to drive expansion of the thrombectomy service. Work is ongoing to establish how the £16 million funding announced in the Scottish budget, subject to parliamentary scrutiny, will be best used to maximise the number of patients able to benefit from thrombectomy.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the integration of digital services in Scotland’s health and social care systems. This work has been supported and progressed through the National Digital Platform (NDP). Since its creation, the NDP has made it easier for the public sector to collect and utilize data for improved integration. In addition, the federation of Microsoft 365 into NHS and Social Care services has allowed for improved joint working between health boards and local authorities.

Additionally, the Scottish Government intends to improve digital integration through a personalised digital health and social care service, the first phase of which will be launched in December 2025.

All nationally scaled up developments are subject to appropriate evaluation and equalities impact assessments.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling health inequalities including in areas of socio-economic deprivation and to supporting people to live longer and healthier lives. In 2024-25 Scottish Government has allocated £3bn to measures which tackle poverty, a fundamental driver of health inequalities, including the Scottish Child Payment; and continues to progress initiatives to support healthy lifestyles through tobacco and alcohol control and consulting on regulations to change the food environment to enable healthy weight.

The majority of health boards across Scotland have all, or some of their constituent population in a rural area. Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships take account of the diverse needs of their populations and plan their service provision according to that need.

Officials engage with Health Boards and HSCPs on a regular basis to review health outcomes.

Diagnostics are central to many clinical pathways, and we are working to define the transformation necessary to deliver sustainable and equitable diagnostic services. Service innovation and redesign, creating additional capacity, and digital technology will be central to this.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving accessibility for all disabled people, including those with visual and hearing impairments.

Provisions in the Equality Act 2010 require providers of services to the public to make a reasonable adjustment so that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disabled people can access the service or facilities.

A number of actions across national partners, key public bodies and specialist agencies are already underway to enhance the accessibility of public spaces, ranging from culture through to transport.

This includes improving experiences at Visit Scotland spaces through enhanced support, resources, and advice to tourism and events organisations. Historic Environment Scotland also provide assistance through the provision of information in a range of alternative formats, such as large print site information, tactile models, audio tours, sensory tours and scented gardens.

Furthermore, Transport Scotland have taken measures to improve accessibility for pedestrians, including implementing the new dropped kerb scheme, increasing the number of dropped kerbs and tactile paving, providing enhanced support for those with visual impairments.

The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with partners and stakeholders to advance disability equality, ensuring that we effectively mitigate the barriers that affect the daily lives of disabled people

Community hospitals are an essential part of the health and social care system, providing a wide range of services. Where possible they should be embedded in local communities and when major service changes are proposed, the Scottish Government seeks assurances that local areas are following the processes outlined in our “Planning with People” guidance.

In the last five years multiple community hospitals have been closed, temporarily closed, or repurposed. As they are independently managed by IJBs, Scottish Government does not hold exact numbers for closures.

Importantly, closures do not always represent a reduction in capacity, in some cases resources are repurposed to support more people in their own homes.

All Scottish Government supported PFI and PPP contracts including NPD (Non-Profit Distributing) have been procured by a devolved Scottish authority. The latest published data as at 31 March 2023 relating to (a) the total estimated unitary charge payments associated with these PFI and PPP contracts including NPD from 1997-98 to 2024-25 comprising both (i) expired and (ii) active contracts are contained within the following table.

For the Non-Departmental Public Bodies that the Scottish government holds employee information for, our data shows no employees are assigned on our HR management information system to more than one Non-Departmental Public Body.

For the non-Ministerial offices that the Scottish government holds employee information, our data shows no employees are assigned on our HR management information system to more than one non-Ministerial office.