- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) working, (b) reference, (c) policy sub, (d) network and (e) other groups have been established in relation to its delivery of Phase 2 of the Women’s Health Plan; what the full name of each group is, and to whom each group reports.
Answer
Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan was published on 20 January 2026.
Its implementation will be supported by a ‘Women’s Health Plan Ministerial Oversight Group’, chaired by myself. This Group will provide strategic oversight and governance for Phase Two and support partners across Scotland in delivering the Plan.
Additional governance and working groups to support the delivery of Phase Two are currently being determined and will be in place by Spring 2026.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Women’s Health Plan: Phase 2 (2026-2029), when it will (a) launch and (b) issue the national survey on women and girls health in Scotland.
Answer
Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan was published on 20 January 2026.
As part of the next steps for the delivery of Phase Two, a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is being developed. Part of the work of the Framework will be to set out timelines for the delivery of the 40 actions within Phase Two of the Plan including the national survey on women and girls’ health.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Women’s Health Plan: Phase 2 (2026-2029), by what date it will publish the National Plan for Gynaecology, and what the timeline is for its implementation.
Answer
The development of this plan is in the very early stages; therefore, there has not yet been a decision around publication or timescales.
We continue to focus on reducing long waits for all patients including those awaiting gynaecology appointments and treatment, while a longer-term plan is developed.
We have already allocated over £10.5 million additional funding to Health Boards to target long waits for gynaecology this year. The further £2.4 million I announced, alongside the publication of Phase 2 of the Women’s Health Plan, brings the total investment to almost £13 million, demonstrating our commitment to improving care and ensuring women and girls receive a timely diagnosis and access to the support they need.
The latest data shows our plan is working, with waits of more than a year down 18.1% for new outpatients and down 3.9% for inpatient and day-case procedures between July and November 2025.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that NHS Dumfries and Galloway has issued an apology, what its response is to reports of physical and sexual abuse at the Ladyfield psychiatric unit for children.
Answer
The Scottish Government unequivocally condemns the abuse experienced by children and young people at the Ladyfield psychiatric unit for children. We offer our full and unreserved apology and recognise the courage of survivors in coming forward to share their experiences. Ladyfield was examined during Phase 9 of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry’s public hearings, and the Inquiry’s findings are awaited. The Scottish Government continues to fully participate in the Inquiry process.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway no longer provides inpatient mental health care for children and young people; these services are now delivered at Skye House by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Across Scotland, assurance of CAMHS inpatient services has been strengthened through joint inspections/visits led independently by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Mental Welfare Commission. This is the first time these joint inspections have taken place, providing additional assurance on safety, quality, accountability, and improvement alongside the Mental Welfare Commission’s regular visits. The first report, on the Melville Unit in NHS Lothian, was published in October 2025, with reports on the remaining units to follow. A joint final report that will make future recommendations will be published in 2026.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 3 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Women’s Health Plan: Phase 2 (2026-2029), by what date it will publish the Action Plan for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer, and what the timeline is for its implementation.
Answer
Answer expected on 3 February 2026
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 3 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government where the location will be for the first roll-out of self-sampling for cervical screening, which is expected to take place in spring 2026.
Answer
Answer expected on 3 February 2026
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any price gaps between the purchase costs of gluten-free products and the NHS reimbursement rate for pharmacies, what steps it is taking to ensure that those with coeliac disease have sufficient access to prescriptions for gluten-free products.
Answer
The Scottish Government is not aware of any negative price differentials between the purchase costs of gluten-free food products and the NHS reimbursement rate. The Scottish Drug Tariff contains information regarding the prescribing, dispensing and reimbursement of medicines and appliances. Gluten-free food products are reimbursed in line with this process.
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people living with long term conditions such as coeliac disease receive the care and support they need. People who have been diagnosed with coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis can receive a range of gluten-free foods on prescription at no charge. There is a monthly unit allowance and people may choose to use all or part of that allowance to access these gluten-free items on prescription through their local community pharmacy. Health Boards set out the gluten-free food products available on prescription, taking account of local needs and demands, in their prescribing formularies.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the NHS reimbursement rate for pharmacies purchasing prescriptions for gluten-free products.
Answer
The Scottish Drug Tariff contains information regarding the prescribing, dispensing and reimbursement of medicines and appliances. It lists the reimbursement prices paid by the NHS for approved prescribable items. Gluten-free food products are reimbursed in line with this process. Any price updates are imported directly from the UK Dictionary of Medicines and Devices price files by Public Health Scotland, who supply this monthly to PSD to support accurate reimbursement.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the ongoing work to map out existing mental health services as part of the Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland, and a timeline for its publication.
Answer
The Scottish Government is continuing discussions internally and with NHS perinatal mental health professionals around how counselling and other psychological services (including those provided by third sector organisations) could be expanded and improved to provide appropriate support for those impacted, where they don’t require more specialised NHS support.
There are no plans at this time to publish the map of services which will be used to inform policy.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of an epidural kit shortage.
Answer
The supply of medicines, including managing shortages, is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of the UK Government’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The Scottish Government works closely with the UK Government on all related medicines supply issues and there are well-established and robust processes in place to communicate, address and mitigate any risks as result of any medicines supply issues that occur.
On 2 December, a National Patient Safety Alert was issued about the supply issues affecting epidural bags. The alert outlines actions to minimise the potential impact of the shortage. The DHSC has also sourced sufficient supplies of clinically equivalent alternatives. In Scotland, NHS National Procurement has confirmed that the situation is stable from a supply perspective and Health Boards are receiving allocations of alternative epidural bags, meaning that patients should see no change in their care.
