Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S7W-03854

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Recommendation 16 of the Thirlwall Inquiry, and whether it considers that existing arrangements in Scotland provide healthcare whistle-blowers with sufficiently independent support and oversight where concerns have not been adequately addressed by an NHS board.

While the findings of the Thirlwall Inquiry relate to services and regulatory arrangements in England, the Scottish Government recognises the importance of the report and will carefully consider its recommendations.

Scotland has established national arrangements for the handling of whistleblowing concerns within NHSScotland through the National Whistleblowing Standards and the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO). The INWO operates independently of both NHS Boards and the Scottish Government and has powers to review how NHS Boards have handled whistleblowing concerns where an individual remains dissatisfied after local processes have been exhausted.

NHS Boards are responsible for considering and responding to whistleblowing concerns raised within their organisations. Where an individual believes their concern has not been handled appropriately, they may ask the INWO to undertake an independent review of how the concern was managed.

Question reference: S7W-03860

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of Recommendation 4 of the Thirlwall Inquiry, it will review NHS Scotland employment, bank and agency staff contracts to ensure that they include an explicit obligation to comply with safeguarding procedures relating to suspected deliberate harm to patients.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering the findings and recommendations of the Thirlwall Inquiry and their relevance to NHS Scotland. As part of that process, we will consider whether any changes to existing policies, guidance or contractual arrangements are required to strengthen safeguards and ensure the continued protection of patients.

Any decisions regarding changes to NHS Scotland employment, bank or agency staff contracts will be taken following engagement with NHS Boards, staff representatives and other relevant stakeholders.

Question reference: S7W-03859

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether all NHS staff and NHS board members currently receive training on how to respond to concerns or suspicions that a member of staff may have deliberately harmed a patient, and what action it will take in response to Recommendation 4 of the Thirlwall Inquiry.

The Scottish Government commitment to ensuring staff are appropriately trained and developed is set out in the Staff Governance Standard that is underpinned by legislation. This aims to ensure that NHS staff work in an environment that is safe, supportive and focused on high standards of patient care.

As employers, NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that staff and board members receive appropriate training, development and support to fulfil their roles. Decisions on the content, delivery and frequency of training are therefore matters for individual NHS boards.

NHS Scotland has established a range of measures to support staff to raise concerns where patient safety may be at risk. This includes the National Whistleblowing Standards, which set out how concerns should be raised, received and responded to, and which apply to all NHS boards. The Standards include expectations around responding to concerns raised by workers and ensuring appropriate action is taken.

In addition, every NHS board has a designated Whistleblowing Champion, whose role is to seek assurance that staff are encouraged and supported to speak up and that whistleblowing arrangements are operating effectively.

NHS staff and those providing services to the NHS can raise concerns through Scotland's whistleblowing framework. Where an individual remains dissatisfied with how a concern has been handled locally, they may ask the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) to review the handling of their whistleblowing case.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the recommendations made by the Thirlwall Inquiry. We will carefully consider Recommendation 4, alongside the Inquiry's wider findings, and assess whether any further action is required in the context of existing arrangements in NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-03866

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of Recommendation 10 of the Thirlwall Inquiry, it will consider establishing a national panel of independent clinical and other experts that NHS boards could call upon to conduct rapid, independent investigations where concerns emerge about possible harm being caused to patients.

The Thirlwall Inquiry examined systems and services that operate in the NHS and wider system in England. I recognise the wide-ranging nature of the lessons learned and recommendations and will take time to fully consider these within the context of devolved Scottish health care and the actions already being delivered here.

The independent Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland already has statutory powers to carry out investigations into systemic patient safety issues and make recommendations to which organisations will be obliged to respond.

Separately, Healthcare Improvement Scotland provides support to NHS Boards to improve the management of adverse events, including the ways in which they are reviewed and reported. This is part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s extensive framework of assurance, inspection, scrutiny and improvement at local and national levels.

Question reference: S7W-03865

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Scotland has a national protocol setting out the actions that managers must take when concerns are raised that a healthcare professional may have deliberately harmed a patient, and, if not, whether it will introduce one in response to Recommendation 9 of the Thirlwall Inquiry.

While the Thirlwall Inquiry examined circumstances and systems in England, the Scottish Government recognises the importance of its findings. NHS Scotland already has a range of governance, patient safety and whistleblowing arrangements that support the identification and escalation of serious concerns.

NHS Boards are responsible as employers for managing individual cases and must do so in line with relevant employment, professional, clinical governance and patient safety procedures.

Under the National Whistleblowing Standards, NHS staff and those providing services to the NHS can raise concerns about patient safety or wrongdoing. The standards set out a clear procedure that must be followed when concerns are raised. received, considered and responded to by NHS organisations. In addition, every NHS board has a designated Whistleblowing Champion who seeks assurance that staff are encouraged and supported to speak up.

Question reference: S7W-03775

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many resident doctors and dentists whose normal incremental date falls in December moved up (a) one and (b) two pay points in December 2025, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S7W-03774

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-03432 by Angela Constance on 29 September 2026, what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on applying the additional pay point progression from 1 December 2025 under NHS Circular PCS(DD)2025/1 (Addendum 2 – Residents) to resident doctors and dentists whose normal incremental date falls in December, and whether it will publish this guidance.

The pay agreement reached with Resident Doctors and Resident Dentists is clear that individuals would move to the next pay point on their pay journey from 1 December 2025 or for any Resident Doctor or Resident Dentists at the top of their respective pay scale who cannot benefit will receive the equivalent value in a one-off consolidated payment.

The Scottish Government worked with BMA Scottish Resident Doctors Committee to provide clarification on the implementation of the one-off consolidated payments, as referenced in PCS(DD)2025/1 (Addendum 2 – Residents).

The agreed letter was issued to NHS Scotland Boards on 24 August 2026 for their action. It has not been published as it was issued as operational correspondence to NHS Scotland Boards, as opposed to a formal circular or new policy guidance. The letter was approved by BMA Scotland before being issued.

Question reference: S7W-03773

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 14 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received from the BMA Scottish Resident Doctors Committee regarding the application of the 2025-27 resident doctors' pay agreement to doctors with incremental dates in December 2026 and to dual-qualified doctors and dentists with pay protection, and what its response has been.

The Scottish Government has been in correspondence with BMA Scottish Resident Doctors Committee since their acceptance of the 2-year pay agreement in January 2026. The pay agreement sets out clear parameters for implementation dates, and these have been reiterated to the BMA Scottish Resident Doctors Committee.

Pay protection arrangements will have been applied in line with the relevant medical and dental contract, national circulars, and any applicable local agreements.

Question reference: S7W-04069

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that NHS Scotland is prepared for future treatments for Friedreich’s ataxia, including those that might become available for children and young people.

Question reference: S7W-04067

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for access to Skyclarys (omaveloxolone) have been made through the Patient Access to Care Services (PACS) Tier 2 process in each NHS board area since the medicine became available in the UK and, for each NHS board area, how many applications have been approved.