Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00539. on 8 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found athttps://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Hospices play an invaluable role supporting patients and families at the most difficult time in their lives and we remain committed to supporting them.

Potential incidental findings from lung screening include, but are not limited to, conditions such as tuberculosis, emphysema and bronchiectasis. NHS Scotland has yet to formally agree an incidental findings policy for their planned targeted lung cancer screening programme. The Lung Screening Programme Board has, however, agreed in principle to align all clinical guidance relating to the programme with that of the other UK nations, unless there is clear justification for an alternative approach.

NHS England's Lung Screening Clinical Advisory Group developed an Incidental Findings policy in 2025. It explains the potential significance of each finding, how and when it should be reported and what action the screening programme should take in each case. A complete list of potential incidental findings along with their recommended management can be viewed here: 2502-B1647-quality-assurance-standards-prepared-for-the-lung-cancer-screening-programme.pdf

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00472 on 8 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

We are committed to strengthening the Adults with Incapacity system in Scotland, including Powers of Attorney, with a specific focus on enhancing the rights and protections of people affected by incapacity law.

We are working with an Expert Working Group to develop proposals for reform, with an Adults with Incapacity Amendment Bill expected to be introduced during the current parliamentary session.

Work continues towards the implementation of the first phase of a national targeted lung screening programme. It is anticipated that the initial roll out will focus first on inviting eligible individuals in areas experiencing the highest levels of socio-economic deprivation, as evidence shows that they are at higher risk of lung cancer, and have poorer outcomes.

Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland (SOAS) has established a multi-disciplinary Programme Board to provide subject matter expertise to the planning process. Formal workstreams have been established to consider delivery models for each element of the programme including call-recall, risk assessment, smoking cessation, CT scanning, image reporting and downstream assessment and treatment services. The Reference Group will meet again this month (June 2026) to review the work that has been undertaken so far.

It is expected that implementation of a national screening programme will take a minimum of 7-10 years, in line with the establishment and roll-out of similar programmes by NHS England and Public Health Wales. A screening programme of this size and scale must be implemented in a way which allows careful management of the impact on wider NHS services.

Scotland is rolling out MyCare.scot, part of the wider Digital Front Door Programme, which provides a unified, person-centred entry point to both health and social care, rather than focusing solely on NHS services– so this is not an ‘NHS app’. It was made available nationally in April 2026. Functionality will be introduced incrementally through to 2030 and beyond. MyCare.scot is accessed via a web browser; a downloadable app for it will be made available from early summer.

School counselling services are available to all pupils aged 10 and over, including primary and special school pupils, funded by our investment of £16 million per annum to local authorities.

The Scottish Government engaged with professional counselling bodies prior to establishing counselling services who advised that therapeutic counselling is not appropriate for younger pupils.

School counselling is just one part of a wider package of mental health and wellbeing support available to school-aged children and young people. We provide local authorities with baselined funding of £15 million per annum to deliver community-based mental health and wellbeing supports for children and young people aged 5 to 24 (or up to age 26 for care-experienced young people), including age-appropriate interventions for younger children such as play-based therapies and family support.

The initial cost model to establish a full lung screening programme prepared by the Scottish Expert Advisory Group (SEAG) estimated £36.7 million in implementation costs, followed by recurring costs of between £28.6 million and £39.7 million per annum (dependent upon uptake levels).

It is essential to note that full roll-out of lung screening will take between 7-10 years; this mirrors the experiences and plans of the other UK nations, and reflects the inherent challenges of establishing a programme of this size and complexity. Based on the cost model, the first phase will require at least £3.5 million, although this will be refined as planning progresses.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information you have requested.