Chamber and committees

Scottish Government worked with the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CSfD) to explore the potential benefit of applying our existing Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDSs) model for adults to children and young people. This exploratory work deduced that including children in the RCDS model would be unlikely to significantly improve earlier diagnoses beyond existing practice.

The Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRGs) for Suspected Cancer were revised in 2025 and included specific updates on supporting a diagnosis of cancer in children and young people specifically. This includes considerations for non-specific symptoms of cancer for under-18s, like those considered for Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDSs).

The Scottish Government's approach to media buying is to ensure that channel selection is driven by evidence of what most effectively reaches and engages target audiences, rather than by specifying particular media channels within contracts.

User feedback from GPs, practice managers and other primary care staff who have migrated to the new Vision system has been collected by Public Services Delivery Scotland through an ongoing lessons learned exercise. There is also continued engagement with stakeholders including GP representative groups including the Royal College of GPs and the Scottish GP Council.

Broadcasting is reserved and we believe it should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government recognises the valuable role of community radio in delivering local news and important information to our communities right across Scotland. We believe that it is vital that there is a network of radio operations to expand and enhance the service provision for Scottish listeners and we will continue to champion a stronger broadcasting sector in Scotland to ensure a diversity of voices in communities across Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many Scottish-domiciled medical graduates did not enter employment in NHS Scotland in each year since 1999.

Discussions with Public Services Delivery Scotland and Scotland’s medical schools have confirmed that no organisation holds a complete dataset identifying Scottish-domiciled medical graduates and tracking whether they entered employment in NHS Scotland for the period requested.

Data provided by Public Services Delivery Scotland shows the number of individuals who took up a Foundation post with a Scottish Primary Medical Qualification over the last ten years:

For families in NHS Lothian, neonatal service delivery will remain unchanged with neonatal intensive care remaining at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Special Care remaining at St John’s Hospital.

I must be absolutely clear that this change is about saving babies lives. The evidence is clear, that outcomes for the smallest and sickest babies are improved when they are born and cared for in a unit with a high throughput of cases, and where support services are co-located and aligns with existing neonatal intensive care service models across the UK.

These changes will benefit a very small number of babies – those born at less than 27 weeks gestation and those very sickest babies who need multiple complex life support, or surgery.

In July 2024, Public Health Scotland published a three-year Adverse Weather and Health Plan. With support from the Scottish Government and key stakeholders, the plan will help to protect the health of the population from adverse weather-related harm, including extreme temperatures.

To monitor effectiveness of the plan, a multi-agency steering group was developed which includes key stakeholders, the Scottish Government and third sector partners.

Public Health Scotland has published guidance on outdoor air quality and wildfires which is available on NHS Inform.

Public health messaging and preparedness plans for increasing temperatures and wildfires are the responsibility of the local emergency services and health boards with support from Public Health Scotland, if required.

The Scottish Government does not hold data for diagnostic waiting times and routes to diagnosis for children and young people presenting with potential cancer symptoms.

The Scottish Government has commissioned a clinically-led review of latest data and evidence to determine whether there is merit in specific, additional or alternative cancer waiting times standards for different types of cancer and cancer treatment, which is underway. This will review the benefit of including data or setting standards for children and young people.

The Managed Clinical Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MCN CYPC) collect a number of data performance measures across children and young people’s cancer services – see their latest published report - MSN-Children-Young-People-with-Cancer-Annual-Report-2024-25.pdf.

Understanding the unique support needs of children and young people with cancer is a priority for both the Scottish Government and the Managed Clinical Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MCN CYPC).

The number of children and young people diagnosed with cancer in Scotland is small compared to adult cancers, and due to small patient numbers, it is challenging to produce detailed, anonymised data. Special consideration is required for children who are under 16, because they require tailored resources to capture their unique treatment and care needs, while recognising the additional sensitivities involved for those under 16, relating to information governance requirements for children.

The MCN CYPC are continuing to work with NHS Scotland Health Boards to establish consistent national approaches for information governance and approval processes across Scotland, relating to data collection for children under the age of 16.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Public Health Scotland (PHS) also does not hold or publish information on the number of MMR or MMRV catch-up vaccination invitations issued, subsequent vaccination following invitation or local uptake targets. NHS Boards will use local management information to support operation planning in their area but this not routinely collected or published at a national level.

The 5-year Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP) framework sets out priorities to improve uptake, reduce inequalities and reduce disease burden. To support the delivery of this, national indicators are under development. Bi-monthly Board liaison calls between PHS and NHS Boards provide an opportunity to discuss local data and operational issues.