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.

Question reference: S6W-38988

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) adults and (b) children with learning disabilities were in hospital in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on all adults and children with learning disabilities who have been in hospital over the last five years. Local data will be held by NHS Boards.

The Dynamic Support Register (DSR) provides a mechanism for national data collection on people with learning disabilities and complex care needs, including those whose discharge from hospital is delayed. However, the DSR only collects data on adults (aged 18+ years) and, therefore, cannot provide data on children with learning disabilities who are in hospital. Additionally, as the DSR was established in May 2023, we do not hold data for adults before 2023.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) collect and publish quarterly data, with the most recent collection from 7 March 2025 published on 17 June 2025. At that time, there were an estimated an estimated 1,264 people on the DSR, of which there were 74 delayed discharges.

Additionally, PHS publish monthly data on delayed discharges. The most recent figures for May 2025 can be found here. This data is broken down to Health Board and Local Authority level.

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Question reference: S6W-38988

Answer