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: S6W-43936

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make it a requirement for NHS boards to collect data on the number of patients receiving corridor care in hospitals.

We are actively considering the feasibility of a national data collection. Accurately capturing this information consistently at a national level presents complex technical and operational challenges impacted both by definitional variation as well as variation across systems in terms of physical layout, operational practice and existing recording mechanisms.

Notwithstanding this consideration, our key priority remains addressing the underlying causes of high acute hospital occupancy which results in bed blocking and can lead to the provision of care in non-standard areas. That is why, through our NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, we are investing £220 million to reduce high hospital occupancy, improve patient flow and optimising alternatives to hospital admission such as expanding Hospital at Home services nationally.

Question reference: S6W-43939

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any hospitals have not been inspected by Healthcare Improvement Scotland in the last three years, and, if so, what assessment it has made of any risks this poses to patient safety.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) has a duty to improve the quality of health care and its scrutiny activity, including its inspection programmes, is a key part of this.

Since November 2021, they have implemented a Safe Delivery of Care inspection methodology approach. The scope of inspections is intelligence-led and currently excludes certain facilities, such as smaller community hospitals. For hospitals within scope, HIS utilises a risk-based, data-informed prioritisation procedure to determine inspection frequency and specific service areas for review.

This broader approach is designed to provide independent assurance on the safety and quality of care delivered by NHS boards. The Safe Delivery of Care inspections are unannounced and are specifically designed to ensure an accurate and real-time assessment of care delivery.

Question reference: S6W-43932

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS patients have died while on a waiting list for treatment since Neil Gray became Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) holds this information. Data on waiting list sizes is available at the following link: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-waiting-times-stage-of-treatment. However, it is important to note that PHS does not publish information on removals for the reason “Died.” Instead, this information is grouped into ‘Other reasons’ and can be found in Tab 2.4 of the Inpatient and day case spreadsheet, available here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/37438/ipdc_feb26-data-file-up-to-31-december-2025.xlsx.

Question reference: S6W-43937

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent assaults in hospitals, and what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of any action it has already taken to date.

The Scottish Government have been clear that abuse or assault in any form is unacceptable, and everyone has the right to access care or their workplace without fear.

Health Boards are required to meet their legal duties to protect staff, patients and visitors. All incidents must be recorded through existing systems, fully investigated, and escalated to Police Scotland where appropriate.

The national Violence and Aggression Policy for staff advocates that managers should identify risks and ensure appropriate preventative measures are in place. This has recently been refreshed under the NHS Scotland ‘Once for Scotland’ Workforce Policies Programme and is scheduled to be published week commencing 9 March 2026.

Scottish Government officials continue to work closely with NHS Violence and Aggression Leads and the newly established NHS Sexual Harassment Network to gather information, share best practice, and provide ongoing assurance on the actions being taken across the system.

The NHS Scotland Charter for Patient Rights and Responsibilities also makes clear that individuals may face legal action if they are abusive, violent, or aggressive towards NHS staff, other patients, their carers or visitors while using NHS services.

Emergency workers are also further protected under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005. This Government has strengthened those protections by extending the Act, which originally covered ambulance workers, doctors, nurses and midwives in hospital settings or during emergency responses, to also include GPs and other doctors, nurses and midwives when delivering care in the community.

Question reference: S6O-05623

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding arrangements for prisoners eligible to vote in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election.

Question reference: S6W-43934

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has spent almost £1 million on suspending staff with pay since 2022, and what action it is taking to lower these costs.

The Scottish Government expects all Health Boards to follow national guidance and employment law when considering the suspension of employees. The NHS Scotland Guide to Suspension advocates a risk-based approach to assess whether the employee poses a clinical or financial risk, or is a risk to themselves or others. It also encourages the use of early-resolution approaches prior to suspension, where safe and appropriate, as a means of minimising both disruption and associated costs.

Question reference: S6W-43930

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the 12-week target for outpatient cardiology appointments is met.

As part of this year’s additional investment in Planned Care, we have allocated over £500,000 to Health Boards to reduce long waits for cardiology. Between 31 July 2025 and 31 January 2026, new outpatient waits over 52 weeks for cardiology reduced by 70%, while waits of over 12 weeks have reduced by 17%.

We want to maintain that momentum which is why our budget for next year includes a record figure of almost £22.5 billion for health and social care. We will scale up productivity and efficiency programmes to create additional capacity, as we work towards achieving the 12 week new outpatient standard. Health boards will also take forward a new collaborative subnational planning approach - working together to optimise capacity for all specialities, including cardiology, so that patients receive the care that they need as soon as possible.

Question reference: S6W-43931

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the six-week target for patients to receive an echocardiogram is met.

Our budget for next year includes a record figure of almost £22.5 billion for health and social care. We will scale up productivity and efficiency programmes to create additional capacity and health boards will take forward a new collaborative subnational planning approach - working together to optimise capacity for all specialities and diagnostic tests, including echocardiogram, so that patients receive the care that they need as soon as possible.

Last year our Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme (SCAP) published cardiology diagnostic data, including waiting times statistics, for the first time. This is an important step forward to support monitoring and improvement of echocardiograph services in Scotland.

Data on echocardiography will be incorporated into future SCAP reports. Monitoring of performance through SCAP allows us to identify where challenges are being faced in the delivery of high quality cardiac care and work closely with clinical and operational teams to address issues. Health Boards are also expected to identify issues and work to improve performance locally.

Question reference: S6W-43940

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon should make a personal statement to the Scottish Parliament about issues relating to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Question reference: S6W-43933

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether it will meet its target to ensure that no patient waits longer than one year for treatment by March 2026.