Meeting of the Parliament 03 June 2026 [Draft]
I will come to that very issue in a moment—there is some important progress for us to update the Parliament on. I hope that it will reassure Mr Simpson in relation to that functionality and how we will end up with the best app on these isles. If he bears with me, I will come to that.
My remarks before that intervention were about public health and protection. The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, which gained royal assent in April, is a landmark step in delivering a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034. In the first 100 days of this Government, we will consult on a ban on vape and nicotine product displays.
Alongside improvements in other areas, mental health remains a key focus. The subject area is very close to my heart—I am a former social worker and mental health officer who worked for several years at the state hospital and in three prisons. I am conscious that access to service is improving, particularly for our young people. The number of long waits for child and adolescent mental health services is at a historic low and we have met and maintained the standard for CAMHS waiting times a year ahead of target. We have also invested an additional £3.5 million to improve our 24/7 response to mental health emergencies. That includes the expansion of our existing NHS 24 mental health hub to include psychological therapies. The service responds to around 10,000 calls from the public each month.
Our manifesto commits to doing more. Today, the First Minister visited the nook in Glasgow, which is run by Scottish Action for Mental Health. We will be supporting SAMH to deliver more drop-in mental health centres across Scotland and expanding the use of mental health triage cars, which the Ambulance Service already utilises in Fife, Inverness, Dundee and Glasgow.
I am confident that the progress that I have set out provides a strong foundation to build on, and I am clear about my determination to do just that. A significant step in our programme of public service reform is the establishment of Public Services Delivery Scotland. From 1 April, we brought together the functions previously delivered by NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland within a stronger, more streamlined national delivery body. PSD Scotland supports our once-for-Scotland approach, strengthening national capability while remaining responsive to local needs. It is important to stress that PSD Scotland is not only for the health service but can bring other benefits to the public sector.
Looking to the future, digital infrastructure and technological innovations are key, and we are already making marked progress. Our digital dermatology service, which was introduced last year, is now available across all GP practices in Scotland. We estimate that 130,000 dermatology referrals a year could be made through that service, which would reduce dermatology waiting lists by up to 50 per cent.
Let me respond to Mr Simpson’s point. In April, we made MyCare.scot available nationally. MyCare.scot gives people a simple, secure way to see and manage aspects of their own health and social care online. A downloadable version of the MyCare.scot app will be available in app stores early this summer. We are committed to NHS Scotland data always being in the hands of the NHS, unlike what has happened elsewhere. Data will remain in the control of our NHS, and we will not get involved with the likes of Palantir. I make it clear, for the avoidance of doubt, that Scotland’s NHS will never be up for sale.
The progress that we are making is undeniable, but I do not shy away from the fact that there is much more work to do. We must do the hard work of reforming our public services, cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and making access to healthcare easier for the people we all serve. Above all, this is about people—the staff who deliver dedicated care each and every day and the patients and families who depend on our health and care services. They will be at the heart of absolutely everything that I do.
I move,
That the Parliament recognises and commends the hard-working staff across Scotland’s NHS; thanks them for the significant progress they have delivered, including long waits down 11 months in a row, and welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to working with all staff across Scotland’s Health and Social Care sectors to deliver further reform and renewal.