Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 13 March 2025
13 Mar 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Health and Social Care Innovation
Wow. The member says that some progress is being made when, as I said, we were one of the first countries to use AI, back in 2011, but we do not have any strong national leadership on AI. Why is there work in one health board? Why are we not rolling out AI across all health boards? Progress has been painfully slow. Patients were told that they would have a new and streamlined way to access NHS services, yet, as of late 2024, no supplier has been selected to build that. By the time it finally arrives—if it ever does—it will be years behind schedule, while patients elsewhere in the UK have already moved on to the next stage of digital healthcare.
This Government is failing to invest in technology that could make a real difference. AI-powered diagnostics could revolutionise waiting times.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-16777, in the name of Neil Gray, on the adoption of innovation in health and social care. 15:22
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Neil Gray)
SNP
In January, at the National Robotarium in Edinburgh, the First Minister set out our priorities for national health service recovery and renewal, which are to...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I agree with the cabinet secretary that we have a fantastic tech and innovation sector in Scotland, but we have always had that. The problem has been about t...
Neil Gray
SNP
Brian Whittle has neatly pre-empted the paragraphs in my speech about how I want us to foster innovation to de-risk some of the investment decisions that are...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
I am glad to hear about the work that is being done on diabetes and weight management in particular. What is the cabinet secretary’s position on the use of O...
Neil Gray
SNP
We are still exploring such matters. As innovations come forward and improvements are made in weight management treatment, we must explore them, but we must ...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a practising NHS GP, which means that, every week, I see at first hand the consequen...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Sandesh Gulhane mentioned James Blackwood and AI. I understand that he came here to give a presentation at a briefing organised by the Scottish Parliament in...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Please always speak through the chair.
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Wow. The member says that some progress is being made when, as I said, we were one of the first countries to use AI, back in 2011, but we do not have any str...
Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Sandesh Gulhane mentioned the app down in England. We do not have anything comparable up here. Is there any reason why we could not copy that app or even use...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
In my opinion, we need to be collaborating with the rest of the UK. Why on earth would we not do that, taking the best that it has and using it ourselves? We...
Neil Gray
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Do I have time, Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
There is plenty of time in hand.
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
I will take the intervention.
Neil Gray
SNP
I recognise the point that Sandesh Gulhane makes. When those who are innovating come forward with new ideas, medical devices or technologies, there is a need...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
I would welcome any programme that pushes good innovations and good pieces of technology that could be used by all of NHS Scotland. The cabinet secretary me...
Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to open for the Labour Party in this debate. In an age of technological marvels—from artificial intelligence to identifying cancers earlier and ...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
On the point about how we are achieving that, does Paul Sweeney back Keir Starmer’s idea about scrapping NHS England, and does he think that we should do the...
Paul Sweeney
Lab
As the member knows, the healthcare system in England—which has been a separate entity from the one in Scotland since its foundation, in 1948—is broadly mode...
Brian Whittle
Con
I agree with Paul Sweeney on that point. To follow on from the point that I made to the cabinet secretary, we had the DHI, which was supposed to be there to ...
Paul Sweeney
Lab
There is an instinctive risk aversion about rapid prototyping and adoption, which the member rightly highlights. There could be greater achievements in that ...
Neil Gray
SNP
To bridge the gap between what Brian Whittle mentioned in his intervention and what Paul Sweeney said in his response, I point to the Techscaler network, the...
Paul Sweeney
Lab
It is perfectly fair that the health secretary highlighted those examples. The question is how quickly we can disseminate, integrate and rapidly roll those t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Alex Cole-Hamilton to open on behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. You have a generous four minutes, Mr Cole-Hamilton. 15:53
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
Forgive me, Presiding Officer. I missed the time that you said I had.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I said a generous four minutes. We have quite a bit of time in hand.
Alex Cole-Hamilton
LD
A generous four minutes. That is very kind of you. Thank you. I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats in this important debate. I ...
Paul Sweeney
Lab
Mr Cole-Hamilton makes an interesting point about NHS staff. My experience of interactions with NHS clinicians is that they have plenty of ideas for continuo...