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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 17 December 2025

17 Dec 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
Loneliness (Health Impacts)
Health and Social Care
Gulhane, Sandesh Con Glasgow Watch on SPTV

I declare an interest as a practising NHS general practitioner.

For many people, Christmas is a time to enjoy precious moments with family and friends and reflect on the past year. However, for too many Scots, Christmas is a period of social isolation and loneliness, which are issues that I know all of us in the chamber care about deeply and want to address.

We have fantastic organisations across Glasgow and the rest of Scotland that provide vital support, such as Scottish Action for Mental Health’s nook and the Samaritans, which I encourage anyone who is struggling with low mood to reach out to. However, those organisations require adequate financial support to deliver their essential services. Will the Government discuss with SAMH the possibility of expanding the work that it does through its nook by providing Government funding?

In the same item of business

1. Humza Yousaf (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) SNP
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the health impacts of loneliness. (S6O-05299)
The Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing (Tom Arthur) SNP
We recognise that loneliness can affect anyone, with negative impacts on health and wellbeing. It can be particularly difficult at this time of year. Our soc...
Humza Yousaf SNP
I thank the minister for that comprehensive response. He references the important health impacts that loneliness can have on an individual. It can quite lite...
Tom Arthur SNP
I thank Humza Yousaf for raising that important issue. I join him in recognising how vital community projects are in helping to reduce isolation and loneline...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con) Con
I declare an interest as a practising NHS general practitioner. For many people, Christmas is a time to enjoy precious moments with family and friends and r...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
We will need greater brevity in questions.
Tom Arthur SNP
I thank Dr Gulhane for his question and for raising those important matters. We actively engage with SAMH. I had the privilege of visiting the nook in Glasgo...
Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab
Humza Yousaf mentioned the excellent example of SWAMP in our city, and it was great to hear that the minister visited the Willowacre Trust. Such organisation...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
Please ask a question.
Paul Sweeney Lab
Will the minister do more to work with health and social care partnerships to ensure that the benefits of such services from a public health perspective are ...
Tom Arthur SNP
The member raises important points about security of funding and its importance in enabling organisations to plan strategically. That is exactly why we have ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
We will need greater brevity in questions.