Committee
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 24 February 2026 [Draft]
24 Feb 2026 · S6 · Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Item of business
Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
:I would agree. Further, the documentation about when the vial came out of the fridge and went back in the fridge, and how long it had been open for, is vital when it comes to assessment by HIS of what you are doing and whether you are doing it safely. I do not think that all providers are taking that approach right now. I am sure that some providers are—I will not say, in a blanket way, that everyone is not doing things—but if we do not have regulations, we will not know what we should or should not be doing, and therefore we will not know whether we are following procedure. That is my worry when it comes to watering down HIS standards.The idea of the blank prescription is that someone can crack on and prescribe, although the person who wrote the prescription does not really know what is happening with it and has not had a discussion about each patient and what is being done. We should look at that, because I am pretty sure that it is not the point of being an independent prescriber, such as a pharmacist, to give out blank prescriptions.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Clare Haughey)
SNP
Good morning, and welcome to the ninth meeting in 2026 of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. I have received no apologies.Our first and only agenda...
The Convener
SNP
Amendment 5, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 28, 30 and 34.
The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health (Jenni Minto)
SNP
As this is the first group of amendments to be considered, I will make some quick general comments. I thank committee members for their consideration to date...
The Convener
SNP
No other member has indicated that they wish to speak to amendment 5. I call the minister to wind up.
Jenni Minto
SNP
:The amendments are necessary to meet the ambition to set training standards in the future.Amendment 5 agreed to.
The Convener
SNP
Amendment 6, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 7, 8, 64, 65, 36, 37, 10, 38, 11 to 17, 39 and 18 to 21.
Jenni Minto
SNP
:I am pleased to speak to this group, which includes amendments on several issues relating to the fundamental definition of a non-surgical procedure. I will ...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
I declare an interest as a practising national health service general practitioner.I will start with amendment 6, and I would like to directly ask the minist...
Maurice Golden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
As a result of an article appearing in a national newspaper today, I should put on the record that my girlfriend works in the aesthetics sector. Private live...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
Good morning to the minister and her team.My amendments are the result of, first, my discussions with a number of constituents who have raised concerns with ...
Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP)
SNP
I am very sympathetic to Dr Gulhane’s amendments 64 and 65. I wonder whether the minister would consider agreeing to discuss those amendments further with Dr...
Jenni Minto
SNP
:I am grateful to members for their contributions to the discussion on this group, which covers some very important issues. The complexity of aspects of the ...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
:Would the minister consider changing “clinical trial” in amendment 6 to “regulated clinical trial”?
Jenni Minto
SNP
:I would be very happy to discuss that with Dr Gulhane in the lead-up to stage 3.I am content to consider discussions with Mr Balfour on his amendment 37, be...
The Convener
SNP
Amendment 9, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 9, 22, 22A to 22D, 40, 23, 68, 69, 24, 41, 71, 25, 42, 43, 73, 44, 31, 112, 113, 60 and ...
Jenni Minto
SNP
:This group of amendments goes to the heart of the bill. It contains amendments to section 4, which sets out the most important public safety provisions on w...
The Convener
SNP
Maurice Golden will speak to amendment 22A and other amendments in the group.
Maurice Golden
Con
:I have lodged probing amendments on two areas, the first of which is permitted premises. The rationale behind those amendments is that they would allow perm...
Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
SNP
Before I speak about amendment 22C, I thank the minister for taking the bill forward and for listening to concerns from the sector. Safety is the paramount d...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
:I will make general comments on this group of amendments. If we are talking about permitted premises under HIS standards, we are saying that a basic standar...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Botulinum toxin comes in a multidose vial, so one vial would be used for more than one person. That raises issues of the traceability of that vial, its expir...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
:I would agree. Further, the documentation about when the vial came out of the fridge and went back in the fridge, and how long it had been open for, is vita...
Jenni Minto
SNP
:I am grateful to members for the points that they have raised and I urge them to support amendments 9, 22 to 25 and 31. I ask Maurice Golden and Stuart McMi...
The Convener
SNP
Does Sandesh Gulhane wish to move amendment 64?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
:I feel that removing osteopaths from the bill is important, so I move amendment 64.
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that amendment 64 be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.
The Convener
SNP
There will be a division.
ForGulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con)Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con)AgainstFitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP)Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP)Ha...
The Convener
SNP
The result of the division is: For 2, Against 8, Abstentions 0.Amendment 64 disagreed to.Amendments 65 and 36 not moved.
The Convener
SNP
Does Jeremy Balfour wish to move amendment 37?