Meeting of the Parliament 19 March 2026 [Draft]
I need to be clear that the decision has been made, through expert advice, to ensure that the smallest and sickest babies get the best support and healthcare that can be achieved.
With regard to the points that Douglas Lumsden raised, as I indicated in my first answer, the Scottish Government contracted healthcare planning support from RSM UK to undertake the detailed modelling and capacity planning work to inform local implementation plans.
Implementation of the new model of neonatal intensive care was tested in practice in four boards—in NHS Fife and NHS Lothian in the east and in NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the west. The Scottish Government has provided more than £7.5 million since 2018-19 in support of implementation in the east and west, and we have provided planning funding to the north region. Discussions are currently under way with NHS Grampian in relation to additional funding requirements.