Meeting of the Parliament 03 June 2026 [Draft]
I very much appreciate Finlay Carson’s contribution, and I assure him that what he touches on is an important issue for every minister—for me, Maree Todd and Alison Thewliss—as we work to renew and reform the NHS. I will be happy to ensure that Finlay Carson is briefed about the work of the task force, which has a focus on the workforce—where it is, how it works and how we will support it in the future. At its core, the work of the task force concerns how women and their babies are looked after.
As I said to the Liberal Democrats, I will return to the chamber next week to make a full statement on a range of issues that impact on maternity services. In particular, I have been made very aware, by my colleague Maree Todd, of the challenges that rural parts of our country face, whether in Stranraer or in Caithness.
Six general practitioner walk-in centres are open already. GP numbers are going up, and, in tandem, we are delivering on the historic deal, reached with GPs last year, to invest £531 million in primary care. That will further boost the recruitment of GPs.
Supporting people closer to home is only part of the story. We also need to act earlier to prevent ill health wherever possible. We are focused on the wider factors that shape people’s health. For example, in October last year we took the important step of bringing in legislation to limit the promotion of foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt.