Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 03 December 2024
03 Dec 2024 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Urgent Question
“NHS in Scotland 2024: Finance and performance”
I thank Brian Whittle for his question.
I have already said that I accept and agree with Audit Scotland that reform and improvement are needed. I am not just saying that today—I said that in June, and when I first took office in February. We have not been waiting to see improvements and reform take place; rather, we are in a national conversation with our clinicians, staff, trade unions and patient organisations to inform how we will shift the balance of care.
I think that we are all clear—I am certainly clear—on the direction of travel that we need to go in. As I set out in response to a topical question earlier, it is about shifting the balance of care from the acute sector into primary and community care services and moving where we deliver care closer to people’s homes, for the reasons that Mr Ross set out in his question. We are all in agreement on that, so we now need to make sure that we get on and deliver it.
In the same item of business
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of Audit Scotland’s report, “NHS in Scotland 2024: Finance and performance”, that the Sco...
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Neil Gray)
SNP
I thank Audit Scotland for its “NHS in Scotland 2024: Finance and performance” report. I agree that reform is essential—I already acknowledged such in my vis...
Brian Whittle
Con
This is the second time in nine months that Audit Scotland has warned the Scottish Government that Scotland’s NHS is failing on its watch, with no clear long...
Neil Gray
SNP
I thank Brian Whittle for his question. I have already said that I accept and agree with Audit Scotland that reform and improvement are needed. I am not jus...
Brian Whittle
Con
I have heard that answer every single year that I have been in this Parliament. If I sound angry, it is because I am, and because the public are, too. They a...
Neil Gray
SNP
I say, with respect, that we are doing just that. We have set out £30 million of investment this year, which is generating tens of thousands of new appointme...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Before we move to supplementary questions, I note that there are many requests. I would be grateful if we could keep questions and responses concise, such is...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
Audit Scotland said last year that the Scottish National Party had “no vision” for the NHS and was not delivering, and this year it is forced to repeat itsel...
Neil Gray
SNP
As I said in response to Brian Whittle, we have already started investments to drive down waiting times and to shift the balance of care into primary care. I...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP)
SNP
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am employed as a bank nurse by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. We can all agree that ref...
Neil Gray
SNP
I have set out that we are in a conversation with clinicians, trade unions, patient groups and academics on how we can make sure that we deliver on the visio...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
The brutally honest Audit Scotland report shows the ineptitude of the Scottish Government when it comes to our health service. Given that NHS Highland has to...
Neil Gray
SNP
In this year’s budget, we have allocated a real-terms 3 per cent increase to health boards to deliver local services. I recognise that, even with that, press...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
We note from the report, and others like it, that our NHS staff are overwhelmed. They are on their knees and hospital activity levels have not recovered. Tod...
Neil Gray
SNP
I accept that we need reform and improvement in our national health service. We have set that out in response to Audit Scotland’s report today, and we have c...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
Scotland’s health service has a high rate of sickness absence. For example, 10,000 days of work have been lost at NHS Borders since 2020, and that is just fo...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Always speak through the chair, please.
Neil Gray
SNP
I, of course, recognise the pressures that many staff in the NHS and across public service delivery face. I recognise the great demands on them, which is why...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
It is crucial that, when we discuss the current state of Scotland’s NHS, we acknowledge the significant increase in demand in the aftermath of Covid, which i...
Neil Gray
SNP
I recognise the incredible work that staff up and down the country have done to respond to the pressures that we face, and I am incredibly grateful to them f...
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Healthcare accounts for 40 per cent of the Scottish budget, yet many health board areas, including my own in Ayrshire and Arran, often feel short-changed by ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Cabinet secretary, please respond with regard to where the question might refer to the report that is under discussion.
Neil Gray
SNP
Funding is directly relevant to ensuring that we overcome the pressures that Audit Scotland has referred to, but I am conscious of the need to ensure that th...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
That concludes the urgent question.