Motion
Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions
S6M-17670 · Motion For Debate · lodged by Cole-Hamilton, Alex
Lodged on
22 May 2025Heard / answered on
28 May 2025Watch the chamber session on SPTV · lands on the meetings recorded on 28 May 2025
That the Parliament recognises the scale of the mental health emergency in Scotland; notes with concern the lack of adequate provision for neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neurodiversity assessments and treatment for adults and children following the COVID-19 pandemic; further notes the additional pressure on services caused by the global shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, which has led to the closure of titration clinics in some areas and significantly impacted waiting times and access to care; recognises the profound distress and disruption this causes for individuals and families who are left without timely diagnosis or support; acknowledges the knock-on effects on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), as well as the wider economic consequences of rising levels of economic inactivity linked to unmet mental health needs; notes the pressure that this puts on GPs and primary care; further notes with concern the widespread removal of shared care arrangements where patients who obtained a private diagnosis could receive ongoing care and medication through the Scottish NHS; expresses disappointment at the Scottish Government’s failure to meet its commitment to allocate 10% of NHS spending to mental health and 1% to CAMHS; calls on the Scottish Government to work urgently with NHS boards and local authorities to devise a robust protocol on the use of shared care arrangements to allow for their use where appropriate, and further calls on the Scottish Government to create neurodevelopmental pathways and stepped care models, as recommended by the National Autism Implementation Team and Royal College of Psychiatrists in the 2021 National Clinical ADHD Pathway Feasibility Study.
Lodged by
Cole-Hamilton, Alex
alone — no additional MSPs have signed on.
Final vote on motion (as amended)
28 May 2025
Carried
Show MSPs
For
96Against
18Abstain
0Not voted
14Amendments incorporated
- S6M-17670.3 Todd, Maree — carried 65/49: As an amendment to motion S6M-17670 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions), leave out from “of the mental” to end and insert “and urgency of unmet need in both mental health and neurodevelopmental support, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neurodiversity assessments and treatment for adults and children following the COVID-19 pandemic; notes the additional pressure on services caused by the global shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, which has led to the closure of titration clinics in some areas and significantly impacted waiting times and access to care; recognises the profound distress and disruption this causes for individuals and families who are left without timely diagnosis or support; acknowledges the knock-on effects on the health service, as well as the wider economic consequences of rising levels of economic inactivity linked to unmet neurodevelopmental and mental health needs; notes with concern the widespread removal of shared care arrangements where patients who obtained a private diagnosis could receive ongoing care and medication through the Scottish NHS; calls on the Scottish Government to work urgently with NHS boards and local authorities on their shared care arrangement protocols, but understands that decisions around the best course of treatment for patients are for individual clinicians; further calls on the Scottish Government to expand and create adult neurodevelopmental pathways and stepped care models, as recommended by the National Autism Implementation Team and Royal College of Psychiatrists in the 2021 National Clinical ADHD Pathway Feasibility Study; notes the four pilots that the Scottish Government funded following these recommendations, the establishment of a neuro-affirming community of practice and ongoing scoping work on demand and capacity for adult neurodevelopmental services, including work with NHS boards and local authorities on local neurodevelopmental data; calls on the Scottish Government to convene a cross-party summit on addressing waits for neurodevelopmental support and mental health capacity to avert a crisis for individuals and families waiting too long; recognises the progress made towards the Scottish Government’s commitment to allocate 10% of NHS spending to mental health and 1% to CAMHS by the end of the current parliamentary session, and thanks the dedicated NHS and wider workforce for its hard work in providing neurodevelopmental and mental health services in this time of increased demand.”
Computer-generated best guess
Possible final motion text after carried amendments
This is a computer’s best guess at applying carried amendments to the original motion text. It uses simple text rules for phrases such as “insert at end”, “after X insert Y”, and “leave out from X to end and insert Y”. Treat it as an aid, not the official motion text.
That the Parliament recognises the scale and urgency of unmet need in both mental health and neurodevelopmental support, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neurodiversity assessments and treatment for adults and children following the COVID-19 pandemic; notes the additional pressure on services caused by the global shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, which has led to the closure of titration clinics in some areas and significantly impacted waiting times and access to care; recognises the profound distress and disruption this causes for individuals and families who are left without timely diagnosis or support; acknowledges the knock-on effects on the health service, as well as the wider economic consequences of rising levels of economic inactivity linked to unmet neurodevelopmental and mental health needs; notes with concern the widespread removal of shared care arrangements where patients who obtained a private diagnosis could receive ongoing care and medication through the Scottish NHS; calls on the Scottish Government to work urgently with NHS boards and local authorities on their shared care arrangement protocols, but understands that decisions around the best course of treatment for patients are for individual clinicians; further calls on the Scottish Government to expand and create adult neurodevelopmental pathways and stepped care models, as recommended by the National Autism Implementation Team and Royal College of Psychiatrists in the 2021 National Clinical ADHD Pathway Feasibility Study; notes the four pilots that the Scottish Government funded following these recommendations, the establishment of a neuro-affirming community of practice and ongoing scoping work on demand and capacity for adult neurodevelopmental services, including work with NHS boards and local authorities on local neurodevelopmental data; calls on the Scottish Government to convene a cross-party summit on addressing waits for neurodevelopmental support and mental health capacity to avert a crisis for individuals and families waiting too long; recognises the progress made towards the Scottish Government’s commitment to allocate 10% of NHS spending to mental health and 1% to CAMHS by the end of the current parliamentary session, and thanks the dedicated NHS and wider workforce for its hard work in providing neurodevelopmental and mental health services in this time of increased demand.
Applied by the parser
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S6M-17670.3: leave out from "of the mental" to end and insert As an amendment to motion S6M-17670 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions), leave out from “of the mental” to end and insert “and urgency of unmet need in both mental health and neurodevelopmental support, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neurodiversity assessments and treatment for adults and children following the COVID-19 pandemic; notes the additional pressure on services caused by the global shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, which has led to the closure of titration clinics in some areas and significantly impacted waiting times and access to care; recognises the profound distress and disruption this causes for individuals and families who are left without timely diagnosis or support; acknowledges the knock-on effects on the health service, as well as the wider economic consequences of rising levels of economic inactivity linked to unmet neurodevelopmental and mental health needs; notes with concern the widespread removal of shared care arrangements where patients who obtained a private diagnosis could receive ongoing care and medication through the Scottish NHS; calls on the Scottish Government to work urgently with NHS boards and local authorities on their shared care arrangement protocols, but understands that decisions around the best course of treatment for patients are for individual clinicians; further calls on the Scottish Government to expand and create adult neurodevelopmental pathways and stepped care models, as recommended by the National Autism Implementation Team and Royal College of Psychiatrists in the 2021 National Clinical ADHD Pathway Feasibility Study; notes the four pilots that the Scottish Government funded following these recommendations, the establishment of a neuro-affirming community of practice and ongoing scoping work on demand and capacity for adult neurodevelopmental services, including work with NHS boards and local authorities on local neurodevelopmental data; calls on the Scottish Government to convene a cross-party summit on addressing waits for neurodevelopmental support and mental health capacity to avert a crisis for individuals and families waiting too long; recognises the progress made towards the Scottish Government’s commitment to allocate 10% of NHS spending to mental health and 1% to CAMHS by the end of the current parliamentary session, and thanks the dedicated NHS and wider workforce for its hard work in providing neurodevelopmental and mental health services in this time of increased demand.”
In the Official Report
Debated in chamber — 5 contributions reference this
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The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-17670, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, on addressing the inadequate provision for neurodevelopmental conditions. I invite members who wish to pa…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next question is, that amendment S6M-17670.3, in the name of Maree Todd, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17670, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, on addressing the inadequate provision for neuro…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next question is, that amendment S6M-17670.2, in the name of Sandesh Gulhane, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17670, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, on addressing the inadequate provision for …
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next question is, that amendment S6M-17670.1, in the name of Paul Sweeney, which seeks to amend motion S6M-17670, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, on addressing the inadequate provision for neu…
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The Presiding Officer
NPA
Chamber
· 28 May 2025 · Meeting of the Parliament 28 May 2025
The next question is, that motion S6M-17670, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, on addressing the inadequate provision for neurodevelopmental conditions, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Mem…
Amendments and how the chamber decided
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S6M-17670Selected itemCarried 96/1822 May 2025 · Motion For Debate · Cole-Hamilton, AlexThat the Parliament recognises the scale of the mental health emergency in Scotland; notes with concern the lack of adequate provision for neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neurodiversity assessments and treatment for adults and children following the COVID-19 pandemic; further notes the additional pr...
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S6M-17670.1Linked amendment/item27 May 2025 · Amendment · Sweeney, PaulAs an amendment to motion S6M-17670 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions), insert at end ", and calls on the Scottish Government to publish data on the number of patients with neurodevelopmental conditions who are being removed from CAMHS waiting lists."
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S6M-17670.2Linked amendment/itemDefeated 49/6627 May 2025 · Amendment · Gulhane, SandeshAs an amendment to motion S6M-17670 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions), insert at end "; believes that years of Scottish National Party (SNP) administration mismanagement have led to over 3,000 children and young people waiting to start mental health treatment; acknowledges that the Sc...
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S6M-17670.3Linked amendment/itemCarried 65/4927 May 2025 · Amendment · Todd, MareeAs an amendment to motion S6M-17670 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions), leave out from “of the mental” to end and insert “and urgency of unmet need in both mental health and neurodevelopmental support, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neu...