Question reference: S6W-26441
- Date lodged: 22 March 2024
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Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following the changes to the delivery of inoculations in the 2018 Scottish GMS Contract, whether it was anticipated that courses of B12 injections prescribed over a series of days and weeks would be delivered in central vaccination centres by Health and Social Care Partnerships, rather than GP practices, which reportedly often means that patients requiring this treatment frequently have to travel significant distances.
Answer
While the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, legal responsibility for service delivery rests locally with Health Boards and their healthcare professionals. As part of the service redesign under the GP contract, the focus is on reconfiguring a number of services at scale, across the country, including Vaccinations and Community Treatment & Care services. The Scottish Government did not stipulate delivery models; Health Boards, Integration Authorities and Local Medical Committees have been asked to work together to design services which will meet the needs of patients in their areas, including accessibility.