Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out a full impact assessment of the public health implications of its recently announced decision to reduce funding for public health information marketing campaigns.
For clarity, the Scottish Government has not suspended public health information marketing campaigns.
The Scottish Government is fully aware of the importance that campaigns have in communicating public health priorities, and essential public health marketing activity in 2024-25 is continuing, including Public Health Scotland targeted communications work for particular vaccine programmes, including Winter Flu, to encourage people who often do not get vaccinated to take up the offer this year.
Paid-for activity is also continuing where costs have already been committed, or where an essential need is identified, such as campaigns on Sexual Assault Response and Care Service; Abortion Safe Access Zones; dementia, and our Detect Cancer Early campaign, which launched last month.
Marketing activity will also continue across portfolio areas through low or no cost channels, such as social content, public relations and work with partner organisations.