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We have increased Radiography staff from 2,248.2 WTE to 2,773.0 WTE a 23.3% increase (Dec 2015 – Dec 2025). This includes:

• 24.1% increase in Diagnostic Radiographers (from 1,978.8 WTE as at Dec 2015 to 2,455.9 WTE as at Dec 2025).
• 17.7% increase in Therapeutic Radiographers (from 269.4 WTE as at Dec 2015 to 317.1 WTE as at Dec 2025).

The National Radiology Lead from the Centre for Sustainable Delivery meets regularly with Health Boards to discuss imaging performance, staffing levels and scanner stock. NHS Boards have been asked to provide plans to support delivery of the 95% target, of patients seen within 6 weeks, throughout 2026-27.

We have increased Radiography staff from 2,248.2 WTE to 2,773.0 WTE a 23.3% increase (Dec 2015 – Dec 2025). This includes:

• 24.1% increase in Diagnostic Radiographers (from 1,978.8 WTE as at Dec 2015 to 2,455.9 WTE as at Dec 2025).
• 17.7% increase in Therapeutic Radiographers (from 269.4 WTE as at Dec 2015 to 317.1 WTE as at Dec 2025).

The National Radiology Lead from the Centre for Sustainable Delivery meets regularly with Health Boards to discuss imaging performance, staffing levels and scanner stock. NHS Boards have been asked to provide plans to support delivery of the 95% target, of patients seen within 6 weeks, throughout 2026-27.

In 2025-26 we allocated more than £22 million additional funding to Health Boards to help tackle the longest waits for Radiology. The latest data shows that the Radiology list size decreased by 18.1% compared to last quarter. We are determined to continue to build on this momentum, ensuring people receive the treatment they need as soon as possible.

We have also provided additional funding of more than £12 million for 13 MRI mobile scanners and 4 CT mobile scanners, this will provide capacity of almost 90,000 additional scans throughout 2025-26.

The Scottish Government commissioned Centre for Sustainable Delivery who routinely monitor planned and actual diagnostic performance, and work with Boards towards the delivery of the 95% of patients seen within 6 week target. Their evaluation of this work will help inform plans for 2026-27.

The Scottish Government have been clear that abuse or assault in any form is unacceptable, and everyone has the right to access care or their workplace without fear.

Health Boards are required to meet their legal duties to protect staff, patients and visitors. All incidents must be recorded through existing systems, fully investigated, and escalated to Police Scotland where appropriate.

The recommendations of the National Child Mortality Database study emphasise the importance of timely and appropriate genetic testing and clear communication to support informed decisions about pregnancy, clinical care and family planning.

The Scottish Government does not have any plans to ban first-cousin marriages in Scotland.

We are actively considering the feasibility of a national data collection. Accurately capturing this information consistently at a national level presents complex technical and operational challenges impacted both by definitional variation as well as variation across systems in terms of physical layout, operational practice and existing recording mechanisms.

Notwithstanding this consideration, our key priority remains addressing the underlying causes of high acute hospital occupancy which results in bed blocking and can lead to the provision of care in non-standard areas. That is why, through our NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, we are investing £220 million to reduce high hospital occupancy, improve patient flow and optimising alternatives to hospital admission such as expanding Hospital at Home services nationally.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) holds this information. Data on waiting list sizes is available at the following link: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-waiting-times-stage-of-treatment. However, it is important to note that PHS does not publish information on removals for the reason “Died.” Instead, this information is grouped into ‘Other reasons’ and can be found in Tab 2.4 of the Inpatient and day case spreadsheet, available here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/37438/ipdc_feb26-data-file-up-to-31-december-2025.xlsx.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) has a duty to improve the quality of health care and its scrutiny activity, including its inspection programmes, is a key part of this.

Since November 2021, they have implemented a Safe Delivery of Care inspection methodology approach. The scope of inspections is intelligence-led and currently excludes certain facilities, such as smaller community hospitals. For hospitals within scope, HIS utilises a risk-based, data-informed prioritisation procedure to determine inspection frequency and specific service areas for review.

This broader approach is designed to provide independent assurance on the safety and quality of care delivered by NHS boards. The Safe Delivery of Care inspections are unannounced and are specifically designed to ensure an accurate and real-time assessment of care delivery.

In dealing with recent Urgent Questions in Parliament (18 February and 25 February 2026), the Lord Advocate has advised the practice of providing updates to Scottish and UK governments pre-dates devolution in 1999. The Lord Advocate explained and provided examples of occasions on which this has been done, which involved prosecutors properly sharing information with the government which is not in the public domain at the time it is shared or will not be made public.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43803 on 5 March 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.