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I remain clear that long waits are unacceptable and that is why in the Programme for Government we reaffirmed our commitment to meet the CAMHS standard and clear backlogs by December 2025.

While we will work to ensure no child will wait to start treatment longer than 18 weeks there may be occasions where children and young people wait over 18-weeks to start treatment. This may be out with the NHS Board’s control, such as those who have significantly complex presentations and require very specific services.

International marketing activity undertaken by the Scottish Government as Brand Scotland, is measured by a comprehensive suite of metrics that determine whether the associated SMART objectives have been met. These objectives are set each year according to the purpose of the activity, the level of spend available and the tactics it will use.

They include digital reach through social and digital channels and audience engagement with the content but more importantly additionally consider the strategic outcomes and impact on these audiences, such as perception change or an increase in consideration or claimed action by target audiences.

The UK Government took a decision, following the vote to leave the EU, to require EU/EEA citizens to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to maintain their right to live, work and study in the UK. The Scottish Government has always been clear that EU citizens should not had to apply to maintain rights they already had. However, given the decision by the UK Government the Scottish Government launched the Stay in Scotland campaign in 2019 to ensure that EU citizens had the advice and support that they needed to secure their right to stay in Scotland. The Scottish Government has provided over £2 million through the Stay in Scotland campaign to third sector and community groups working with EU citizens across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not specifically activated a campaign called ‘Welcome to Scotland’ but operates a year-round programme of communications that is designed to reach international audiences. The always-on activity works to challenge perceptions and drive up consideration, showcasing who we are as a country, what we value and what we offer in order to attract people from overseas who are interested in moving here to live and work, coming on holiday, undertaking study or doing business.

The Scottish Government routinely publishes marketing spend annually and figures for Brand Scotland expenditure can be accessed here: Marketing spend - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The total number of NHS patients that have been treated in private (independent) hospitals in each of the last five financial years and reported to PHS is presented in the following table.

I am as committed as ever to meeting the waiting times standard for psychological therapies and to clearing waiting list backlogs as confirmed in our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The Scottish Government is committed to preventing and mitigating psychological trauma and adversity. We are taking a wide range of actions to support the health, wellbeing and resilience of all those who have been negatively impacted by trauma throughout their lives. This includes:

• Working to address poverty, tackle harmful drug and alcohol use, support mental health, and reduce inequalities;
• Working to support the development of trauma-informed and responsive approaches in a wide range of services and settings including in social work, healthcare, justice and education.

We are not aware of the Miracle Foundation’s calls for a bespoke service in NHS Lanarkshire. We are however working closely with partners in key sectors and services across Scotland to prevent psychological trauma and adversity, and mitigate their impacts. The Scottish Government and COSLA also have a joint ambition to develop trauma-informed and trauma-responsive workforces and services across Scotland. Since 2018, we have invested over £12 million in a National Trauma Transformation Programme (NTTP).

Through the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults, and the Children and Young People’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports and Services funding, the Scottish Government has, since 2020, provided more than £130 million to local authorities and the third sector to deliver community-based mental health support. This includes funding for the Miracle Foundation to deliver mental health, wellbeing and resilience workshops for children and young people in North Lanarkshire, as well as the following projects for adults: Encouraging Growth & Resilience Mental Health Workshops; Diverse Community Development & Engagement; and Living Well in North Lanarkshire Community Groups.

Additionally, Scottish Government has provided funding to North Lanarkshire Council through Bairns’ Hoose Development Fund (Phase 2) which aims to support partnerships at an earlier stage of development to work towards the establishment of Bairns’ Hoose services.

Following reports from members of the public on 11 November of a number of dead fish found in Linlithgow Loch, SEPA officers inspected the site on the morning of 12 November. During the inspection, no visible signs of pollution were identified and water quality samples, taken at various points around the loch, did not reveal any pollutants. SEPA is satisfied that there is no ongoing pollution incident within the loch.

The NHS England Long-Term Workforce Plan, published under the previous UK Government in June 2023, committed to an expansion of Physician Associate (PA) training places with a view to establishing a workforce of 10,000 PAs by 2036-37. No such target for expansion has been set by Scottish Ministers who are clear that any growth of the profession must be gradual and evidence-based. While high profile examples of harm involving physician associates did not take place in Scotland and there is no empirical comparative data between countries on adverse events involving PAs, the Scottish Government’s approach to this role is being informed by a national Programme Board tasked with considering issues including Scope of Practice and supervision. Statutory regulation of the professions by the General Medical Council is due to commence in 13 December, introducing consistent UK-wide standards for education, training and practice with individual professional accountability and meaningful consequences when these are not met.

Work is ongoing to improve the availability of data regarding the number and distribution of Physician Associates (PAs) across NHS Scotland. It is expected that these improvements will allow for the more effective analysis of workforce trends for this profession from the beginning of the 2025-26 financial year.

Individual decisions about the employment and deployment of PAs are a matter for Health Boards, many of whom will have considerable experience of utilising this role to good effect. The profession is a valued, long-standing part of the NHS Scotland workforce and it is important that discussions about the role are taken forward in a respectful and supportive manner.