Sandesh Gulhane

18 Mar 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any increase in caseload for the Adult Disability Payment, particularly in regard to mental and behavioural disorders.

11 Mar 2026 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it would assess its handling of the NHS.

4 Mar 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding arrangements for prisoners eligible to vote in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election.

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon should make a personal statement to the Scottish Parliament about issues relating to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Answer · Neil Gray: Following an amendment raised by the member, this matter has already been debated in Parliament. I provided a response to this debate in the Chamber on 11 February 2026.

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any hospitals have not been inspected by Healthcare Improvement Scotland in the last three years, and, if so, what assessment it has made of any risks this poses to patient safety.

Answer · Neil Gray: 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 methodol…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date Healthcare Improvement Scotland last inspected Caithness General Hospital, and whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care will order an inspection to take place if the last one took place more than three years ago.

Answer · Neil Gray: Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) operates independently of the Scottish Government and uses a risk based, proportionate and intelligence led approach. HIS determines inspection activity by applying a data informed prioritisation process to decide how oft…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent assaults in hospitals, and what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of any action it has already taken to date.

Answer · Neil Gray: 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.…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make it a requirement for NHS boards to collect data on the number of patients receiving corridor care in hospitals.

Answer · Neil Gray: 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 variatio…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much in total has been spent on national treatment centres to date, broken down by (a) centre and (b) costs involved.

Answer · Neil Gray: We are currently working with all health boards to develop an NHS whole system infrastructure plan for Scotland. This will support continued safe and effective use of existing facilities as well as informing future investment priorities based on assessment of…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has spent almost £1 million on suspending staff with pay since 2022, and what action it is taking to lower these costs.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government expects all Health Boards to follow national guidance and employment law when considering the suspension of employees. The NHS Scotland Guide to Suspension advocates a risk-based approach to assess whether the employee poses a clinical…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether it will meet its target to ensure that no patient waits longer than one year for treatment by March 2026.

Answer · Neil Gray: I will provide an update to Parliament later this month on the progress we have made against the Operational Improvement Plan commitments.

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS patients have died while on a waiting list for treatment since Neil Gray became Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.

Answer · Neil Gray: 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…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the six-week target for patients to receive an echocardiogram is met.

Answer · Neil Gray: Our budget for next year includes a record figure of almost £22.5 billion for health and social care. We will scale up productivity and efficiency programmes to create additional capacity and health boards will take forward a new collaborative subnation…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the 12-week target for outpatient cardiology appointments is met.

Answer · Neil Gray: As part of this year’s additional investment in Planned Care, we have allocated over £500,000 to Health Boards to reduce long waits for cardiology. Between 31 July 2025 and 31 January 2026, new outpatient waits over 52 weeks for cardiology reduced…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 246 ambulances took patients from Scotland to hospitals in England in 2024, including to Newcastle, and what action it is taking to ensure that patients do not have to leave Scotland for emergency treatment.

Answer · Neil Gray: These cross border transfers are minimal in terms of total numbers of patients transferred to Hospital in Scotland. They are part of an on-going agreement between the Scottish Ambulance Service, North East and North West NHS Ambulance Services to support each…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any NHS boards continue to provide homeopathy, and what its position is on whether homeopathy services should be provided on the NHS.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information which is a matter for NHS Boards locally.The Scottish Government’s position on homeopathy is unchanged. While some Complementary and Alternative Medicines, including homeopathy, may offer relief to …

22 Jan 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it became aware of suspected issues with the water system at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Answer · Neil Gray: It is a matter of public record that Health Protection Scotland (HPS) informed the Scottish Government of a water contamination incident at the Royal Hospital for Children, based at the then Elizabeth University Hospital campus (later renamed the Queen Elizab…

22 Jan 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statement by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde at the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry that “Pressure was applied to open the [Queen Elizabeth University] hospital on time and on budget, and it is now clear that the hospital opened too early. It was not ready&rdqu…

Answer · Neil Gray: As the First Minister made clear during his answer to Russell Findlay at First Minister’s Questions on 22 January, there was no pressure applied by Scottish Ministers to open the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital early.Counsel to the Inquiry, during t…

22 Jan 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it ever ordered that any senior managers at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde be dismissed as a result of issues surrounding the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, including the safety of the water system.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Ministers have no employment functions under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, those being a function of the relevant Health Board. Executives and senior managers within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are employees of the health boa…

22 Jan 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has confidence in the Chief Executive, Chair and Board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde following their acceptance of a causal connection of a likely link between the water supply at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and patient infections. 

Answer · Neil Gray: Ministers have confidence in the leadership of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.It is important to be clear that significant leadership changes have been made: appointment of a new Chair (2023), new Chief Executive (2025), and new Medical Director (…

21 Jan 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the overall pause on new health capital projects remains in place.

Answer · Neil Gray: The pause on all health capital projects was lifted in last year’s draft budget and Programme for Government, which committed to the replacement projects for Monklands University Hospital, the Belford Hospital and the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, as well as …

19 Jan 2026 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's admission of a likely link between issues with the water supply at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and patient infections.

16 Jan 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the estimated £149 million required for the new pay offer for resident doctors will be funded, and whether funding will be reduced in any other area in order to pay for the offer, in the event that it is agreed.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government welcomes the BMA’s decision to call off industrial action following intensive and constructive talks. This has prevented the cancellation of operations and disruption to patient care. The 2026-27 budget provides for pay deals inc…

5 Jan 2026 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the talks with BMA representatives regarding the planned resident doctors’ strike due to begin next week.

17 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to protect young people from grooming gangs and sexual exploitation.

9 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the national investigation into maternity services will (a) commence and (b) publish its report.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will look at the scope of a national review of maternity services based on the emerging themes and outcomes of the Healthcare Improvement Scotland Inspections of Maternity Units across Scotland, and any other area…

9 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the remit of its national investigation into maternity services will be, and what specific issues it will examine.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42484 on 17 December 2025. 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-committ…

9 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, what its response is to the report, Independent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal Services in England – Reflections and Initial Impressions, which was published 9 December 2025, and how this will inform its national investigation into maternity services.

Answer · Jenni Minto: We note the publication of Baroness Amos’ Reflections and Initial Impressions report with interest. The report records issues Baroness Amos has identified from her engagement with families in England and provides updates on her investigation and next st…

9 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a Scottish Joint Registry that would provide performance information for (a) hip, (b) knee, (c) ankle, (d) elbow and (e) shoulder joint replacement surgeons.

Answer · Neil Gray: Monitoring of joint replacement procedures in Scotland is already in place through the Scottish National Audit Programme (SNAP) within Public Health Scotland. This work predates the establishment of the National Joint Registry in 1999.SNAP performs many of th…

9 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what process was followed that resulted in the chairs of NHS Lothian and Greater Glasgow and Clyde being chosen to chair the respective Sub-National Planning and Delivery Committees for Scotland East and Scotland West; whether a vote was taken among all NHS board chairs, and whether any …

Answer · Neil Gray: The Chairs of NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde were invited to chair the Sub-National Planning and Delivery Committees (SPDCs) following an assessment of the practical considerations required to support the running of the proposed SPDCs. NHS Loth…