Seòmar agus comataidhean

Paul Sweeney has some questions.

You mentioned the BDA a couple of times in your answer. Its criticism was that you

“did not consider new models of care or alternative delivery models as part of payment reform”.

Can you comment on why the Scottish Government did not do that?

Again, those comments will be part of the Official Report of the meeting.

I propose that the committee make no recommendations in relation to the negative instrument. Are we agreed?

Members indicated agreement.

To pick up on that theme, I am keen to hear panel members’ views on the role of the third and private sectors in the governance of social care. Given that they are responsible for providing more than 75 per cent of services, should they have a place in the governance structure for the national care service?

Do any other panel members want to offer their views?

Thank you. I thank the witnesses for their attendance and their evidence to the committee, which I am sure we will find very helpful.

At next week’s meeting, we will take more evidence in the committee’s on-going stage 1 scrutiny of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill. That concludes the public part of today’s meeting.

The purpose of this instrument is to provide the Health and Care Professions Council with the power to increase fees charged for processing and scrutinising applications for admission to its register, for renewal of registration and for readmission or restoration to the register. It also enables the practice committees and appeal panel to hold remote hearings outside of emergency periods. The policy note states that the Health and Care Professions Council’s fees were previously updated from July 2021 and that offering remote hearings alongside in-person hearings will make it easier for some attendees, such as those with mobility or mental health conditions, to engage with the process.

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 26 September 2023 and made no recommendations in relation to it. Moreover, no motion to annul has been lodged.

I believe that Sandesh Gulhane has a comment.

The second item on our agenda is an evidence session with the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health on the National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2023. I welcome from the Scottish Government Jenny Minto, who is the minister; Tom Ferris, who is the chief dental officer; Ailsa Garland, who is the principal legal officer; and Tim McDonnell, who is the director of primary care.

I invite the minister to make a brief opening statement.

Thank you for your brevity in that complex answer.

Thank you for that. You have covered a bit of my next question. This issue has been raised with me, as an MSP, and I am sure that it has been raised with you, as minister. It is about individuals who are disappointed that accountability will be shared because one of the recommendations of the Feeley report was that there would be ministerial responsibility. There is concern that, if responsibility and accountability are shared, the existing postcode lottery—as people see it—of access to care services will continue. How will you ensure that that is not the case?