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The Industry Advisory Group for rUK Talent Attraction met on 19 April 2022 and 8 June 2022. It is next scheduled to meet on 1 September 2022.

We remain committed to increasing the number of GPs working in Scotland by at least 800 by 2027. We have taken a number of actions, including launching our GP recruitment marketing campaign last month, increasing the number of medical places at universities, and taking steps to encourage medical graduates to choose general practice. To that end, between 2015-16 and 2021-22 the Scottish Government will have increased the annual intake of medical places in Scottish universities from 848 to 1117 (269 places, a 32% increase). The majority of these new places are focused on general practice.

By increasing the amount of undergraduate curriculum that is delivered in general practice to 25%. We are confident increased exposure to general practice will encourage more students to train as GPs. With an increase of 89 GPs in 2019-20 we are now confident we are starting to see the positive impact of these actions.

Number of GPs working in Scotland since 2017

Public Health Scotland (PHS) receives monthly data from most NHS Boards on the number of patients covered by the 18 weeks Referral to Treatment (RTT) standard seen within each specialty, including audiology. Due to the aggregate nature of this data collection, the requested detail on average length of wait and age are not available.

However, the following table shows the total number of patients seen and the number that waited over 18 weeks to be seen for audiology services across NHS Scotland, from January 2014 to December 2021 – the latest complete calendar year. This includes all patients reported as seen on the 18-week Referral to Treatment (RTT) pathway for audiology.

Total patients seen and number of patients that waited over 18 weeks, January 2014 – December 2021, NHS Scotland, Audiology

We know the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing structural inequality in society, putting minority ethnic and migrant communities disproportionately at risk and having more adverse impacts on their mental health. That is why we are undertaking a range of activity to specifically support their mental health and wellbeing. The Scottish Government’s Race Equality: Immediate Priorities Plan sets out our immediate priorities to implement the recommendations of the Expert Reference Group for Covid-19. In 2021-22 that included investing £21m into the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults to help tackle the impact of social isolation, loneliness and mental health inequalities faced by a range of ‘at risk’ groups including minority ethnic people. We also provided £150k to MECOPP and £20k to Progress in Dialogue to work in and with Gypsy/Traveller communities to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes for children and young people.

More generally, we are working to ensure everyone can access appropriate mental health care and continue to increase our investment in crucial services and infrastructure. Our Transition & Recovery Plan, backed by £120m of recurring funding is transforming services, with a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention. We established an Equality and Human Rights Forum to provide advice on the implementation of the Transition and Recovery Plan and wider work within mental health policy, including the development of our new Mental Health Strategy. This Forum includes representation from minority ethnic groups.

Scottish Government is working with NHS 24 and partners to develop a new Musculoskeletal (MSK) pathway, with particular consideration being given to digital options and a more preventative approach.

NHS 24 conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Helpline data on the use of the service as well as examining the service model. This will inform the development of a new pathway, with particular consideration being given to digital options and a more preventative approach.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09575 on 25 July 2022 for the next steps. 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 .

The Scottish Government is committed to finding cancer early, when the chance of survival and even cure is higher. NHS Dumfries & Galloway established Scotland’s first Early Cancer Diagnostic Centre in May 2021. The Centre provides primary care with a new referral route for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer, such as weight loss, fatigue and nausea – this is often how blood cancers present.

In addition, we continue to invest in our £44m Detect Cancer Early Programme which adopts a whole-system approach to diagnosing and treating cancer as early as possible across Scotland. The NHS Recovery Plan, published August 2021, commits an additional £20m for the Programme.

As part of the Scottish Government’s work to develop a sustainable healthcare workforce, we continue to look for opportunities to increase levels of recruitment and retention of healthcare staff in rural areas through the development of our Remote and Rural workforce recruitment strategy.

Furthermore, the Allied Health Professions (AHP) Education and Workforce Policy Review is currently examining recruitment and retention across the country. Whilst recommendations have not yet been agreed, a subgroup focussing on workforce and recruitment will provide recommendations later this year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-06456 on 4 March 2022. 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 .

In financial year 2021-22, £12m was allocated to support the wellbeing of people working in health and social care of which £11,515,152 was spent.