Have your say on health and sport spending

What areas of the health and sport budget should be prioritised?

Holyrood’s Health and Sport Committee is looking to provide an opportunity for people to have their say on spending priorities before the Scottish Government publishes its draft budget later this year.

Neil Findlay MSP, Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said: “Through the Committee’s work to date we are aware there are numerous issues to be addressed by the health budget including delayed discharges, waiting times, and the shortage of GPs and other key staff.

“With so many challenges there are no easy answers. However by giving people a chance to have their say on where priorities should lie and how best the health and sport budget can deliver value for money before it is announced, it is our hope that Parliament and stakeholders will be able to influence these key areas of spending.

“Our Committee has previously highlighted a range of barriers to increasing participation in sport at a community level, so we’d like to hear whether people think investment is being targeted appropriately towards breaking down those barriers.”

Responses are invited on the following questions:

• Do you consider that the Scottish Government’s health and sport budget for 2017-18 reflects its stated priorities (as set out in the National Performance Framework, the LDP standards and the National health and wellbeing outcomes)? If not, how could the budget be adjusted to better reflect priorities?
• For the health and sport budget for 2018-19 where do you suggest any additional resources could be most effectively deployed and where could any further savings be found? What evidence supports your views?
• Is sufficient information available to support scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s health and sport budget?  If not, what additional information would help support budget scrutiny?
• What impact has the integration of health and social care budgets had on ensuring resources are directed at achieving the Scottish Government’s desired outcomes?

The call for evidence runs until 26 July