Tag: Public Health Scotland

Scottish Government hails GP walk-in centres progress

New figures show that more than 7,000 consultations were held at Scotland’s first GP walk-in services. 

The number of consultations at the centres increased to a high of 2,299 in June as services were established, Public Health Scotland data shows.  

The services are part of an innovative pilot, testing a new way of accessing same-day care from GPs or Advanced Nurse Practitioners at a wider range of times. They have been designed to provide more choice for patients while helping to relieve pressure on wider NHS services.

Between February and June GP walk-in pilot services were opened in six locations.

Health Secretary Angela Constance said: “We have promised to end the frustrating 8am rush for GP appointments and this new data shows that more people are benefiting from appointment-free care, at a time that works best for them. 

“Some 7,082 walk-in consultations have already been carried out – giving patients access to urgent, same-day care – and we will roll this out to many more communities over the weeks and months ahead. 

“Our focus is not simply on counting every patient, but on making every patient count. The pilot is just getting started and as it grows we will know more about how it is working.  

“But behind every attendance is a person who has received timely assessment, reassurance, treatment or advice that may have improved their experience, supported earlier intervention, or prevented a more serious outcome. 

“We have opened ten of the originally planned 16 GP walk-in services in five months and will soon be announcing even more locations as the pilot expands.” 

‘Scheme more about politics rather than practicality’

Dr Iain Morrison, chairman of the BMA’s Scottish GPs committee, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme that doctors had expressed reservations about the walk-in clinics when they were first announced – and it now looked like a case of ‘I told you so’.

He said: “In terms of any pilot it’s important to learn to fail fast. My concern is that we’re not going to learn to close this down when all the evidence suggests that it’s not working. “It’s going to continue to be worked upon, potentially expanded, despite evidence crying out that it’s not having the impact that’s desired.

“The way you improve capacity, to provide as many appointments as are required, is to invest into core services. It’s not to put in additional money into separate services that fail to alleviate the core problem”

General practice walk-in centres – month ending 30 June 2026 – General practice walk-in centres – Publications – Public Health Scotland 

Mum urges young people to get MenB vaccine

A Glasgow mum is urging young people to come forward for vaccination against meningococcal group B (MenB), after her son became critically unwell with meningitis in 2023.   

The MenB vaccine, which helps to protect against meningitis and sepsis (inflammation throughout the body) caused by meningococcal group B bacteria, is now being offered for young people in clinics across Scotland.

The programme aims to protect young people who are at higher risk of infection, especially those who are preparing to start university or college in the 2026/27 academic year, where close contact and shared living arrangements can increase the risk of meningococcal disease.

Gaynor Simpson, mum to Ross who fell ill with meningitis during his first year at university in 2023, said: “Ross became critically unwell after just feeling a bit under the weather. It quickly escalated into a situation where it was unclear whether or not he would survive.

“To see your healthy, thriving 18-year-old child go from feeling a bit off colour to fighting for his life in ICU within the space of a few hours is a feeling that we, as parents, will never forget.

“We are immensely grateful that despite the severity of the infection, he is still with us. It is a very long road to recovery from meningococcal disease and as we have seen from recent outbreaks in the UK, others are not so lucky.

“It is a cruel and unforgiving disease that takes effect at terrifying speed. Given our experience, I can’t stress enough to young people and to their parents how important it is to take up the full two-dose offer of the MenB vaccine.

“It could save your child’s life.”

The MenB vaccine is being offered to:

  • young people born between 1 March 2008 and 28 February 2009, and any others who were in S6 during the 2025-26 academic year, regardless of future education plans
  • undergraduate university entrants under the age of 25 who are starting for the first time in the academic year 2026-27, including international students
  • college entrants under 25 starting for the first time in the academic year 2026-27 while living away from home in shared student accommodation, including international students.

It’s essential to receive two doses of the MenB vaccine, at least 28 days apart, for full protection. Ideally, both doses should be completed before starting college or university.

All health boards in Scotland are offering the vaccination by either appointment or drop-in clinic, or a combination of these. To find out how to get your MenB vaccine in your area, visit www.nhsinform.scot/menb-youngpeople

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Vaccination and Immunisation at Public Health Scotland, said: “Immunisation is the most effective way of preventing illness from meningococcal disease.

The roll out of the MenB vaccination programme is an opportunity for all eligible young people to receive vital protection from such a serious and life-threatening disease. We encourage all those who are eligible to take up the offer, and to ensure both doses are received for full protection.”

Read more about Gaynor and Ross’ experience on the Meningitis Now website

More information about the MenB vaccination programme for young people:  www.nhsinform.scot/menb-youngpeople  

More information on signs and symptoms: www.nhsinform.scot/meningitis

Vaccines offer the best protection against meningococcal disease. For information on how to check your own or your child’s vaccination history: 

www.nhsinform.scot/gettingvaccinations

Call for review of bowel cancer screening age

With bowel cancer cases rising among under 50’s in Scotland, extending bowel cancer screening could save more lives.

Public Health Minister @MareeToddMSP has asked the UK National Screening Committee to consider reviewing the recommended age for bowel cancer screening.

Public Health Scotland: RSV Vaccine

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory illness.

It can cause severe illness and lead to people being admitted to hospital — especially babies and older adults. The vaccine is the best way to get protected.

For more information visit nhsinform.scot/rsv-adult

#RSVvaccineScot

First Minister launches £36.9m fund to reduce drug and alcohol deaths

Three-year investment to support prevention, treatment and recovery across Scotland

First Minister John Swinney will today call for a new collective approach to reduce deaths and harms from drugs and alcohol, as he addresses a summit on drugs deaths in Edinburgh.

It comes as a new Alcohol and Drugs Fund, which will provide £36.9 million to frontline services and organisations working with people affected by alcohol and drugs, is launched. 

The summit, organised by Public Health Scotland, will bring together health board chief executives, local authority leaders, justice representatives and third-sector partners alongside people with experience of drug and alcohol use, including representatives from family organisations and recovery groups.

Speaking ahead of the event, the First Minister said: “This new fund will provide more than £36 million over the next three years, supporting prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery.

“It will reach organisations of all sizes – from grassroots groups to larger partnerships – with particular emphasis on improving support for children, young people, and families. I have heard from the third sector about the need for stability and longer-term support – this multi-year funding recognises that.

“We have increased residential rehab capacity, with funded placements now close to our 1,000 target, set new treatment standards, opened The Thistle – the UK’s first safer drug consumption facility – and improved surveillance of the most potent and dangerous drugs entering circulation.

“But it is clear we now require a different collective approach and we need to go further. I am determined we make the change and new ways of working needed – and I am focused on confronting the need for reform of how our public services deliver.

“I am clear there should be a ‘no wrong door’ approach. If someone needs help, our system should be easy and quick to navigate – wrapping around the person rather than making people fit into the system.”

The fund is open to third-sector organisations and public bodies working directly with people who use alcohol and drugs, people in recovery, and their children and families.

It supports delivery of the Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan 2026–35, a joint Scottish Government and COSLA initiative backed by more than £160 million in 2026–27, which sets out a 10-year approach to reducing deaths and harms caused by alcohol and drugs.

Corra Foundation Chief Executive Carolyn Sawers said: “It is a privilege for Corra to deliver this fund on behalf of the Scottish Government. High-quality support for people affected by drugs and alcohol is vital to collective efforts to reducing harms, realising rights and supporting recovery.

“Corra looks forward to working closely alongside people with lived and living experience of drugs and alcohol as we deliver this fund.”

Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery: Scotland’s Alcohol & Drugs Strategic Plan 2026 – 2035

‘Concrete action’ on Scotland’s A&E overcrowding needed as waiting time records broken yet again

The newly re-elected Scottish Government must show that it is serious about tackling overcrowding in Emergency Departments – as A&E waiting time records continue to be broken. 

New figures on ED performance from Public Health Scotland covering the month of April 2026 were published today (2 June). 

In April, fewer than two thirds (64.2%) of major ED attendances were admitted, discharged or transferred within four hours. The government-mandated target is 95%.  

Meanwhile, almost one in eight (12.4%, or 14,846) patients waited more than eight hours.  

This made that month the worst April since records began for eight and four-hour waiting time metrics in ED.  

A total of 6,196 – or 5.1% of patients – waited more than 12 hours – constituting the second worst April on record.  

Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Scotland Vice President, said: “Emergency Department clinicians are working tirelessly to try to provide safe and good care to our patients – but the pressure is overwhelming and relentless. 

“We are out of winter. This time of year is supposed to see a break in the clouds. Instead, we are as busy as ever.” 

Today’s data also showed that, in April 2026, there were an average of 1,902 beds occupied by patients medically fit to leave each day – also known as delayed discharges.  

This constitutes a serious problem and is a driver of ED overcrowding because it means patients in need of admission from A&E cannot get a bed. This can result in extremely long waits for these extremely sick patients.  

As RCEM revealed last year, these waits can be deadly: in 2025, there 871 excess deaths associated with long waits for admission in ED.  

Dr Hunter said: “At last month’s elections, the incumbent SNP-run Scottish Government retained power. We must see votes repaid with real, concrete action on A&E overcrowding. 

“The new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Angela Constance has an uphill battle ahead of her. As today’s numbers show, waiting times are among the worst they’ve ever been for this time of year. 

“Enduring such waits in an ED is stressful, undignified and we know it can cause harm to patients.  

“Meanwhile, there has been no significant or meaningful improvement in the number of delayed discharges – a key metric of patient flow. 

“We call on the government to make tackling hospital overcrowding a priority and refuse to allow the current situation to continue. Just because our waits are better than other UK nations does not mean they should be accepted.” 

More information and data visualisation can be found here.  

Public Health Scotland: Analysing Smoking Harms

How do we measure the harm of smoking when it’s linked to so many diseases? Our latest blog explores:

  • How we estimate the proportion of deaths and illnesses linked to smoking
  • Why we’ve updated our approach using the latest evidence

Read the blog:

https://publichealthscotland.scot/our-blog/2026/may/analysing-smoking-harms-new-statistics-using-up-to-date-evidence/

Public Health Scotland: Latest RADAR report published

PUBLIC Health Scotland has published the latest Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) report, which presents changes on drug trends, harms and use of services in Scotland to inform immediate and short-term actions that reduce drug harms.

View the full report:

https://publichealthscotland.scot/…/rapid-action-drug…