Chamber and committees

Good morning, minister. It is not easy to track overall spending on alcohol and drug services. Can you provide an update on funding for alcohol services, including a breakdown of contributions from all partners?

There is obviously a balance to be struck in the Scottish Government’s focus on drug services and alcohol services. Some witnesses felt that, at present, there is more of a focus on drugs and drug deaths. How can the Scottish Government ensure that alcohol services get their share of resources at local level?

Good morning. Thank you for sharing such difficult personal stories about your clients. I am finding what you have said quite difficult to deal with; thank you for all that you are doing—you are doing an amazing job.

What additional barriers do people with mental health issues face? What can you do and how do you support those people? I will ask Charlene to go first.

My next question is for all the witnesses. You have all given examples of how difficult your job is at the moment and the issues that you are dealing with. This is a very open question. What changes do you want us to look at to better support your clients? I am thinking of changes to the law, to processes or procedures or to anything else that you think that we should consider in order to help, if we can.

My first question is about remote money advice services, particularly in relation to StepChange and Advice Direct Scotland. What do you do? Are there differences between your advice in the remote context and that given by traditional agencies? I was interested in Conor Forbes’s comments about younger people and rural areas. Perhaps you could also tell us about your client groups and whether you feel that they are different for the different models.

I am interested in the role of the remote delivery of services in future. Heather O’Rourke, you touched on the matter earlier: how can we do that well, and how can we do it better in future?

Good morning, Mr Boyle. In your opening statement, you made some very positive comments about how change can happen quickly and effectively, as the pandemic showed. You also noted that the NHS was not financially viable pre-pandemic and that Covid exacerbated that situation.

You have referred to the Scottish Government’s ambitious plans, but do you feel positive about them? Is the Government moving towards achieving real sustainability for the NHS?

The Scottish Government put a lot of money into the NHS during the pandemic. Do you feel able to comment on how effectively those resources have been spent?

How do we ensure that, while we are promoting alternative pathways to primary care, patients can consistently access the most appropriate care for their needs? What safeguards will be in place?

Good morning, cabinet secretary. You mentioned the key role of receptionists, including in primary care reforms, and said that receptionists are often seen as a barrier rather than a facilitator. How we can improve interactions between patients and receptionists? You also made a point about raising the profile of receptionists.