Chamber and committees

On a slightly different aspect, what are the advantages and disadvantages of in-person support versus remote access? To what extent do people have a choice in the type of support that they receive?

Finally, I want to ask Dr McDaid the same question.

I turn to my final question. We talked a bit about the NHS 24 111 mental health hub and the distress brief intervention programme, and we heard feedback on that. What is the impact on those programmes of the withdrawal of dedicated funding?

Paula Fraser, do you have a comment on that?

Thank you. Meriem Timizar, can you comment on the advantages and disadvantages of in-person and remote access?

Finally, Shari, do you have any views on this?

I have one or two questions on initiatives to increase in-person and remote access to support. There have been a number of such initiatives across Scotland, with the NHS 24 111 mental health hub and the distress brief intervention programme perhaps two of the main ones. However, there seems to be a wide variability in primary care mental health services, third sector services and peer support services, and perhaps the joining up of those services is not as we would want to see it. It could be better.

I would be interested in hearing the witnesses’ views on that. Maybe we can start with Jo Anderson, as she is here.

I suppose that, when we talk about variability, we are talking about the availability and quality of services. Some of that goes back to funding.

I will bring in Kirsten Urquhart.

I was just about to go to Jo.