Policy and public affairs updates in Scotland
This page contains all the policy updates from RCPsych in Scotland. For further information on these updates, please get in touch with scotland@rcpsych.ac.uk.
January
We submitted our response to the Scottish Government's call for views on the Palliative Care Matters for All strategy.
We met with the Scottish Liberal Democrats Leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP to discuss provision for neurodevelopment conditions and our proposal for a four-tiered service.
We wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport regarding the provision for neurodevelopment conditions in Scotland and sent them our proposal.
We wrote to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Scottish Government officials and MSPs across parties with a briefing on the Scottish Budget 2025-26 and funding for mental health: RCPsychiS - Budget Response Briefing.
We formed the Scottish Policy and Public Affairs Forum. The purpose of the RCPsychiS Policy and Public Affairs Forum is to ensure that mental health and psychiatry remain central to the political agenda in the lead-up to the 2026 Scottish election. This initiative offers an opportunity for RCPsychiS members who are passionate about influencing mental health policy and advancing the College’s public affairs work to play a pivotal role in shaping its strategy, priorities, and manifesto.
Serving as an advisory body, the Forum will guide the College’s approach to policy development, public affairs activities, and political advocacy, ensuring its engagement with decision-makers drives meaningful improvements in mental health treatment across Scotland.
We briefed MSPs ahead of a on improving access to health and social care in rural Scotland. Provision for mental health and barriers to treatment was discussed by three Members. Our briefing: Motion S6M-14408 - Briefing for MSPs.
RCPsychiS Chair, Jane Morris, attended a roundtable discussion at Bute House with the First Minister, Cabinet Secretary, and colleagues across the medical Royal Colleges in Scotland. The discussion surrounded how we can work together to sustain and renew the NHS in Scotland and how to ensure that key workforces are mobilised as appropriate.
We met with Craig Hoy MSP, Scottish Conservative Spokesperson on Finance, to discuss our asks of the 2025-26 Scottish Budget and to present our proposal around the provision for neurodevelopmental conditions.
We provided Paul Sweeney MSP, Scottish Labour Spokesperson on Mental Health, with a Portfolio Question on the Scottish Government’s commitment to allocate 10% of funding to mental health and 1% to CAMHS. You can view the (at 14.29).
We responded to the Scottish Labour Policy Forum, a consultation process for their party political manifesto development.
We attended the about improving public services and NHS renewal - at the National Robotarium. During the event, we also spoke with Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, about the implications of the NHS renewal plan for adult mental health services, as well as our proposal for the provision of services for neurodevelopmental conditions.
We met with Tim Eagle MSP, Scottish Conservative Spokesperson on Rural Affairs, to discuss workforce issues in remote and rural areas.
February
We met with Tess White MSP, to discuss workforce retention and perinatal mental health.
We responded to the Scottish Government consultation on the Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Strategy. Read our response: Equality and human rights mainstreaming strategy - RCPsychiS response - February 2025
RCPsychiS staff and members hosted a weekend-long exhibition at the Scottish Labour Party Conference, where we highlighted our calls to action. The conference took place from 21-23 February at the SEC Glasgow.
- On 26 Feb, we hosted a Scottish Parliament event to launch our new MSP Guide to Mental Health and Mental Illness.
The event featured a panel discussion with: Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport - Maree Todd MSP, Scottish Labour Spokesperson for Mental Health - Paul Sweeney MSP, Principal Medical Officer for Mental Health - Dr Alastair Cook, mental health advocate - Graham Morgan, and RCPsychiS Chair - Dr Jane Morris.
This guide aims to equip MSPs and their teams with the knowledge and tools needed to offer informed, compassionate assistance to those affected by mental illness within their communities.
Read the guide here.
March
- We met with Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport alongside members of the Mental Health Directorate to discuss Scotland’s mental health sector, funding and workforce – as well as our proposal for a 4-tiered national approach to neurodevelopmental conditions. Read the proposal: RCPsychiS - NDC Pathways proposal final - January 2025
- We met with Roz McCall MSP, Scottish Conservative Spokesperson on Children and Young People - to discuss issues with workforce retention and our proposal for a national approach to NDCs.
- We submitted our response to the Scottish Government consultation on the The draft Debt Recovery (Mental Health Moratorium) (Scotland) Regulation. View our response here: The draft Debt Recovery (Mental Health Moratorium) (Scotland) Regulations
- We met with Pam Gosal MSP to discuss our proposals.
- We met with Jackie Baillie MSP to discuss Scotland’s mental health sector, funding and workforce – as well as our proposal for a 4-tiered national approach to neurodevelopmental conditions.
- We were invited to give evidence to the Health, Social Care and Sport committee as part of their scrutiny of the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill. RCPsych Faculty of Addictions member and former Chair of the College in Scotland, Dr Peter Rice represented the College during the session - which can be viewed here:
- Faculty of Addictions Chair, Dr Susanna Galea-Singer gave evidence to the Scottish Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill. You can view the session here:
- We met with Sharon Dowey MSP to discuss workforce retention and our proposal for a national NDC pathway.
- The RCPsychiS proposal on neurodevelopmental conditions was referred to several times during a Scottish Parliament debate:
April
- We met with Miles Briggs MSP to discuss our neurodevelopmental conditions pathway proposal.
- Staff and members attended the Scottish Liberal Democrats Spring Conference in Inverness. We hosted a fringe event on ADHD and autism with party leader and health spokesperson, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP. Whilst attending the conference, we also had a meeting with Willie Rennie MSP.
- Staff and members attended the Scottish Greens Spring Party Conference 2025 in Stirling and hosted an exhibition. We presented our calls around workforce, funding, and NDCs.
