When Jenni Minto MSP as Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health responded to Jackie Baillie MSP‘s written question (S6W-37793) on how the Scottish Government’s £4.5 million of funding for specialist support for long-term conditions announced in the Programme for Government 2025-26 would be allocated, broken down by (a) conditions it will cover, (b) services it will prioritise and (c) geographical focus, the answer was, at best, vague and, as worse, evasive.
As it stands, two leading COVID charities have resigned from the Long Covid Strategic Network over inaction to allocate funding
Six months into 2025, the Scottish Government is still debating how to use the £4.5 million in non-recurring, one-year funding.
Despite Health Boards submitting plans as requested, no allocation has been made, and there has been no communication from National Services Scotland (NSS) or Scottish Government on what happens next.
Ms Baillie (at the behest of ME Research UK) has tabled 3 new questions which are slated to be answered by 27th August 2025
- To ask the Scottish Government how it will implement and fund the devolved elements of the delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) (S6W-39659)
- To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that NICE-compliant specialist services for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are introduced by NHS boards, and that these services comply with the principles contained in the delivery plan for ME/CFS to ensure that people in Scotland with the condition do not receive inadequate care compared with those in England. (S6W-39660)
- To ask the Scottish Government what practical and financial steps it will take to stimulate myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) research. (S6W-39661)
The answers ought to prove illuminating as will show how far (or not) plans have progressed since the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME/CFS was withdrawn (28th May 2025) and the Delivery Plan published (22nd July 2025).
