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If we have continuing pressures on public finance, clearly we need to see how money is being spent. A lot of the public sector reform that we have talked about for years has also been about how we can shift to more preventative spending. I do not see how we can do that without being able to see what our money is delivering, particularly when some of that preventative spend will be long term.

I would appreciate it if you would do that. If someone has cerebral palsy and requires those injections, they should go to a medical practitioner to receive them. I would be concerned if people were routinely receiving medical treatment from people who are not medically trained.

I am not criticising the work that those bodies do, but neither of them have medically trained individuals. If we are inadvertently indicating to the public that they are somehow medical practitioners, I would be concerned about that. I am grateful for your agreement to look at that again and consider whether the two groups should be removed from the bill.

I would appreciate it if you would do that. If someone has cerebral palsy and requires those injections, they should go to a medical practitioner to receive them. I would be concerned if people were routinely receiving medical treatment from people who are not medically trained.

I am not criticising the work that those bodies do, but neither of them have medically trained individuals. If we are inadvertently indicating to the public that they are somehow medical practitioners, I would be concerned about that. I am grateful for your agreement to look at that again and consider whether the two groups should be removed from the bill.

Minister, I go back to Sandesh Gulhane’s question about regulated professional bodies and the inclusion of the General Osteopathic Council and the General Chiropractic Council. My understanding is that neither osteopaths nor chiropractors in this country are medically trained—though they are in some other countries—and I am therefore not aware of their ability to prescribe pharmaceuticals, so their inclusion is unclear. When we asked which procedures they might be covered for, we were not given an answer.

I am really concerned that we have a potential loophole that could cause confusion. People might think that, because someone is regulated by the General Osteopathic Council or the General Chiropractic Council, they can perform the procedures that are outlined in the legislation. There is no reason for people to think that, so I ask you to consider whether those two bodies should be removed from the bill to ensure that it is as clear as possible.

Thanks for that. My next question was going to be whether you were able to start doing that, so that we, as politicians, can make sure that we are putting pressure in the right place. If you have that in hand, that sounds good. Thanks very much. Thank you, convener.

Are you confident that, even where the Promise is not specifically a clear priority in a local authority area—as in written down—it is still at the fore? When we are talking about changes to policing, is the Promise still being remembered and not just put to the side?

As constituency MSP for Dundee City West, which is within the NHS Tayside area, I am acutely aware of long-standing, widespread concerns about the provision of mental health services across Tayside. Like other colleagues, I am regularly contacted by constituents who have difficulty in accessing support. I am often contacted by families and friends of constituents who have not received anywhere near the level of support that they should have had. I am in contact with NHS Tayside on behalf of constituents every single day. Mental health provision—or the lack of it—is more often than not the reason that my intervention is required.

As we heard, David Strang was appointed chair of the independent inquiry into mental health services in Tayside in July 2018. His final report was published in February 2020, and the independent oversight and assurance group published its final report in 2023—yet here we are now, at the end of 2025. I know that my constituents in Dundee will be asking what progress has been made.

I am extremely concerned that NHS Tayside simply does not have the required expertise to make the substantial improvements to patient care that your report highlights or to improve confidence on the part of members of this committee, members of the wider Parliament and, most importantly, people living in the NHS Tayside area. I would be grateful for the Auditor General’s view on whether we have now reached the point where external oversight is required.

That is really helpful. My point is that there is a lack of confidence and it will take a long time for that to be restored. One factor that would help would be more transparency. You talked about having regular meetings. Will those be held in a transparent way such that my constituents, and the constituents of other ���˿��� in the room, will be able to access them, so that they can see that change and the required oversight are actually happening?

Okay. That is fine, thanks. The challenge is that we have heard so many positive managerial words over the years that more transparency would be really helpful. I will leave that there for now. You may be right that I should perhaps put that question directly to NHS Tayside.

Your report also stated:

“The mental health and learning disabilities Whole System Change Programme (WSCP) in Tayside has made some progress in addressing the issues identified by the subsequent IOAG, but substantial issues and challenges remain.”

Could you advise us of the areas where progress has been made and those where issues and challenges remain?

Is there any suggestion of when that plan would be put in place?