Scotland is different

Scotland had control over its own NHS long before the nation's parliament reconvened in 1999. Devolution has seen an ever-diverging health economy from the rest of the UK.

In some areas of work, devolution of decision-making continues down from the Scottish Government to NHS Boards and the 31 integrated Health and Social Care Partnerships. In other operational areas, however, ministers in Edinburgh make ‘Once for Scotland’ decisions and direct how services are delivered.

The COVID pandemic put NHSScotland under unprecedented stress while the pandemic’s legacy in social care – apart from getting some recognition of the importance of the care sector for the first time – is set to be the creation of a Government-led national care service.

The Scottish Parliament enacts the legislation, the Scottish Government directs the work of the NHS Boards and holds its Chief Executives to account on delivering within budget; while different national, regional and local organisations, networks, committees – and in some cases individuals – decide what gets done, and how, on behalf of NHS patients and the people receiving care.