Recommendation SHI-10: Uniform policy for obtaining technical advice
From Scottish Hospitals Inquiry Interim Report, published 4 March 2025.
Recommendation
This issue was highlighted in the Grant Thornton report where similar recommendations are made to what is set out above. NHSL has taken steps to address the issue. However, it is not clear from the available evidence that any such changes have taken place more widely within the NHS. I accordingly recommend that a uniform policy or procedure should be adopted for health boards undertaking new build hospital projects in relation to obtaining, and recording, technical advice on key issues.
In brief (written by this site)
In September 2025, Neil Gray, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, confirmed in a letter to the Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee that he accepted the recommendation and committed to provide a future update on progress around its implementation (Neil Gray response, Sep 2025). The record holds no update since the Scottish Government's response of September 2025 (Neil Gray response, Sep 2025).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation applies across many organisations. The record reflects central policy activity; adoption in individual organisations may vary.
Government response
On 13 March 2025, I made a statement in parliament, addressing the Interim Report and its recommendations. I accepted all recommendations and committed to provide a future update on progress around the implementation of those recommendations.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The Cabinet Secretary's letter of 17 September 2025 to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee gives this passage once, for all 11 recommendations. It describes his statement of 13 March 2025, whose own words, recorded as a progress row here, are a commitment "to consider and address each of the 11 recommendations made in the interim report".
Delivery
Scottish Government states no delivery position (13 March 2025)
The Scottish Government is committed to working with the health boards and other NHS bodies to consider and address each of the 11 recommendations made in the interim report.
From: Scottish Hospitals Inquiry (Interim Report) (Meeting of the Parliament, 13 March 2025), Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Site note: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care's statement to the Scottish Parliament on 13 March 2025 gives this sentence once, for all 11 recommendations of the interim report. In answer to a question in the same item he said: "We will respond formally to the inquiry’s 11 recommendations in due course."
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Scottish Government
Response, delivery statement