Ministers and NHS Chief Executives meeting regarding adolescent inpatient units: FOI release

Information requested

In a letter to Alex Cole-Hamilton dated 27th February 2025, the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd, wrote:

“On Wednesday 26th February, myself and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care met with the Chief Executives of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside, where adolescent inpatient units are located.”

Please can you therefore provide me with any meeting minutes, external correspondence, read outs of phone calls or any other documentation which relates to this meeting. Please also include any internal correspondence about the setting up of any meeting, briefing notes and other documents and noted outcomes from that meeting.

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in the attached documents as follows:

1	Meeting Note - NHS Chief Executives - Adolescent Inpatient Units - REDACTED
1.1	Note - Skye House - Ministerial Meeting with Chief Execs - Note - 26 February 2025 - REDACTED
2	Meeting Arrangements - Full Chain - REDACTED
2.1	Meeting arrangements - Additional emails - REDACTED
2.2	Meeting arrangements - Additional emails - REDACTED
2.3	Meeting arrangements - Additional emails - REDACTED
3	Meeting Invite HOLD 1530 - 1600 Meeting NGMT NHS GGC Tayside Lothian - adolescent patient facilities - REDACTED
4	Ministerial Meeting with NHS Chief Executives - Wednesday 26 February 2025 - REDACTED
4.1	Briefing- meeting with Chief Execs of NHS Tayside, NHS GGC & NHS Lothian - Briefing - 26 February 2025 - REDACTED
4.2	Letter from Maree Todd MSP to CE NHS Lothian - Mental Welfare Commission Report - Melville Unit - 200924 - REDACTED
4.3	Response from NHS Lothian - Mental Health Welfare Commission Report - Melville Unit - 22 October 2024 - REDACTED
5-5.2	Ministerial Meeting - Dudhope House - REDACTED
6-6.3	Melville House - Meeting with Cabinet Secretary - REDACTED
7-7.2	Briefing to SCS and Professional Advisors - REDACTED

An exemption under section 38(1)(b)of FOISA applies to some the information you have requested as the emails that have been provided contain personal information. Section 38 of FOISA sets out when personal information is exempt from disclosure under FOISA. As such, the Scottish Government withholds names (and other personal information) from documents released in response to an FOI request if those names are exempt from disclosure under the provisions set out in FOISA.

We are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 30(b)(i) and 30(b)(ii) of FOISA (free and frank exchange of advice and free and frank exchange of views) applies to some of the information requested. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers and officials to have a private space within which to discuss and explore options before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view. Disclosing the content of free and frank discussions on how will substantially inhibit such discussions in the future, particularly because these discussions are still ongoing and decisions have not been taken.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing Ministers and officials a private space within which to explore and refine the Government’s position on the matters related to the meeting in question, until the Government as a whole can adopt a policy that is sound and likely to be effective. This private thinking space is essential to enable all options to be properly considered, so that good policy decisions can be taken. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers and officials, which in turn will undermine the quality of the policy making process, which would not be in the public interest.

We are also unable to provide some information because an exemption under s33(1)(b) of FOISA (Commercial Interest) applies.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However in this instance disclosure disclosure under this act would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person (including, without prejudice to that generality, a Scottish public authority).

A full index of enclosures, with related redactions is contained in the annex to this letter.

Annex - Index of enclosures

Enclosure No.	Description	Explanation of Redactions	Clause
1	Meeting Note - NHS Chief Executives - Adolescent Inpatient Units	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
1.1	Note - Skye House - Ministerial Meeting with Chief Execs - Note - 26 February 2025	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
2	Meeting arrangements – full chain	names and email addresses - relates to personal information Information out of scope	section 38(1)(b)
2.1	Meeting Arrangements – Additional emails	names and email addresses - relates to personal information Information out of scope	section 38(1)(b)
2.2	Meeting Arrangements – Additional emails	names and email addresses - relates to personal information Information out of scope	section 38(1)(b)
2.3	Meeting arrangements – additional emails	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
3	Meeting Invite HOLD 1530 - 1600 Meeting NGMT NHS GGC Tayside Lothian - adolescent patient facilities	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
4	Ministerial Meeting with NHS Chief Executives - Wednesday 26 February 2025	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
4.1	Briefing- meeting with Chief Execs of NHS Tayside, NHS GGC & NHS Lothian - Briefing - 26 February 2025	names and email addresses - relates to personal information Free and frank advice Free and frank exchange of views	section 38(1)(b) s30(b)(i) s30(b)(ii)
4.2	Letter from Maree Todd MSP to CE NHS Lothian - Mental Welfare Commission Report - Melville Unit - 200924	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
4.3	Response from NHS Lothian - Mental Health Welfare Commission Report - Melville Unit - 22 October 2024	names and email addresses - relates to personal information Commercial Interests	section 38(1)(b) s33(1)(b)
5	Ministerial Meeting - Dudhope House	Names- relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
5.1	Ministerial Meeting - Dudhope House	Names- relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
5.2	Ministerial Meeting - Dudhope House	Names- relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
6	Melville House - Meeting with Cabinet Secretary	names and email addresses - relates to personal information Information out of scope	section 38(1)(b)
6.1	Melville House - Meeting with Cabinet Secretary	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
6.2	Melville House - Meeting with Cabinet Secretary	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
6.3	Melville House - Meeting with Cabinet Secretary	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
7	Briefing to SCS	names and email addresses - relates to personal information	section 38(1)(b)
7.1	Briefing to Professional Advisors	names and email addresses - relates to personal information Free and frank exchange of views	section 38(1)(b) s30(b)(ii)]
7.2	Briefing to SCS	names and email addresses - relates to personal information  Free and frank exchange of views	section 38(1)(b) s30(b)(ii)

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500457274 - Information released - Documents

File type

PDF

File size

1.9 MB