Walk-in GP surgeries correspondence: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
1. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the First Minister and the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care regarding plans to have walkin GP surgeries. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 July 2025 and 15 October 2025 inclusive.
2. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between Scottish Government officials with a rank of deputy director or higher regarding plans to have walk-in GP surgeries. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 July 2025 and 15 October 2025 inclusive.
3. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the First Minister and any Scottish Government official with a rank of deputy director or higher regarding plans to have walk-in GP surgeries. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 July 2025 and 15 October 2025 inclusive.
4. Any correspondence (including emails, letters, phone calls, handwritten notes, WhatsApp messages or any other documents) between the office of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and any Scottish Government official with a rank of deputy director or higher regarding plans to have walk-in GP surgeries. Information should include but not be limited to a detailed timeline (with dates) of any contact between these individuals. Please provide this information between the dates of 1 July 2025 and 15 October 2025 inclusive.
Response
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because exemptions apply.
Section 30(b) - free and frank provision of advice or exchange of views - Information is exempt under sections 30(b) if disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice. 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.
Section 38(1)(b) – personal information. An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to a small amount of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party. Disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.
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.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG