Cost of merging NHS Education for Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland to create NHS Delivery: FOI release

Information requested

Thank you for your request dated 24 October 2025 under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), through
which you asked for:

1. The projected total cost of merging NHS Education for Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland to create NHS Delivery.

2. The projected savings per year from merging NHS Education for Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland to create NHS Delivery.

3. The number of projected redundancies from merging NHS Education for Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland to create NHS Delivery.

4. The total cost to date of paying consultants to advise on merging NHS Education for Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland to create NHS Delivery.
 

Response

In relation to the first, second and third part of your request, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

The Public Consultation on NHS Delivery is ongoing and due to close on the 30 November 2025. The output from this process,which will be captured in an analysis report, will inform the scope and focus of NHS Delivery which in turn will allow for detailed assessment of any associated financial impact. Detail of this consultation is available assessment of any associated financial impact. Detail of this consultation is available here https://consult.gov.scot/health-workforce/nhs-delivery-support-health-social-care/ and the publication of the output will follow in due course.

In relation to the financial management of resources, the Scottish Government, together with NES and NSS, is developing robust processes to support the NHS Delivery programme. Furthermore Scottish Ministers remain firmly committed to a policy of no compulsory redundancies.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

With regards to the total cost to date of paying consultants, expenditure for the NHS Delivery Programme has comprised the Gateway Review at a value of £10,692.

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.