Leadership Board - Fifth meeting: update paper

1. Update on the Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan Refresh

As communicated in November 2025, a decision was made to reschedule the publication of the next Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan (previously scheduled for February 2026) until after the Scottish Elections.

The Leadership Board agreed that refreshed versions of the Delivery and Workforce Action Plans should be more closely aligned. Bringing the two Plans together will allow us to streamline our commitments, avoid duplication and ensure they are focussed on quality and impact.

Both the Scottish Government and COSLA are committed to the publication of the Delivery Plan in 2026 and this decision is intended to support the shared desire to ensure the plan is robust, credible and aligned with Scotland’s wider health and social care ambitions.

Several factors underpin this decision:

Budget timing and costing requirements

Actions set out in the Delivery Plan must be appropriately funded. While costing of proposals can be complex - particularly as it relates to the wider social determinants of mental health - we have committed to cost the delivery plan where possible to provide clarity and accountability. Unfortunately, the rescheduling of the UK Budget meant that the Scottish Budget was delayed until 13 January and it is currently going through the appropriate parliamentary scrutiny (which is projected to be completed shortly after the Stage 3 debate taking place on 25 February). The later Scottish Budget meant we could not confirm financial allocations within the planned timescale – particularly as we head into the pre-election period.

Alignment with strategic reform of health and social care and cross-government priorities

Scotland is undertaking significant health and social care reform, in line with COSLA and Scottish Government’s joint Strategic Renewal Framework and Population Health Framework. Rescheduling publication of the Delivery plan allows us to further integrate mental health priorities within these reforms and strengthen cross-government collaboration, ensuring a truly whole-system approach.

Stakeholder engagement

We recognise the importance of meaningful engagement with stakeholders, including those delivering frontline statutory services and the third sector. Extending the timeline allows partners more time to feedback and facilitate actions that are appropriately resourced, realistic and sustainable.