Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy: Leadership Board - February 2026

Attendees and apologies

Tom Arthur, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing - Joint Chair 

Councillor Paul Kelly, Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) – Joint Chair 

Robbie Steel, Principal Medical Officer for Mental Health (representing the multidisciplinary group of Professional Advisors to the Scottish Government)

Ryan McRobert, Deputy Director, Civil Law and Legal System Team, Scottish Government (SG)

Nicola Dickie, Director of People Policy, COSLA

Eddie Follan, Chief Officer, Health and Social Care, COSLA 

Gary Jenkins, State Hospital, representing Board Chief Executives

Lee Knifton, Chair of Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership

Alan Webb, Chief Officer of Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway, representing the Scottish Third Sector Interface (TSI) Network

Pamela Bowman, Unite, representing NHS National Staff Side

Dr Jane Morris, Scottish Chair of Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych)

Caroline Cameron, Chief Officer North Ayrshire, representing Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Chief Officers

Alison White, Chief Officer West Lothian, representing HSCP Chief Officers

Gordon Johnston, Chair of Voices of Experience (VOX) Scotland 

Angela Jackson representing the Diverse Experience Advisory Panel (DEAP)

Rebecca Hoffman representing the Equality and Human Rights Forum (EHRF)

Stephen Gallagher, Director of Mental Health, SG

Gavin Gray, Deputy Director, Improving Mental Health Services, SG  

Hannah Axon, Policy Manager, COSLA 

Julie Anderson, Head of Targeted Prevention Unit, SG

Georgia de Courcy Wheeler, CAMHS and Neurodevelopmental (ND) Improvement Team Leader, SG

Pheobe Williams, Mental Health Workforce Team Leader, SG

Claire Jackson, Mental Health Workforce, SG

Gerald Wilson, Head of Directorate Support Unit, SG

Linsey Stewart, Directorate Support Unit, SG

Elaine Kelley, Secretariat, SG

Items and actions

Item 1 – minutes, actions from previous meeting and progress report

Stephen Gallagher, Director of Mental Health, Scottish Government, opened the fifth meeting by welcoming attendees and informing them that the Minister for Social Care and Wellbeing had been delayed in the Scottish Parliament and would join shortly.

Members confirmed the draft minutes were a true reflection of the previous meeting and it was noted that there were no outstanding actions recorded on the action log.

The board was also provided with the latest version of the progress report in advance of the meeting. The report provided a high level summary on delivery progress for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Delivery Plan and the Workforce Action Plan up to January 2026.

Discussion

• Gordon Johnston asked for clarity around actions 6.5.5 (making patient experience central) and 9.2.1 (annual health checks for people with a learning disability). He also asked whether all incomplete or at‑risk actions will be considered for inclusion in the forthcoming delivery plan to ensure they are not lost. Gavin Gray noted that work is underway on the patient experience survey, with plans to progress to the next phase of analysis. Gavin noted that it would be helpful to discuss our early thinking on the next delivery plan and how we shape it from the outset
• Rebecca Hoffman, EHRF asked for an update on which equality impact assessments had been undertaken in relation to the actions

Action

• secretariat to provide board members with more information on action 9.2.1 (annual health checks for people with a learning disability)
• secretariat to provide board members with more information on the equality impact assessments that have been carried out

Item 2 - Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy - Update on Progress and Statement of Current Priorities (LB(26)05-01) 

Stephen Gallagher introduced this paper and provided an update on the following items.

Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan Refresh

• as previously agreed and communicated to the board in November, the delivery plan refresh will be published in the summer after the election
• this decision reflects a number of factors including the later timing of the Scottish budget, the need to align mental health priorities with wider health and social care reforms and the importance of allowing more time for meaningful stakeholder engagement
• the Scottish Government and COSLA remain committed to publishing a refreshed delivery plan in 2026, aligned with Scotland’s broader ambitions

Budget

• the draft mental health budget for 2026-27 will be £149.8 million, a 12% increase against the 2025-26 budget
• The Scottish Government has baselined a number of programmes funded in 2025-26, transferring this funding to other portfolios, including £127.7 million recurring allocations to NHS boards for spend on mental health, which are now included in board core allocations

Health and Social Care Reform

• the refreshed delivery plan will sit within the context of the wider vision for health and social care reform in Scotland
• the Population Health Framework and Service Renewal Framework provide the strategic foundation for transforming mental health services and strongly align with our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy
• work will be undertaken with partners over the coming months to consider how this work might be articulated within our next Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan

Progress across other areas of work is also set out in the paper, including Children and Young People, the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults and Adults with Incapacity.

Councillor Kelly emphasised COSLA’s continued commitment to working constructively with the Scottish Government and partners to progress the work as quickly as possible. He expressed a desire to reconvene the leadership board promptly after the election to inform the new plans and thanked members for their contributions to date, noting that previous feedback has been reflected in ongoing work.

Discussion

• Dr Jane Morris asked what accountability mechanisms are in place to ensure that increased mental health funding is spent as intended. Stephen explained the balance between providing NHS boards with flexibility and ensuring accountability for mental health investment. Funding to boards is baselined with clear expected outcomes which are monitored through annual delivery plans and performance measures
• Pamela Bowman noted mixed views from Unite members regarding proposals to expand mental health hubs. Concerns focused on their use in larger urban areas, particularly whether clinicians had the right training to meet local needs. While there was some positive feedback about their value in rural settings, there were still doubts about their role in larger health boards. Gavin Gray reiterated the importance of considering operational impacts when developing proposals and invited further discussion to explore specific concerns in more detail
• Lee Knifton reiterated broad support for devolving budgets, however noted that the timing is extremely challenging as councils and other public bodies are facing severe financial pressures across all services. He emphasised the need for a simple, credible and transparent accountability mechanism to ensure funding stays within the mental health system and delivers the intended impact

Stephen Gallagher then welcomed the Minister for Social Care and Wellbeing to the meeting.

Item 3 - Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2026-29 - next steps and the board’s role in supporting this work going forward

Julie Anderson, Head of Targeted Prevention Unit, SG gave an overview of the Creating Hope Together: Scotland's Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2026-2029.

The joint plan sets out the priorities for the next three years and describes how we will build on the positive progress already made through our delivery model, Suicide Prevention Scotland. It supports delivery of the current Suicide Prevention Strategy, guided by the same principles and four outcomes.

Over the lifetime of this action plan, we will focus our efforts on the following four clear and connected priority areas: 

• outcome 1: the environment we live in promotes conditions which protect against suicide risk – this includes our psychological, social, cultural, economic and physical environment

Priority: build a whole of Government and whole society approach to address the social determinants which have the greatest link to suicide risk.

• outcome 2: our communities have a clear understanding of suicide, risk factors and its prevention – so that people and organisations are more able to respond in helpful and informed ways when they, or others, need support

Priority: strengthen Scotland’s awareness and responsiveness to suicide and people who are suicidal.

• outcome 3: everyone affected by suicide is able to access high-quality, compassionate, appropriate and timely support – which promotes wellbeing and recovery. This applies to all children, young people and adults who experience suicidal thoughts and behaviour, anyone who cares for them, and anyone affected by suicide in other ways

Priority: promote and provide effective, timely, compassionate support – that promotes wellbeing and recovery.

• outcome 4: our approach to suicide prevention is well planned and delivered, through close collaboration between national, local and sectoral partners. Our work is designed with lived and living experience insight, practice, data, research and intelligence. We improve our approach through regular monitoring, evaluation and review

Priority: embed a coordinated, collaborative and integrated approach.

Next steps

• working with National Delivery Lead and Strategic Outcome Leads in Suicide Prevention Scotland to agree delivery plan for the next year
• working with wider partners and colleagues across the Scottish Government to agree tangible actions
• look at how we make best use of the Suicide Prevention Scotland Delivery Model

Discussion

• Dr Jane Morris, RCPsych asked what was being done for neurodivergent people. The Minister said that he had asked for a greater focus on this when plan was being drafted. Julie added that neurodivergent people have been identified as particularly important to consider and a clear priority in the new plan and that they have developed a number of actions that would allow them to build a range of support for them
• Angela Jackson, representing DEAP highlighted that crisis support is a recurring concern, particularly for neurodivergent people who struggle to access timely treatment. While the strong focus on prevention is welcome, there remains a need for greater emphasis on crisis support

Item 4 - neurodiversity – key challenges and current action

Georgia de Courcy Wheeler, CAMHS and Neurodevelopment Improvement Team Leader, Scottish Government provided an update on Neurodiversity and outlined the key challenges as well as the ongoing improvements being made to strengthen the system.

Key points highlighted were 

• five areas received funding in 2022 to test and implement elements of the National Neurodevelopmental Specification, reporting both challenges and opportunities
• The Scottish Government and COSLA have reviewed the implementation of the 2021 National Neurodevelopmental Service Specification and the Children and young people - National Neurodevelopmental Specification: implementation review report was published in June 2025. The report outlines the process, findings and next steps to improve early support for children and families
• a taskforce, jointly chaired by Health and Education, was established in October 2025, bringing together cross‑sector representatives from statutory services, national agencies and the third sector. It’s purpose is to support and drive the delivery of the recommendations of the review of the specification
• The Scottish Government recently confirmed an additional £3.4 million for this financial year to improve access to neurodevelopmental support
• looking ahead, the draft 2026-27 budget proposes a further £7.65 million investment to enhance access to neurodevelopmental support for children and young people
• The Minister hosted Scotland’s first cross-party summit in December 2025 on Neurodevelopmental Support. It brought together key partners across health, education, local government and academia to discuss how we can collectively respond to the current demand for neurodevelopmental support and diagnosis. The second summit will take place in March 2026. 

Discussion

• Alan Webb advised that partners in Dumfries and Galloway have redirected resources into a community‑led, third‑sector family support model shaped by families - particularly those on assessment waiting lists - with the aim of providing flexible, non‑prescriptive support and ensuring this local work connects with the national review. Georgia noted that she is keen to hear more about this work and will follow up in more detail offline
• Robbie Steel highlighted the growing demand for neurodevelopmental assessments and the limitations of current diagnostic tools. He noted that while diagnosis can be helpful for some, a broader neurodevelopmental profile, covering strengths and difficulties, would be more beneficial. He proposed a digitally led approach to provide guidance and evidence based interventions, supported by expert input
• Caroline Cameron asked for parity of support for adult neurodiversity pathways, highlighting some of the challenges in community mental health and psychiatry teams. She also stressed the need to reset expectations or increase resources to address the gap between rising demand and what services can realistically deliver
• Lee Knifton emphasised the importance of capturing effective existing practice in the new delivery plan, citing a successful Dundee task‑sharing model that brings schools, charities and CAMHS together to collectively support young people on waiting lists. He highlighted that such community‑based approaches can work well alongside digital solutions and encouraged showcasing these as examples of good practice
• Georgia de Courcy Wheeler welcomed the strong cross‑sector momentum, emphasising that national leadership should build on effective local models while acknowledging delivery remains local. She highlighted plans for public messaging to improve understanding that diagnosis doesn’t equal support and clarify roles across services

Item 5 - Governance Update and Service Renewal Framework

Gavin Gray, Deputy Director, Improving Mental Health Services, SG provided an update on Governance and the Service Renewal Framework.  

Key points highlighted were –

• The Service Renewal and Population Health Frameworks set the foundations for long‑term sustainability in health and social care, aiming to shift the balance of care toward prevention, including in mental health. The Operational Improvement Plan supports immediate actions within the NHS; together they require strengthened governance and accountability to ensure policy is implemented effectively and delivers the intended system‑wide change
• recent scrutiny and reports calling for simpler mental health governance and better access, noting the many moving parts across the system. He outlined ongoing work to strengthen national oversight, particularly within the NHS and ensure alignment with wider health and social care reforms while addressing the specific needs of mental health services
• there is ongoing engagement with chief executives and local government to secure the right balance of national and local accountability for mental health, raising its profile within governance structures. Work is also underway to develop a broader outcomes framework beyond current access targets, improving needs assessment and co‑designing future operating models to define what service delivery should look like and how the workforce, funding and infrastructure should align to support it
• future operating models must be system-led, rather than government-driven, developed jointly with delivery partners and focused on whole‑system, whole‑person pathways – aligning workforce, funding and digital infrastructure with clear accountability
• as the new infrastructure for managing this work is developed we’ll be looking closely at how it connects with this leadership board. We will share progress and keep the discussion open so everyone understands the board’s role and how it links to wider work

Discussion

• Nicola Dickie noted that mental health structures must align with wider service‑renewal structures, focusing on outcomes for people rather than services. She highlighted the need for integrated pathways that link mental and physical health with supports like employability and family services and noted that while dedicated children’s mental health structures were valuable, they sometimes became disconnected from broader health‑system conversations
• Gordon Johnston asked that the next delivery plan gives prominence to cross‑government, cross‑system actions that improve people’s mental health - not just actions that improve the healthcare system. He also highlighted that the outcomes framework needs to focus on what truly matters to people, rather than the traditional system‑level metrics we’ve become accustomed to
• Alan Webb highlighted the need to understand mental health needs through community‑based and third‑sector engagement, not only through service demand, noting that people often access support in informal ways
• Robbie Steel noted that current thinking is leaning towards building our model of care towards a person‑centred approach while also recognising the need for robust safety governance at health board level
• Jane Morris advocated for a model that combines strong local provision with regional specialist services, noting that small inpatient units and highly specialist care (e.g. CAMHS and eating disorders) work best at a regional level, while outpatient and third‑sector support must remain local
• Lee Knifton noted that there’s often a disconnect between strategic intentions, governance structures and on‑the‑ground delivery with constrained resources. He highlighted a model that may be useful and is used in England. A prevention concordat has been developed with the Local Government Association to support the more complex areas of prevention work, particularly where outcomes are difficult to attribute and where there are many possible approaches, such as community‑based prevention and mental health
• Gavin Gray noted that the work will start with outcomes that reflect people’s real experiences and we will return to the board to test and refine this thinking. The aim is to strike the right balance between aligning with the wider service renewal framework and ensuring that mental and physical health are treated as interconnected priorities. The challenge is creating mechanisms that monitor performance and delivery across health and social care without operating in isolation

AOB and close

Angela Jackson asked the board to consider creating a feedback or evaluation process to review the effectiveness of the Diverse Experience Advisory Panel and the value it has added.

Action – secretariat to provide DEAP with feedback on their contribution to the leadership board.

The Minister thanked everyone for attending and contributing to the discussions and advised the date of the next meeting will be confirmed after the election.