National Islands Plan Annual Report 2025

Health and Social Care and Wellbeing

Strategic Objective 7 – Improve and promote health, social care and wellbeing

Commitment 7.1 Work with NHS Boards, Local Authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships to ensure that there is fair and accessible health and social care for those on islands.

Nationa l Drugs Mission

The Scottish Government’s National Drugs Mission Plan was launched in 2021 and aims to reduce drug deaths and improve lives utilising £250 million over five years. The National Mission Annual Report was published in September 2025 and outlines progress by national and local government, as well as third-sector partners against the outcomes in the framework.

The Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards, published in May 2021, set the requirements for consistent, safe, and accessible drug treatment across Scotland. To support this, Public Health Scotland publishes annual Benchmarking Reports which assess the implementation of the ten MAT standards across Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP) areas.

Scotland’s islands face distinct challenges including limited prescribing capacity, logistical barriers to same-day prescribing, lack of GP shared care, and workforce pressures. As highlighted in the 2022–23 Benchmarking Report, innovative approaches were needed to overcome these issues such as telehealth technology (e.g. NHS Near Me), self-referral systems, transport support via bus passes and taxis, and flexible care venues like GP practices, homes, and community hubs.

Despite progress, and as noted in the 2024–25 Benchmarking Report, geographic isolation remains a barrier to implementing the MAT standards. Engagement with Public Health Scotland’s MAT Implementation Support Team (MIST) is helping to address these challenges with efforts to strengthen remote and rural learning systems going forward.

In early 2026, we will publish the post-National Mission Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan. We will also undertake and publish an Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) to support policy development for our future strategies.

Commitment 7.2 Identify and promote good practice, especially as regards the improvement of services in islands and other remote areas.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to ensuring that the needs of our island populations are considered in the development of health services. We are committed to delivering long-term sustainable and quality services to improve outcomes across these communities.

Recruitment

We are actively taking steps to support employers across health and social care in island areas to overcome barriers to recruitment. The unique aspects of life and work in each community mean that what may be successful recruitment practice for one health and social care role, may not work in another and interventions often need to be tailored to specific communities if they are to have an impact. The approach to recruiting in island areas needs to be more dynamic and engage communities directly in order to be successful and have the greatest impact.

With funding from the Scottish Government, the Centre for Workforce Supply and the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care are developing a sustained model of direct support that will provide island health and social care employers with the help they need to improve recruitment success.

Future Medical Workforce

The Scottish Government recognises the calls for greater workforce planning, which accounts for the changing landscape of delivering medical care in NHS Scotland, the expectation of patients, and ensures that medical careers remain attractive. The Future Medical Workforce Project seeks to explore these issues, including workforce challenges in island communities, by hearing directly from doctors in order to make improvements to the medical education pipeline and ensure we can deliver the medical workforce Scotland requires. Following an extensive exploratory process, we published the Future Medical Workforce Project Phase 1 Report detailing the initial findings in December 2025.

Service renewal Framework

Scotland’s health boards plan services to meet diverse local needs and the Service Renewal Framework (SRF) published in June 2025 strengthens this work through a long-term reform agenda of embedding population-based planning to ensure equitable, high-quality care for everyone. Engagement with island communities is integral to SRF implementation, ensuring services reflect lived experience and local priorities. At a national level, defined core services and delivery models will ensure consistency and sustainability, while respecting local flexibility. This means people can expect the same high-quality care no matter where they live.

The SRF prioritises transparent and equitable resource distribution based not only on population size but also on the specific health challenges faced by island communities.

Commitment 7.3 Support the extension of NHS Near Me, and other digital health initiatives, to reduce unnecessary travel and enable more care to be delivered on Islands.

MyCare.scot

The national rollout of the MyCare.Scot service from April 2026 will be an important step for Scotland’s island communities. This new online health and social care app will aim to transform how people access and interact with health and social care services over the next five years. The service will make it easier for people to manage their appointments in a more flexible manner, reduce the need to re-tell their story, find and follow information that supports them to stay well at home and in their community, and proactively manage their own health and care.

For island communities, this should make care more personal and closer to home. Whilst this is a national initiative, it will support health boards to lead the way in further developing digital services that are important locally.

Digital Health and Care

Digital health and care play a critical role in supporting island communities. Enhanced digital infrastructure and services can help overcome geographic barriers, improve service delivery, and ensure more inclusive, responsive care for all residents. Where health and social care services are not available locally for islanders, a focus on digital solutions can contribute to improving provision and access. This requires all health and social care policy areas to pursue a ‘digital first’ approach.

National programmes such as Digital Prescribing and efforts to reduce paper-based processes will support local endeavours to improve access and overcome geographic barriers. A number of digital initiatives which are already underway or are being explored to support the delivery of health and social care services for island communities. A few of these are listed below.

Near Me

NHS Near Me enables face-to-face appointments for island communities through video consulting. The service has grown from 300 consultations per month in 2019, to over 6,000 being held weekly across Scotland on a regular basis. It is available in all Health Boards in Scotland.

More widely, we are committed to maximising existing technologies to support a digital first agenda set by the Service Renewal Framework. Examples of this include Connect Me, My Diabetes My Way, Digital Mental Health therapies, NHS inform, and vCreate. These services allow communities, particularly those on islands, to interact with their clinicians and their care without the need for unnecessarily long, difficult and potentially uncomfortable journeys. Reflecting this, NHS Orkney is among the highest users of NHS Near Me and Digital Mental Health Therapies per 100,000 population in Scotland.

Digital access

The Connecting Scotland Programme has also played an important role in ensuring that no one is left behind by the advances made with digital. Through the delivery of these programmes, our intention is to ensure that people can access health and care services regardless of location and have the means to do this in a way that meets their needs.

We are currently developing an Equality Impact Assessment for MyCare.scot. During the service’s development, connectivity considerations will be built directly into MyCare’s design.

In addition, an Island Communities Impact Assessment is due to be published as part of this work.

Commitment 7.4 Work with stakeholders to develop propositions for a national centre for excellence in remote, rural and island health and social care.

The 2023-24 Programme for Government committed the Scottish Government to establishing a National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care. This £3 million project, delivered by NHS Education for Scotland, recognises experiences in island areas. The National Centre is making good progress on delivering Advanced Rural Practitioner training to 27 participants and connecting stakeholders across Health and Social Care. The Centre is working with health boards and health and social care partnerships to drive improvements in sustainability, as well as the capability of rural and island primary and community care services whilst avoiding a one size fits all approach.

Commitment 7.5 Work with stakeholders to ensure that we develop a plan to adequately support the ageing population of island communities so that they remain active, connected, engaged and have access to suitable, quality opportunities.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

HIE continues to work closely with our rural and island communities to understand their care challenges. This includes discussions on intergenerational and all age care, with a focus on the Single Care Model currently being developed by the Care and Learning Alliance (CALA).

Commitment 7.6 Support relevant local authorities to plan and develop sports facilities on the islands that respond to the needs of communities.

Sportscotland continues to engage strategically with island local authorities and communities to identify opportunities to deliver improved local facility provision for sport and physical activity.

In July 2025, sportscotland invested £35,000 in the North Walls Centre to support the development of a new multi-use games area (MUGA) in Lyness on the Island of Hoy in Orkney. The facility will be operated by the North Walls Centre, a community-led organisation, in partnership with Orkney Islands Council. The community is well connected through the Orkney Active Schools team and actively participates in a wide range of sports and inter-island activities.

Access to quality sports facilities on islands is often limited, with the nearest similar venues in this instance being located in Stromness and Kirkwall on Mainland Orkney. This new MUGA will provide a safe, high-quality, and flexible facility supporting sports such as football, tennis, hockey, netball, and touch rugby. The inclusion of floodlighting will also enable year-round use.

Facilities improvements formed a key element of the £1 million package of support provided by sportscotland to support the 2025 Orkney Island Games.

In 2025-26, the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme invested £20,000 towards the creation of a MUGA on the Isle of Gigha which will support the update of sports locally.

Commitment 7.7 Promote participation in sport and physical activity by ensuring national programmes such as Active Schools and Community Sports Hubs are serving island communities, and continuing the Islands Athlete Travel Award Scheme.

Commitment fulfilled.

This commitment was fulfilled in 2020. Please see the National Islands Plan Annual Report 2020 for further details.

Commitment 7.8 Work with Orkney Islands Council and other partners to use the hosting of the 2023 Islands Games by Orkney to strengthen sports development on the island.

Commitment fulfilled

Throughout 2025, sportscotland continued to provide resource and additional capacity through ongoing technical expertise and other staff support. sportscotland was part of the Orkney 2025 Committee throughout planning and delivery of the Games. This representation was critical both in terms of continuing to add value, and in having oversight on the approved investment that supported the delivery and legacy of hosting the Island Games.

The Games, held from 12-18 July 2025, welcomed 2,141 athletes and officials from 24 islands, featured 12 sports, and attracted over 63,000 attendees. Highlights included 26 sporting records, 59 Scottish medals (up from 14 in 2023), and the involvement of 1,027 volunteers, 885 of whom were local. Additionally, 1,587 young people participated in school-based sports sessions linked to the event.

Orkney Gymnastics Club, Orkney Athletics Club and Orkney Archery Club received £105,684 between them to purchase a range of equipment and storage which were essential for hosting the Games and will be put to good use by the clubs for years.

A sportscotland award of £189,032 allowed for the purchase of 24 ILCA sailing boats which was used for the sailing events. With the support of Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Scotland, these boats were re-distributed to for the wider benefit of the Scottish sailing community after the event.

A £241,335 investment in the athletics track at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall will secure the long-term future of the only track in Orkney, the home of Orkney Athletics Club. The funding enabled the venue to achieve certified track mark status, allowing it to serve as a competition venue for Orkney 2025 and to potentially host additional licensed events in the future.

sportscotland will continue working with local partners to strengthen infrastructure and deliver education and development programmes for coaches and volunteers, ensuring the benefits of Orkney 2025 extend well beyond the Games.

To complement this, the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme invested over £106,000 in 2025-26 to support the completion of the Orkney Bike Track in Kirkwall which aligns with the ambitions of this commitment.

Commitment 7.9 Work with our partners to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and take steps to assist with promoting equality and meeting people’s different needs.

CPJ Bairns’ House

Having launched in October 2023, we are now in the second year of the Bairns’ Hoose Pathfinder phase. With 19 partnerships at various stages of development and seven operational Hooses across Scotland, the programme is delivering transformational change by testing the Bairns’ Hoose Standards in diverse local contexts ahead of incremental national roll-out from 2027. Five of the partnerships include island areas: Outer Hebrides (Pathfinder), Skye (Highland Affiliate), Arran (Ayrshire Affiliate), Argyll and Bute (development area) and Shetland (development area). There are no operational Hooses on the Scottish islands yet, but the Outer Hebrides Hoose is in advanced development.

The Pathfinder phase focuses on trialling the Bairns’ Hoose Standards, including Standard 3.4: “Children in rural and island communities can access Bairns’ Hoose in a way that is right for them.” Partnerships are working to identify what works, address challenges, and gather evidence on the resources and methods required for successful implementation. This phased approach ensures the development of a system that works nationally for all children.

Insights gathered so far highlight the importance of flexible service models, strong multi-agency collaboration, and innovative solutions for island communities. These findings will inform the development of the national Bairns’ Hoose Guidance (Blueprint) and Resource Kit, which will underpin the next phase of delivery from 2027.

In 2025–26, the Scottish Government invested £10.5 million in the Bairns’ Hoose programme, bringing total investment, to date, to over £20 million. This includes significant allocations for island partnerships, with nearly £600,000 for the Outer Hebrides Pathfinder, £510,000 for the Highland Affiliate, £185,000 for Argyll and Bute, and £52,000 for Shetland development work. These investments are shaped by local needs and the stage of each partnership.

We are exploring opportunities to build on the work of our successful knowledge exchange programme to maximise the sharing of learning between island partnerships and ensure the Bairns’ Hoose model reflects local needs and contexts. Work is underway to develop the Bairns’ Hoose Guidance (Blueprint) and supporting resources, which will be informed by an Island Communities Impact Assessment to address the unique challenges and opportunities of island settings. As part of ongoing engagement, the Bairns’ Hoose Unit, alongside national partners, visited Shetland in Februrary 2026 to participate in a stakeholder event. This brought together key agencies to explore the development of Bairns’ Hoose and the Scottish Child Interview Model (SCIM) locally, with a focus on strengthening multi-agency collaboration, embedding trauma-informed practice and improving investigative interview processes to better serve children, young people, and families across Shetland.

The Scottish Child Interview Model

The Scottish Government is continuing to support the implementation of the Scottish Child Interview Model (SCIM) across the country. Work to test this new model of practice for Joint Investigative Interviewing (JII) in practice began in 2020, and a strategy to introduce this to all areas of Scotland commenced in 2021, with recognition that full implementation of this new approach would take several years.

SCIM is a five-component trauma-informed model of practice which aims to minimise the risk of further traumatisation, while seeking to achieve best evidence through improved planning and interviewing techniques. The National JII Team continue to engage with island localities, supporting them to develop and implement strategies to ensure children living on islands have access to SCIM.

For example, the National JII Team delivered a bespoke information input to the Shetland social work workforce which led to the recruitment of two social workers for the National JII Training Programme, allowing Shetland to introduce SCIM. Policing support for the new model of JII practice in Shetland and Orkney is provided by trained officers on the mainland while work continues to identify locally based officers to participate in future training.

This type of collaboration across the policing division has the additional benefit of promoting shared learning and strengthening relationships. Similarly, increasing collaboration between local authorities across the country helps maximise the availability and accessibility of SCIM for children because local partnerships negotiate sharing of resources, including trained interviewers. This can be of particular importance when a local area has a change of staffing resulting in a temporary lack of trained interviewers.

All island local authorities have now introduced the new model of practice for joint investigative interviewing and learning continues to be gathered and shared within, and across, local partnerships. The specific challenges inherent in the design and delivery of specialist services, such as forensic interviewing in island communities, are recognised by the National JII Team.

In addition to the wide range of existing supports already provided by the National JII Team, including a national discussion forum for interviewers and managers across the whole country, a dedicated online forum for practitioners and managers working in local authorities with islands is now well established. As well as discussing mutual challenges and potential solutions, this space also supports collaborative arrangements between different areas.

Work continues to review the national guidance on joint investigative interviewing of child witnesses in Scotland to reflect current best practice in the field of forensic interviewing of children. All local partnerships, including those serving island communities, have regular opportunities to contribute to the emerging content of the revised guidance.

Community Justice

The Caledonian System comprises of a men’s service, a woman’s service and a children’s service. This system is accredited by the Scottish Advisory Panel on Offending Reduction (SAPOR). Any local authority that implements the Caledonian System must ensure delivery of all three components of the system.

The men’s service deliver the Caledonian Men’s Programme, which is via both individual and group work. Group work remains challenging in island communities, in part due to population size and logistical constraints. However, the accreditation of the individual delivery model (1:1 Men’s Programme) in 2020 marked a significant step toward inclusion of island communities, addressing barriers associated with group-based interventions. Additional issues could be further mitigated by incorporating video calls alongside face-to-face sessions which would reduce travel demands and improve continuity. However, this approach would require careful development of robust guidelines to manage the risks associated with remote delivery.

The Caledonian System was implemented by Highland Council in December 2018 and includes delivery of the system in Skye. The Caledonian Men’s Programme is delivered via one-to-one and group-based work in this Local Authority. The Caledonian System was implemented by Shetland Islands Council in August 2025. Delivery of the men’s programme is on a one-to-one basis only.

There is scope to extend the Caledonian System to other island communities (e.g., Orkney, Na h-Eileanan Siar and Argyll and Bute), ensuring equitable access to domestic abuse interventions.

Commitment 7.10 Address any equality, health and wellbeing related data gaps that exist in respect of, for example, women and girls, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment and sexual orientation.

Work has continued over the past year in support of the objectives included in this commitment. The publication of the Women’s Health Plan Phase Two (2026–2029) in January 2026 has strengthened this focus further, with new actions to improve the quality and availability of women’s health data and research, including for island communities.

In Shetland, the Gilbert Bain Hospital continues to provide 24/7 antenatal support and local delivery for uncomplicated pregnancies, with health visiting and early years support available across the isles. In Orkney, integrated community health and social care services provide consistent access to primary care and maternity pathways across dispersed island communities. In Na h-Eileanan Siar, the expanded use of Near Me video appointments supports improved access to women’s health services, including menopause and gynaecology, for those living in rural and island areas.

National improvements also continue, including work to address key data gaps through the Review of the Data Landscape and new investment via the Women’s Health Research Fund, which aims to strengthen the evidence base for women’s health, including in island settings.

Commitment 7.11 Consider our consultation on out of school care through which we have gathered views from parents on the challenges of accessing childcare and range of activities for school age children in island communities. Responses to our consultation will, together with continued engagement, inform development of a future strategic framework which will be published before the end of this parliamentary term.

The Scottish Government recognises that many of our island communities face specific challenges and barriers to designing and delivering a year-round system of school age childcare. We know that it can be very difficult to deliver sustainable services where there may only be a small number of families with varying demands, and where those families are geographically dispersed.

The Scottish Government is currently supporting projects to improve childcare provision in island communities through our Early Adopter Communities Project, and our Access to Childcare Fund.

Our Early Adopter Communities Project is expanding access to affordable childcare for low-income families, from early years through to the end of primary school and evaluating the difference this can make. This includes work in Shetland which will help us gather learning and insights about what it takes to deliver childcare that meets the needs of families living in island communities.

Additionally, our Access to Childcare Fund project in Shetland is helping us to gather important learning and information, including on the challenges around demand, staffing and transport in an island context.

We recognise the positive impact that breakfasts can have on outcomes for children and families, particularly those at most risk of living in poverty. Through our demand-led Bright Start Breakfasts (BSB) fund, we have committed approximately £135,000 in 2025-26 to support access to breakfast clubs in island communities in Argyll and Bute, Orkney, Shetland, and the Na h-Eileanan Siar.

Evaluation of our BSB fund will support our work to build a system of school age childcare in Scotland.

Commitment 7.12 Ensure that health, social care and wellbeing services are available through the medium of Gaelic to support Gaelic speaking island communities.

The Scottish Government continues to work towards the strategic goals of Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s National Gaelic Language Plan. This involves working with public bodies across island communities as we consider how to support the language through our operations. We work with a range of health boards, community organisations, social enterprises and education authorities to ensure that health, social care and wellbeing services are available through Gaelic.

The new Tog action group is committed to implementing the recommendations of the Short Life Working Group on Economic and Social Opportunities for Gaelic. Among these recommendations are measures to increase Gaelic training and service delivery in the Health and Social Care sector.

This is in addition to ongoing and long-standing work in support of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Comunn na Gàidhlig, MG ALBA and other bodies whose activities contribute to the wellbeing of Gaelic-speaking communities.

Commitment 7.13 Ali gn our ambition to eradicate child poverty with the Plan by continuing to work with island local authorities and health boards to build on their understanding of child poverty in their areas – helping to focus efforts on lifting families out of poverty and mitigating against its damaging impact.

The third, and final, Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan will be published by the end of March 2026 and will set out the actions we will take alongside our delivery partners – including island local authorities and health boards – to tackle child poverty over the period 2026-31. We have consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including those from island communities, in the development of the delivery plan and to inform our collective approach to tackling child poverty.

The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 continues to place a duty on island local authorities and health boards to produce annual, joint Local Child Poverty Action Reports (LCPARs) describing ongoing and planned action to tackle child poverty at local level.

The Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund (CPAF) supports local authorities and health boards to test approaches to accelerate action in tackling child poverty. Applications to the third round of funding opened in October 2025 with four island local authority areas – Argyll and Bute, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Highland and Shetland – being awarded nearly £400,000.

Tackling Child Poverty

During 2025-26, the Scottish Government has continued to work with the Improvement Service and other National Partners to support island local authorities and health boards in the development and implementation of their LCPARs.

The Remote, Rural and Island Child Poverty Network has continued to meet to discuss areas of mutual interest and share learning and good practices. A small number of local authorities have also continued to work with the Scalable Approach to Vulnerability Via Interoperability (SAVVI) initiative to explore how island authorities can approach data sharing to better identify and support families at risk of child poverty.

Through the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund (CPAF), the Scottish Government is supporting areas to test innovative approaches to tackling child poverty with projects from Argyll and Bute Council and North Ayrshire Council previously receiving funding through CPAF.

The Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund

In 2025-26, the Scottish Government delivered a new round of the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund (ICCEF), worth £1 million, with a continued emphasis on tackling child poverty. This funding was allocated to island local authorities on a population basis, with the use of 2022 Census data offering more up-to-date information on island populations.

The ICCEF has now distributed £4.4 million since 2022 to support islanders most impacted by the cost of living.

In addition, the 2025-26 Budget also maintained £4 million of extra funding for island local authorities, reflecting the higher costs of delivering services in lieu of the review of the Special Islands Needs Allowance.

Commitment 7.14 Work alongside natio nal partners, continuing to share good practice identified across Scotland which could be applicable to child poverty in our island communities.

We continue to work with the National Partners group to support knowledge sharing and good practice. This includes through the Child Poverty Peer Support Network, with representation from island local authorities and health boards. Good practices from local approaches, and from the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund, are also being shared via the Tackling Poverty Locally Directory, which profiles a wide range of anti-poverty work being undertaken across Scotland, including in island communities.

Commitment 7.15 Work with islanders to contribute, where we can, to the creation of a fairer, healthier, happier nation for all of Scotland by supporting the work of the group of Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo).

The Scottish Government’s goal is to help people in all parts of Scotland live happier and healthier lives with higher living standards, to help businesses boost profitability, and to build a more resilient Scottish economy that promotes the wellbeing of all of our people. We have published a Wellbeing Economy Toolkit resource to help communities take a place-based approach to economic development, based on local circumstances and developed through a participative process.

In 2025, we published a description of ‘What Wellbeing Economy means for Business’, which was developed with the New Deal for Business Group. Building on the work of the Business Purpose Commission, the description sets out practical examples of actions private enterprises can take to contribute, as appropriate to their size, location, sector and business model. It recognises the importance of promoting the interests of employees, suppliers, communities, society and the environment, as well as customers and investors. The New Deal for Business Wellbeing Economy sub-group also led work to reflect the contribution businesses can make to improving people’s health in the Population Health Framework. A Business Community Summary sets out where business fits into the wider health system.

In July 2025 we published the Scotland’s Wellbeing Economy Report which takes a Wellbeing Economy approach to policy development and contains examples of work being taken forward by international partners as well as activity in Scotland. We continue to be informed by engagement with international partners such as the OECD, World Health Organization, and the Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) network. WEGo member countries collaborate and learn, utilising the advice of practitioners and experts to deepen our understanding of how to use wellbeing frameworks and evidence to improve policymaking. Recent WEGo Policy Lab topics have included circular economy, child wellbeing, trade and wellbeing, and just transitions.

Commitment 7.16 Work with our partners to consider a range of options to ensure that adequate mental health care is available, whilst taking into consideration the uniqueness of our island communities.

Wellbeing and Prevention

The Scottish Government recognises the particular challenges experienced by people in island communities and how this can impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy places a stronger emphasis and focus on promoting good mental health and wellbeing for all with a focus on early intervention and prevention.

Our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults has a specific focus on supporting the mental health of rural and island communities. We have invested £81 million since 2021, with over 6,100 grants made to local projects across Scotland with around 1,200 of these made to community projects in rural and island areas. The Fund has been a key development on prevention and early intervention in recent years, addressing a number of mental health and wellbeing concerns, focusing on at risk groups and making sure that a variety of support measures are available in local communities throughout Scotland.

The Fund has been included in the 2025-26 Programme for Government as part of the Scottish Government’s Third Sector Fairer Funding Pilot, with a further £15 million committed next year (2026-27). This will take our total investment through the Fund to £96 million over six years.

Community Mental Health Support for Children and Young People

We have provided local authorities with over £80 million since 2020, with baselined funding of £15 million per annum from 2025-26, to fund community-based mental health and wellbeing supports and services for children, young people and their families. In line with our supporting Supports and Services Framework, local authorities decide which services to implement on the basis of local need, which means island authorities can put in place support that is specifically tailored to the needs of their communities.

National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum

We continue to support the mental health and wellbeing of people in island communities through a number of community-based initiatives such as the National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum. The Forum brings together over 300 organisations across all sectors to better understand communities with a focus on sharing learning and promoting awareness about mental health and wellbeing. This helps support people to maintain good mental health while taking into account the particular challenges faced in island communities.

Suicide Prevention and Self-harm

Alongside a dedicated Self-Harm Strategy and Action Plan, the Scottish Government have invested £2.2 million over the last four years towards the development of bespoke self-harm support services through Self-Harm Network Scotland (SHNS), run by Penumbra. We have also committed a further £1.5 million to SHNS, through the fairer funding pilot, for continuation of these vital services for 2025-27. SHNS provides a national website, peer practitioner support for anyone aged 12+, a live chat that operates 7 days a week for immediate out of hours support, and training and support for professionals and loved ones.

Every suicide is a tragedy with a far-reaching impact on family, friends and the wider community. Our vision is to reduce the number of suicide deaths in Scotland whilst tackling the inequalities which contribute to suicide. Together with COSLA, we are driving forward the ambitious Suicide Prevention Strategy and Action Plan. In 2025-26 we increased our investment in suicide prevention to £2.8 million and met our commitment to double the suicide prevention budget in the current parliamentary term.

Community-Led Action Research (CLAR)

Through the Creating Hope Together, the Scottish Government funded a Community-Led Action Research (CLAR) project. Shetland Link Up, a charitable mental health drop-in service were one of the research partners. Their research focused on engaging service users and the wider community to:

• identify what works well in current support provision;
• highlight gaps in services;
• develop their offering based on research findings and;
• share learning with key agencies and stakeholders at both local and national levels.

Suicide Prevention Scotland Awareness Campaign

In April 2025, the Scottish Government launched the first phase of our current suicide prevention awareness campaign. This was a mix of online, print and out of home media asking ‘what if a conversation could save a life’.

We boosted the capacity of the first phase to allow additional advertising targeted at island communities. This funding enable advertising to be placed on ferries departing from Oban to west coast islands, and print advertising in The Orcadian.

The third phase of our national suicide prevention awareness campaign will launch in late February 2026.

Suicide Prevention Scotland Website

In April 2025, www.SuicidePrevention.scot went live. This web site acts as a simple gateway and signposts to a curated and streamlined selection of high quality resources, tools and contacts for anyone affected by suicide, according to their needs and can be filtered by local authority area.

Creating Hope Together – Second Action Plan

We published our new 2026-29 Suicide Prevention Action Plan in January 2026. This will build on existing work, and significant insights gathered over the period of the current action plan, to reflect emerging and new evidence on suicide prevention.

Access to mental health support and distress interventions

In addition to our community-based supports, we have also worked to increase access to mental health support across Scotland. This includes expanding support provided online and by telephone for those in distress, which is of particular benefit to island communities who typically experience greater barriers to accessing mental health services than other geographical locations.