Scottish Health Information Integrity Strategy

Ministerial Foreword

Nothing is more important than our health and the health of the people we love. We are fortunate in Scotland to have the NHS, providing high quality health and care to all who need it, free at the point of use. I care deeply about the NHS and its mission to protect the health of the nation, and it is because this Scottish Government understands the importance of the NHS that we have produced the Scottish Health Information Integrity Strategy to guide our response to the rising threat from poor quality health information.

Health information is critical to the health of the nation, particularly in this increasingly digital era, when there is so much information out there and available within seconds. It is an unfortunate fact that some of this information is misleading, inaccurate, unscientific and sometimes just plain false. For all of us, understanding our own health and the choices open to us is critically important, because poor quality information can lead us to make the wrong choices that can harm instead of heal.

Misinformation and disinformation have become highly politicised terms and, although they are used throughout this strategy, the terminology hasn’t caught up with the scientific understanding of false or misleading information. I want to be clear about the distinction between false information from hostile states or bad faith actors during health emergencies, and poor-quality health information shared by individuals out of a sense of responsibility. These two scenarios are unrelated and require entirely different responses. In fact, the latter often arises because of a genuine concern, and if it becomes widespread then only the narrative itself should be addressed – not the individuals sharing it.

False or misleading information can be thought of as information pollution, and that pollution is deeply intertwined with public trust – false narratives undermine trust which, in turn, enables false narratives to spread. Trust in the NHS remains high among the public, and is our foremost defence against harmful health information. It is vital we ensure we continue to improve the NHS so it retains public trust going forward.

The volume and reach of health information that most people see today is unprecedented, and is often not in line with the science and evidence produced by international experts The actions set out here will help the NHS and the wider Scottish health and social care system adapt to this new information landscape, and to respond when widespread misinformation poses a risk to our public health.

This strategy is based upon the very latest research and guidance, but the actions set out in it are designed to be adaptable as evidence and techniques evolve. We will monitor developments and make changes as needed, to help people to access the best quality health information available, and to make the best choices for their own health.

Preventing harm from bad information is a challenge for all health systems around the world. With the publication of this new Health information Integrity Strategy, I am proud that Scotland is in the vanguard of that effort.

Neil Gray MSP

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care