6. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent comments by the chief medical officer for Scotland, what action it is taking to tackle gender inequality in the practice of medicine. (S5O-02968)

This month, the First Minister’s national advisory council on women and girls will shine a spotlight on the issue of women’s and girls’ health, inviting individuals and communities to provide feedback on women’s and girls’ health-related questions. A summary of that feedback will be published on the advisory council’s website, and responses will inform future reports to the First Minister.

In addition, with the chief medical officer, I will look at how we can strategically—but at pace—focus on necessary improvements across the national health service to tackle women’s health issues.

That is a welcome answer, and I will certainly highlight this month’s activities.

Is the cabinet secretary aware that women’s inequality in medicine includes thyroid patients, whose diagnosis and treatment is deeply concerning? In recognition of that, her colleague, the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, wrote to health boards, advising them that the Government expects triiodothyronine—or T3—to be prescribed when an endocrinologist initiates that.

What will the cabinet secretary do about NHS Tayside, which has blatantly ignored the Government’s letter? Only yesterday, the board refused the prescription of T3 to a patient, saying that T3 is non-formulary—that is wrong, as the cabinet secretary will know, as it is on the formulary—and allowed a panel to overrule a specialist clinician who has recognised that the woman needs that life-saving medicine.

I am grateful to the member for raising that issue with me. From what she has said, that sounds like a completely unacceptable response from NHS Tayside. I will ask the minister the pursue the matter with NHS Tayside with some urgency in order to resolve it, so that the Tayside board follows the guidelines and the clear views that we have expressed, as other health boards are doing.

The Presiding Officer:

Question 7 has been withdrawn.