Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 18 January 2024.
The member makes a very important point. A number of people will want that face-to-face service and a number of people will not. We should all say collectively that there is no stigma around sexual health. People should be able to access the care that they want when they want it and however they want it, be it face to face or otherwise.
On the funding that we are providing, I have mentioned the action plan, which is backed by £1.7 million of funding to improve sexual health and blood-borne virus outcomes. Grants totalling £800,000 have been distributed between a wide range of projects, including high-quality innovative projects with health boards, third sector organisations and academia. Many of them provide the face-to-face service that Carol Mochan rightly mentioned.
On wider funding for the health service, I am pleased that, notwithstanding the fact that our budget has been subject to swingeing cuts from the UK Government, we have increased our investment in the NHS to a record £19.5 billion.
