Psychiatrists

Part of Topical Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 8 October 2024.

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Photo of Edward Mountain Edward Mountain Conservative

That sounds like a lot of things in the future—but I thank the minister for the answer. I thank The Guardian and the BBC, which have done some investigation into the matter. They have found that health boards are paying up to £837 an hour for locum psychiatrists. Last year, total payments exceeded £35 million. Not only that, but there are serious concerns that some locums are being used in remote consultations from places outside the United Kingdom, such as India, meaning that they are not even members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Does the minister accept those concerns, and does she accept that mental health services in Scotland are at breaking point?