Transforming Scotland’s Health

The time for band-aid solutions across Scotland’s health is over. We need fundamental and transformative change to make our system sustainable and fitting for the future.  

This is a pivotal moment for Scotland’s health and for the future of how the country’s healthcare is delivered and by whom. Central to that, necessary reform will be achieved through both prevention and the adoption of emerging technologies like AI. But transformation will only be achieved with the right people, with the right skills, in the right places, and with the desire to adopt and implement change at pace and scale.   

Holyrood’s ‘Transforming Scotland’s Health’ summit will bring together Scotland’s leading health voices from the public and private sectors to share innovation, make connections and explore the practical steps that can be taken to inspire change and turn the tide. 

Over the course of the day, sessions will: 

  • Explore the potential to shift from treatment to prevention 
  • Consider moving focus from hospitals to primary and community care 
  • Discuss the move from an analogue way of working to a focus on digital innovation 

The event will conclude with a high profile cross-party political panel which will include an audience Q&A. 

Event Details

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) causes significant disability, often impacting individuals during their most economically productive years. This presentation explores the profound socioeconomic value of effective MS treatment. Data shows that costs associated with MS rise dramatically as disability progresses (or accumulates) highlighting the burden on patients, caregivers, and society. How earlier use of high-efficacy therapies is associated with more favorable long-term outcomes, effectively reducing the disease burden for both the individual and wider society. The session will also explore current challenges, such as the exclusion of societal costs in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and factors impacting patient access to treatment, including health inequalities and long waiting times.

Our expert panel will discuss crucial factors that shape health outcomes beyond medical care, including:  

  • how socioeconomic conditions such as poverty, education, housing, and food security directly impact wellbeing 
  • how cross-sector collaboration is essential for addressing these interconnected challenges 
  • approaches for sustainable health improvements 

This panel discussion will focus on establishing the steps that need to be taken to create a sustainable workforce within Scotland’s health sector. We will explore how we can expand the workforce supporting graduates into the relevant job market and creating a sustainable health system through strategies like prioritised preventative care.      

Our panellists will discuss the structural, cultural, and technological accelerators needed for Scotland to become a global exemplar for healthcare innovation adoption. The session will delve into Scotland's evolving innovation infrastructure and the role in streamlining the journey from concept to implementation. Panellists will share insights on successful innovation pathways, discuss strategies for overcoming systemic barriers, and highlight opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.  

Attend this high-profile panel and hear senior MSPs' response to the healthcare issues most concerning the Scottish public, as well as their plans to transform Scotland’s health more broadly. Delegates will have an opportunity to ask questions during the interactive Q&A.   

Brian Whittle MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for South Scotland, Shadow Minister for Public Health, Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Vicki Goodwin
Director of Income & Innovation
Leuchie
Paul Sweeney MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Region
Scottish Labour & Co-operative Party
Oliver Fairweather
Head of MS for Roche in the UK
Roche Products Ltd
Oliver Fairweather is Head of Multiple Sclerosis for Roche in the UK. Oliver has spent approximately half his career working in the field of MS. Roche is one of the world's leading investors in pharmaceutical R&D and neurology is one of the company’s key areas of research.
Dr Rebecca Goldman
Deputy Scottish Officer
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Dr Rebecca Goldman is a Consultant Paediatrician at NHS Tayside, with an interest in child protection and paediatric cardiology. In November 2024, she was appointed Deputy Scottish Officer for RCPCH Scotland, contributing to national advocacy and policy work to improve child health outcomes.
Colin Poolman
Executive Director
Royal College of Nursing Scotland
Colin took up his post of Executive Director, RCN Scotland in 2022. A registered nurse for over 30 years, Colin has been a key member of the RCN Scotland team for many years including Associate Director for Pay, Terms and Conditions. Colin has also worked across the UK and spent time working as an Associate Director in RCN Northern Ireland as well as operationally leading the RCN UK Pay Programme supporting the RCN’s Fair Pay for Nursing campaign. Outside the RCN, Colin is a general member of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland, which is a public appointment.
Dr Rishma Maini
Consultant in Public Health Medicine and Joint Interim Head of Clinical, Health and Intelligence Division
Public Health Scotland
Emma Congreve
Co-lead of the Scottish Health Equity Research Unit and Deputy Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute
University of Strathclyde
Christine McLaughlin
Chief Operating Officer & Deputy Chief Executive
NHS Scotland
Dr Charlotte Refsum
Director of Health Policy
Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Chaloner Chute
Chief Technology Officer
The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI)
Kenryck Lloyd-Jones
Public Affairs and Policy Manager for Scotland
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak
Regius Chair of Medicine | Chief Scientist for Health
University of Glasgow | Scottish Government
Neil Gray MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Scottish Government
Rebecca McQuillan
Journalist
Mark Diffley
Founder and Director, Diffley Partnership
Diffley Partnership

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