Responding to Scottish Government’s budget for 2022-23, Dr Katerina Kolyva, Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Deans of Health, said:
“The recognition the budget gives to the health and social care sector speaks to our members essential contribution in educating and advancing this workforce. The commitment to social care and mental health are welcomed and are key in ensuring an effective and supported health and social care system in Scotland. Universities are keen to work with Scottish Government on the integration of health and social care including the development of the National Care Service. Healthcare students and academic staff need to be part of the commitment to provide mental health and well-being resource to the health and social care workforce.
We are concerned that the investment in higher education will not be enough resource to meet the teaching and research resource Scotland needs. This will impact on the critical work universities do in delivering the future healthcare workforce and high quality health research. As we look over the budgets detail, we look forward to working with Scottish Government to ensure the sustainability of healthcare programmes and on the implementation of the recommendations from the Scottish Funding Council’s Review of Tertiary Education and Research.”