Policy Impact
The College influences health policy to improve the quality of care and patient safety.
We believe that health policy should be evidence-based
We work to ensure that the views and experiences of physicians are taken into account by policymakers throughout the UK. We do this through the development and advocacy of our own strategic policy, by responding to a wide range of consultations, and by engaging with policymakers and other stakeholders. Sharing the views of our Members and Fellows, we aim to stimulate media, public, political and medical discussion about issues important to physicians and the future of healthcare in the UK.
Starting the “National Conversation”
We think it’s essential that we have a national conversation about the future of the NHS. In order for the public to be fully armed with the facts, we believe that all political parties must be honest with people about the sustainability of the NHS – including what steps can be taken to ensure that the “free at the point of use” principle remains.
We were pleased that as a result of influencing work by us and others, the Scottish Government agreed to hold a debate on the future of health and social care, at the Scottish Parliament.
We made the argument for a comprehensive national conversation in our Health Priorities manifesto and continue to do so in our Parliamentary engagement.
Addressing the harm of drugs in Scotland
In September 2026 National Records of Scotland (NRS) reported that the number of drug-related deaths recorded in Scotland was 1,133 during 2025. This is an increase of 116 deaths compared with 2024. The average age of drug use deaths has increased from 32 years in 2000 to 46 years in 2025. Opiates and opioids, including heroin, morphine and methadone were implicated in 78% of all deaths. Cocaine was implicated in over half of the drug use deaths in 2025 and Nitazenes, a group of potent synthetic opioids, were implicated in more than one in five drug use deaths in 2025.
The College has taken a serious interest in drug deaths and drug related harms, particularly since 2019, when the extent of Scotland’s relationship with drugs was revealed by the National Records of Scotland. Since 2019/20, we have consistently made the case for safer consumption facilities, the rollout of a heroin assisted treatment programme, and the decriminalisation of the possession of drugs for personal use. We’re pleased that we have made an impact, as defacto decriminalisation has now been realised, and Glasgow has become the setting for Scotland’s first safer consumption facility.
Diabetes and weight loss drugs
Diabetes and weight loss drugs. Our President, Professor Mark Strachan, is a consultant in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Acute Medicine and regularly speaks out about the provision of diabetes services, including access to insulin pump therapy and closed loop systems, and the availability of weight loss drugs. Having seen patients with diabetes benefit significantly from using weight loss drugs, Professor Strachan has been vocal in urging better access to these products for patients with obesity. Listen to Professor Strachan talk about this issue on a BBC Radio Scotland Scotcast.
Workforce
From UK political party conferences in Birmingham, Liverpool, and Brighton to exhibitions at the Scottish Parliament, workforce has been a key component of our influencing work. We’re pleased that our calls for more medical school places across the UK have been met. But we’re also clear that this must be matched by an expansion of medical training places.
While this has happened to an extent, we are clear that in order to address bottlenecks in the system, more training places are required. We were pleased that our call to double the number of “widening access in medicine” places was included in the SNP manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election in 2021.
Public health and health inequalities
Smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, harmful alcohol use and poor air quality are significant drivers of preventable ill health, premature mortality and health inequalities across the UK.
The College has successfully advocated for public health measures including the Soft Drinks Industry Levy and Minimum Unit Pricing, working alongside organisations such as Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems and ASH Scotland. We continue to call for action on smoking, vaping and other nicotine products, with a particular focus on protecting children and young people.
Our established work on air quality brings clinical and scientific evidence to policy discussions concerning domestic wood burning, pollution around schools, transport emissions and air quality standards. We have also formed a Vaping Group to strengthen the College’s policy work on youth vaping, product regulation, smoke-free and vape-free environments, and emerging nicotine products.
