The minister concludes her statement by saying she believes that there is a clear case that the further shift from acute care is necessary.

Ms Robison says Audit Scotland have been clear that some re-organisation of services will be required, but that does not mean that every proposal made by a board will be approved. 

The health secretary says to stand against any change anywhere in acute services is simply not credible

The minister reiterates that any major change proposals must be subject to formal public consultation and Ministerial approval.

The minister says the government will continue to prioritise frontline health services and will increase tthe NHS revenue budget by £500m more than inflation over the course of this Parliament. 

Ms Robison says: "I can confirm by the end of this year we will set out in a single framework, a transformational change delivery plan."

Image source, Thinkstock

The health secretary says the Audit Scotland Report confirms that NHS staffing at historically high levels, with over 11,000 more staff working in the health service than there were when the SNP took office.

Image source, Science Photo Library

The health secretary says the government will:

• increase health spending by almost £2bn by the end of this parliament
• increase investment in primary care by an additional £500m

Ms Robison details the following Scottish government actions:

• shifting more NHS funding to support social care
• has published the National Clinical Strategy and the CMO’s Realistic Medicine report
• accelerated plans for investment of £200m in our new elective centres

Image source, Science Photo Library

Ms Robison says since 2010/11 the annual health resource budget has increased by 8.2% in real terms.  

The health secretary says the Audit Scotland Report recognises the real terms increases in investment in Scotland's NHS.

The health secretary says Audit Scotland has provided a balanced overview of the NHS and makes several recommendations which the Scottish government accept in full.

Ms Robison begins by saying she will outline the Scottish government’s response to last week’s Audit Scotland’s report, and the process of considering those proposed service changes and developments – debated on 28 September.

Some Scottish NHS boards may not be able to balance their books this year, Audit Scotland has warned.

The public spending watchdog said the health service needed to make unprecedented savings in 2016/17.

And it said NHS funding was not keeping pace with increasing demand on the service.

It also said NHS Scotland met only one of its eight key waiting time targets last year - the drug and alcohol treatment standard.

Image source, bbc

Audit Scotland's annual report on the NHS said performance had actually declined in six of the eight targets over the past four years - although the target for cancer patients waiting no more than 31 days for treatment was missed by just 0.1%.

However, Audit Scotland stressed that the health service had managed to make some improvements despite the "extremely challenging financial position".

• Read the full Audit Scotland report here, external

Health Secretary Shona Robison insisted the Scottish government had made "significant improvements" and has a strategy to change the way services are.

Health Secretary Shona Robison response to Audit Scotland NHS 2016 report, and service development. 

SNP MSP Clare Adamson asks what progress has been made on the continuity of EU funding in light of Brexit.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay says he will pass on the guarantees from the UK government.

Image source, bbc

Mr Mackay says the government recognise the importance of small and medium business and they have made business rate reductions to reflect this.

The finance secretary says the government have the most competitive package of business rates in the UK. 

Scottish Conservative MSP Edward Mountain asks what assessment it has made of the link between taxation policy and small business insolvencies in Scotland.  

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Mr Mackay says for the first six months of the current financial year the government have paid 98.8% of bills within ten days.

The finance secretary says the government has published guidance on compliance in this area. 

SNP MSP Richard Lyle asks whether the prompt payment of bills relating to its public contracts has been sustained.

Mr Mackay says the Scottish Futures Trust is on track to deliver projects in the set timescale.

The finance secretary says initiatives have so far proved successful and this will inform the future programme. 

SNP MSP Colin Beattie asks what savings the government expects the Scottish Futures Trust to achieve in delivering projects.

Image source, bbc

Mr Mackay says the Green ICT Strategy contributes to the government's wider climate change targets.

The finance secretary says the government are making progress in these projects. 

He says the processes are robust and lessons have been learned from mistakes of the past.