Nats' adoption of English NHS app refused due to 'political optics' warning

SNP ministers have been accused of putting grievance ahead of Scottish patients after it emerged they decided against using an existing English NHS app after a warning over “political optics”.

- BY DOUGLAS DICKIE

The Nats promised a Scottish app back in 2021, two years after the one in England went live.

But despite spending £17million on its development, the app has only been trialled in one part of Scotland for one speciality.

Called MyCare, it is due to go live next year, but “national priority services” will not be added until 2028 and the app will not be completed until 2030 — 11 years after the England equivalent.

SNP ministers could have used the English app as a base for the Scottish one, potentially reducing the time in development.

However, unelected civil servants warned about the “political optics of adopting an English solution”.

The Telegraph says the statement was included in a list of “threats” in an assessment for government ministers prepared by NHS Education for Scotland.