The College has responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the planned merger of NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and NHS National Services Scotland (NSS). The new organisation, proposed as NHS Delivery, is scheduled for implementation on 1 April 2026. Its aim is to drive transformation across NHS Scotland through accelerated digital innovation and integrated workforce development.  

The College response welcomes reform to improve efficiency and productivity but highlights the risks of the merger in reducing influence and resources for education and training.

Key priorities that must be enabled to ensure success include:  

• dedicated pathology and laboratory service planning – both current and future – including robust workforce planning and modelling
• investment in core pathology capacity alongside interoperable IT solutions to enable modern, efficient services
• a multi-professional pathology workforce with advanced skills, clinical laboratory expertise, and appropriate distribution to meet Scotland’s population needs
• tailored and flexible pathology services reflecting the needs of each specialty and service rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model – with a focus on quality
• clinical leadership at local, regional and national levels – vital for input and insight across the health and social care landscape
• safe implementation of new diagnostic tests and digital tools, including patient-facing interpretive reports. 

Next steps 

Ongoing engagement with royal medical colleges and education providers will be essential. The College will continue to monitor developments and has offered to provide advice and clinical support to the Scottish government.  

The College's organisational response was prepared by the Workforce and Engagement team within the Professional Practice directorate informed by feedback from the Scotland Regional Council.