Leading doctors have warned John Swinney over the dangers of putting women’s health on the backburner after a designated ministerial post was scrapped.
The First minister axed Jenni Minto as women’s health minister last month following a post-election reshuffle. He moved the role under the public health bracket, overseen by Maree Todd.
But a coalition of 35 medical and women’s health organisations have written to Mr Swinney to express “deep concern” at the snub amid growing scrutiny over healthcare in Scotland.
The letter, signed by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives, warns Scotland could fall behind other UK nations and may struggle to deliver its pledge to “finalise” the scope of a maternity services review within the first 100 days of government.
“At a time when women’s healthcare in Scotland faces sustained challenges, we believe that a lack of explicit ministerial responsibility risks undermining progress, reducing accountability, and signalling to the public that improving women’s health is no longer a priority for this government,” the letter said.
It comes as waiting times for gynaecological care in Scotland increased by more than 250% in a seven-year period, between 2018 and 2025.
More than 40,500 women were waiting longer than the 12-week target for treatment, according to the most recent figures published in September 2025. That accounted for 61% of the total number of women awaiting gynaecological care.
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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had more than 19,000 women on a waiting list, while NHS Lothian had 12,500.
Mr Swinney has been told there is “longstanding evidence that has demonstrated that women experience deep-rooted systemic bias, poorer outcomes, and barriers to care across the health system”.
The letter adds: “Historically, women’s mental and physical health has been overlooked and deprioritised, including for most of the period since devolution.
“The establishment of a dedicated ministerial portfolio in 2021, only five years ago, was an important turning point for women’s rights in Scotland and was recognition of the leadership needed to address these deep-rooted and long-standing inequalities.”
It is understood the topic will also be raised during Tuesday’s First Minister’s Questions session asked by backbench MSPs.
The British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Pregnant then Screwed, the STUC and the Scottish Human Rights Consortium (SHRC) have signed the letter.
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Dr Alison Wright, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “Women in Scotland experience poorer health outcomes than men for a range of major conditions. We need accountability at every level to close this gap and deliver better for women. This decision by the Scottish Government sends the wrong message.”
Dr Sinead Cook, chair of the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Scotland Committee, said Scotland could “now fall behind other UK nations”.
Catherine Murphy, executive director of Engender, said: “The health inequalities that women in Scotland face run deep and have solidified over decades.
“Historic underfunding has left major gaps in research and expertise, and widespread bias in healthcare delivery. This impacts women in profound ways including being less likely to have their symptoms taken seriously by health professionals and waiting longer to be diagnosed.
“The notion that government can spend a few years of focus on this and then move on without assessing the impact, demonstrates a lack of understanding of how gender inequality works, and a cavalier attitude to an issue that is impacting 51% of the population daily.”
Criticism over the women’s health snub follow an award-winning investigation by The Herald, which showed that NHS Scotland paid out £96.2m between 2020 and 2025 on maternity negligence reports.
It also highlighted that new mums were forced to travel up to 100 miles to receive maternity care in hospital, with the journey so risky for many, they are forced to give birth at home without a midwife present.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Minister for Public Health Maree Todd has Ministerial responsibility for women’s health, assuming responsibility from Jenni Minto who was previously Public Health and Women’s Health Minister. Ms Todd is excited about taking forward the Women's Health Plan and delivering on this vital issue.”
