NHS Highland to be scrapped

1 SEPTEMBER 2026

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NHS Highland to be scrapped

The First Minister has confirmed that NHS Highland will be scrapped.

John Swinney has been setting out his priorities for the next five years in the Programme for Government.

Scotland currently has 14 health boards but that is to be cut to just two.

It’s not clear how or where the remaining boards will operate.

Mr Swinney says it will enable the NHS ensure no one will wait longer than 26 weeks for treatment by the end of 2031.

Mr Swinney also says he wants to change the way councils are run.

The move is part of a wider package of reforms which he has described as the “most radical reshaping of public services since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament”.

He said he wants to give regions “a broad range of economic levers” and that what will now follow will be a “three month period of intense engagement” about how local government should be run.

Highland Council is the largest council in the UK in terms of geographical area.

The SNP leader also said he would look at cutting the number of public bodies and wants to create a single organisation focussed on the environment. It would mean the end of organisations like NatureScot and SEPA.