Public Health Scotland

  1. Scott Heald to Ed Humpherson: Update on temporary suspensions of accreditation: Scottish Health Costs, breast cancer screening statistics, cervical cancer screening statistics, and Learning Disability Statistics Scotland 

    Sent from: Public Health Scotland

    Sent to: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Dear Ed, Update on temporary suspensions of accreditation: Scottish Health Costs, breast cancer screening statistics, cervical cancer screening statistics, and Learning Disability Statistics Scotland OSR has previously agreed to the temporary suspension of accredited official statistics status for the three PHS publications named above and the Learning Disability Statistics Scotland statistics that were subsequently transferred […]

  2. Ed Humpherson to Scott Heald – Update on temporary suspensions of accreditation: Scottish Health Costs, breast cancer screening statistics, cervical cancer screening statistics, and Learning Disability Statistics Scotland 

    Sent from: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Sent to: Public Health Scotland

    Dear Scott, Update on temporary suspensions of accreditation: Scottish Health Costs, breast cancer screening statistics, cervical cancer screening statistics, and Learning Disability Statistics Scotland Thank you for your letter of 24 August requesting the cancellation of accreditation for the above-named statistics produced by Public Health Scotland (PHS). I previously agreed to the requests to temporarily […]

  3. Scott Heald to Siobhan Tuohy-Smith: Compliance review of inpatient, day case and outpatient stage of waiting times statistics, follow-up

    Sent from: Public Health Scotland

    Sent to: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Dear Siobhan, Stage of Treatment compliance review – implementation of recommendations Thank you again for carrying out the PHS Stage of Treatment compliance review which took place in December 2025. We were delighted that these statistics retained their accredited official statistics status following the set of improvements we implemented in October 2025 to improve their relevance and timeliness. In February 2026 we wrote outlining […]

  4. Siobhan Tuohy-Smith to Scott Heald: Compliance review of inpatient, day case and outpatient stage of waiting times statistics, follow-up

    Sent from: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Sent to: Public Health Scotland

    Dear Scott, Thank you for your letter outlining the recent work undertaken by Public Health Scotland (PHS) in response to the recommendations contained in our compliance review of PHS’s statistics on inpatient, day case and outpatient stage of treatment waiting times. The actions you have taken to improve guidance to users on exercising caution when […]

  5. Ed Humpherson to Scott Heald: Temporary suspension of accreditation: Breast Cancer Screening Statistics and Scottish Health Costs

    Sent from: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Sent to: Public Health Scotland

    Dear Scott, Thank you for your letter of 24 February outlining the data quality issues affecting Public Health Scotland’s breast cancer screening statistics and Scottish Health Services Costs (or “Costs Book”) publication. Given the issues you have described, I agree to your request for the temporary suspension of accreditation for both sets of statistics. I […]

  6. Scott Heald to Ed Humpherson: Inpatient, day case and outpatient stage of treatment compliance review: PHS Actions

    Sent from: Public Health Scotland

    Sent to: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Dear Siobhan, Thank you for carrying out the helpful compliance review of the PHS Stage of Treatment statistics. I was delighted that these statistics retained the accredited official statistics status following my team’s work to develop their trustworthiness, value and quality in 2025. I particularly welcome your acknowledgement of our work to ensure the changes […]

  7. Scott Heald to Ed Humpherson: Temporary suspension of accreditation: Breast Cancer Screening Statistics and Scottish Health Costs

    Sent from: Public Health Scotland

    Sent to: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Dear Ed, We have recently discovered data quality issues that impact two accredited official statistics releases. I therefore request a temporary suspension of their accredited official statistics status while we investigate and resolve these issues. Breast cancer screening I previously wrote to you about data quality issues with cervical cancer screening data provided by an […]

  8. Siobhan Tuohy-Smith to Scott Heald: Compliance review of inpatient, day case and outpatient waiting times statistics

    Sent from: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Sent to: Public Health Scotland

    Dear Scott, We have completed a compliance review of Public Health Scotland (PHS)’s statistics on inpatient, day case and outpatient stage of treatment waiting times against the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics. The review considered whether these statistics continue to meet the standards of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value and should retain their […]

  9. Ed Humpherson to Scott Heald Alternative Release Times request for Viral respiratory diseases in Scotland surveillance report

    Sent from: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Sent to: Public Health Scotland

    Dear Scott, Alternative Release Times request for Viral respiratory diseases in Scotland surveillance report Thank you for your request for an alternative release time the weekly Viral respiratory diseases in Scotland surveillance report published by Public Health Scotland (PHS). Having considered your reasons, I am content to approve your proposal to publish at 12:30pm on […]

  10. Scott Heald to Ed Humpherson: Alternative release times request for Viral respiratory diseases in Scotland surveillance report

    Sent from: Public Health Scotland

    Sent to: Office for Statistics Regulation

    Dear Ed, Temporary Alternative Release Time request for Viral respiratory diseases in Scotland surveillance report on 24/12/2025 and 31/12/2025 I am writing to formally request a temporary alternative release time for the Weekly Viral Respiratory Diseases in Scotland report. This would normally take place on Thursdays at 9:30am. This year Christmas Day and New Year’s […]