Scottish elections: how RCPsych in Scotland has influenced party manifestos

The Scottish Parliament election is rapidly approaching. We have seen significant progress in the way in which political parties are now talking about mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions, reflecting sustained engagement by RCPsych in Scotland (RCPsychiS) over this parliamentary cycle and the promotion of their manifesto.

All political parties represented at Holyrood have now released their manifestos, and RCPsychiS have secured some key commitments through their campaigning.

Most notably, every major party has committed to bringing forward key elements of the RCPsychiS manifesto asks on neurodevelopment conditions, signalling a shared recognition that current pathways are failing neurodivergent people and placing inappropriate pressure on mental health services.

This level of cross-party consensus marks an important shift, particularly around improving support without the need for a diagnosis, reasonable workplace and educational adjustments, and ensuring people are not diverted into inappropriate mental health pathways.

Alongside this, three of the major parties have made commitments to increase mental health funding in real terms, underlining growing acceptance that under-investment is a central driver of current system pressures.

A particularly clear win is the SNP’s commitment to adopt the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland’s four-tiered national pathway for neurodevelopmental conditions.

This directly reflects our call for a needs-based, whole-system model that supports people with or without a formal diagnosis. Scottish Labour, the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Liberal Democrats have also committed to establishing national neurodevelopmental pathways and reducing waiting lists, alongside a range of wider mental health commitments including community-based services, earlier intervention, and workforce expansion.

Taken together, these pledges demonstrate that issues we have consistently raised – funding, access, capacity and equity between mental and physical health – are now firmly on the political agenda.

Our focus now turns to post-election activities, and working on a cross-party basis to ensure that these commitments translate into funded, evidence-based delivery that improves care for patients and supports our members.

This article was included in our April 2026 eNewsletter.