More minor injury units close than are currently open

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today said that the SNP “cannot be trusted with your health” as he revealed that on their watch, the number of closures among smaller emergency care settings is higher than the number which are currently open. 

A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request to Public Health Scotland asked for the number of type 3 emergency care settings that have closed on the SNP’s watch.

Type 3 emergency care settings largely consist of minor injury units. They also include smaller, community casualty or accident and emergency departments.

The data shows that:

• Since the SNP came to power in 2007, 39 settings, including 33 in the last decade, have closed.
• As of February 2026, there are only 32 across Scotland.
• Since 2007, 11 settings in NHS Grampian have closed, 8 in NHS Tayside and a further 8 in the south of Scotland (this is the combined figure for both NHS Borders and NHS Dumfries & Galloway). 

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“Under the SNP, access to local healthcare is completely broken. John Swinney’s party cannot be trusted to look after your health.

“It’s extremely worrying that so many minor injury units and other smaller casualty settings have shut their doors.

“They play a big part in supporting larger A&E departments, so their closures risk more pressure on staff and longer waits for patients. It also means people need to travel further to get care when they need it.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want change with fairness at its heart for our NHS. By investing in local services and community care, my party will get everyone the healthcare they need when they need it. 

“At this election, every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second, peach, regional ballot paper is a vote to make those plans a reality.”