In the interests of time, I will limit my comments to amendment 274, which I lodged on behalf of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland. I have previously covered the arguments about the unique challenges faced by young adults up to the age of 25 years old who have a diagnosis of a life-shortening condition. Those include fluctuating and unpredictable conditions; reduced cognitive maturity and greater risk of coercion; communication differences; and heightened safeguarding needs. In that context, I believe that there is a clear need for national clinical guidance to ensure consistency in the most complex cases.

Amendment 274 would do just that by requiring the chief medical officer to publish guidance explaining how assessments should be carried out for young adults under 25 who we know have fluctuating conditions. We would also expect the CMO to update the guidance so that medical practitioners can provide consistent and safe assessment in the most complex of cases.