Freedom of Information request – Evaluation Framework, Instructions, and Evidence for GP Walk‑In Centre Pilot: September 2026

Request details

Reference Number: 3139

Response Date: 24 September 2026

Document Type: Inspections, review and regulation

Request

Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I request the disclosure of all information held by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) relating to the evaluation of the Scottish Government’s GP walk‑in centre pilot.
The Scottish Government has stated publicly that the walk‑in centre programme will be “robustly evaluated” by HIS. As HIS is the national body responsible for independent scrutiny and improvement of healthcare services, I request the following information to understand the evaluation framework, evidence base, and instructions provided to HIS.

1. All documentation provided to HIS by the Scottish Government regarding the GP walk‑in centre pilot
Including:

instructions, expectations, or evaluation requirements

any guidance on scope, methodology, or limitations

any documents describing the intended purpose or expected outcomes of the pilot

any briefing papers or ministerial submissions shared with HIS

2. The full evaluation framework developed by HIS for assessing GP walk‑in centres
Including:

evaluation criteria

performance metrics

success thresholds

data collection requirements

any risk‑based assessment criteria

any methodology documents or internal evaluation plans

3. Any early findings, interim reports, or preliminary assessments
Including:

early analysis of usage data

any concerns identified

any warnings raised about viability, effectiveness, or cost‑efficiency

any correspondence with the Scottish Government regarding emerging issues

4. All correspondence between HIS and the Scottish Government
Including:

emails

meeting notes

briefing exchanges

concerns raised by HIS

any requests from Government to alter, limit, or narrow the evaluation scope

If no such correspondence exists, please confirm this explicitly.

5. Any documentation relating to English walk‑in centre evidence
Including:

whether HIS considered English evaluations

any comparative analysis

any advice provided to Government regarding English outcomes

any documentation explaining why English evidence was or was not incorporated into the Scottish evaluation framework

6. Any risk assessments or quality assurance reviews conducted by HIS
Including:

risks to continuity of care

risks of service duplication

risks relating to staffing models (including reliance on locum GPs)

risks relating to patient safety or clinical governance

any quality assurance reports or internal scrutiny documents

7. Any documentation relating to HIS’s independence in evaluating the pilot
Including:

any declarations of independence

any concerns raised about political influence

any documentation relating to the integrity of the evaluation process

8. Any documents relating to HIS’s engagement with professional bodies
Including:

BMA Scotland

RCGP Scotland

NHS boards

local GP clusters

any other professional groups consulted during evaluation planning

If no engagement took place, please confirm this explicitly.

Response

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) have considered your request and are appended you the attached information.

We have redacted personal information on the attached, which is exemption 38(1)(b) of the Act.

Applied exemptions

The following exemptions have been applied to this response. If you wish to learn more about the relevant exemptions, please visit the Scottish Information Commissioners website using the link below. You will leave the HIS website: FOISA exemptions

Section 38 exemption briefing