Freedom of Information – The number of private (non-NHS) clinics in Scotland: September 2026
Request details
Request
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
In your email of 19 August 2026, you asked:
Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I would like to request the following:
The number of private (non-NHS) clinics in Scotland registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland to provide gynaecological, family planning, or contraceptive services (for example, fitting of intrauterine devices/systems).
Response
Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) have considered your request and are pleased to provide you the following information:
Please find attached an extract from the Register of Independent Healthcare Services in Scotland. The public register is available publicly on the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website: Find an independent healthcare provider or service – Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, Healthcare Improvement Scotland registers independent healthcare services where they meet the definitions set out in the relevant legislation. Services are registered by service type, for example as an Independent Hospital, Independent Clinic, and Independent Medical Agency.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland does not register services according to the specific clinical services they provide, such as gynaecological, family planning, or contraceptive services (including the fitting of intrauterine devices or systems). As a result, we do not hold information on the number of private (non-NHS) clinics registered specifically to provide these services.
However, the attached extract of the currently registered independent healthcare services in Scotland and may assist you in identifying organisations that provide the services referenced in your request.
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 links below. You will leave the HIS website: FOISA exemptions
Section 17 – Information not held Information not held – Exemption 17
Reviews and Appeals
For more information on our reviews and appeals, please visit: Freedom of information reviews and appeals – Healthcare Improvement Scotland