Report:
The Committee published its report on 29 March 2018:
Scottish Government response
The Scottish Government responded to the Committee's report on 18 June 2018:
Summary:
5 February 2013: The Committee took evidence from Sandra Whyte and Lorraine Cleaver. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, the General Medical Council, the Royal College of Physicians, Thyroid UK, the World Health Organization, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, Dr Stefan Sjöberg at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden and Dr Henry Lindner, Pennsylvania, USA. Link to Official Report 5 February 2013 (374KB pdf)
16 April 2013: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 16 April 2013 (472KB pdf)
28 May 2013: The Committee agreed to invite the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to give evidence at a future meeting and write to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and Amdipharm Mercury. Link to Official Report 28 May 2013 (471KB pdf)
25 June 2013: The Committee took evidence from Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Lesley Metcalf, Policy Manager, Clinical Priorities Team, and Alpana Mair, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Scottish Government. The Committee agreed to hold a round-table discussion at a future meeting. Link to Official Report 25 June 2013 (499KB pdf)
1 October 2013: The Committee took evidence in a round table format from—
Michael Matheson, Minister for Public Health, Professor Graham Leese, CMO Specialty Adviser for Endocrinology, Sinéad Power, Policy Team Leader, and Lesley Metcalf, Policy Manager, Clinical Priorities Team, Scottish Government;
Sandra Whyte, Marian Dyer, and Lorraine Cleaver, Petitioners;
Tara Wilmott, Head of Approvals, Education and Standards Directorate, General Medical Council;
Dr Anthony Toft, Consultant Physician, Spire Murrayfield Hospital, Edinburgh;
Lyn Mynott, Chair/Chief Executive, Thyroid UK;
Professor Graham Williams, President, British Thyroid Association and Treasurer, Society for Endocrinology.
The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to a future meeting to await completion of the work being undertaken by the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 1 October 2013 (477KB pdf)
18 February 2014: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 18 February 2014 (463KB pdf)
20 May 2014: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 20 May 2014 (491KB pdf)
30 September 2014: The Committee agreed to hold an evidence session with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). Link to Official Report 30 September 2014 (509KB pdf)
25 November 2014: The Committee took evidence from John Kinsella, Chair, Sara Twaddle, Director, and Roberta James, Programme Lead, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. The Committee agreed to invite the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network to consider developing a guideline and to consider a paper by the clerk at its next meeting. Link to Official Report 25 November 2014
9 December 2014: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) forwarding the evidence it has received, including patient testimonies and the suggestion by the petitioner of specific areas for investigation. SIGN would be invited to work with the petitioner to initiate the process for developing guidelines in the area of diagnosis and treatment of thyroid conditions and formulating the necessary questions. The Committee also agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 9 December 2014
1 December 2015: The Committee took evidence from Lorraine Cleaver. The Committee agreed to invite the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport to give evidence at a future meeting. Link to Official Report 1 December 2015
9 February 2016: The Committee took evidence from Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, Alpana Mair, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Scottish Government, and from Professor Graham Leese, Consultant and Honorary Professor in Diabetes and Endocrinology, NHS Tayside and CSO Speciality Adviser. The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 9 February 2016
1 March 2016: The Committee agreed to include the petition in its legacy paper for consideration by the Session 5 Public Petitions Committee. Link to Official Report 1 March 2016
30 June 2016: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government. Link to Official Report 30 June 2016
29 September 2016: The Committee agreed to ask SPICe to produce a paper on the issues raised in the petition and to consider its approach to the petition at a future meeting. Link to Official Report 29 September 2016
8 December 2016: The Committee agreed to prepare a report on the petition and to seek time in the Chamber to debate the report. Link to Official Report 8 December 2016
19 January 2017: The Committee agreed to consider a draft report on PE1463 on thyroid and adrenal testing, diagnosis and treatment in private at future meetings. Link to Official Report 19 January 2017
2 February 2017: The Committee considered a draft report on PE1463 on effective thyriod and adrenal testing, diagnosis and treatment. The committee agreed to invite Dr John Midgley and Lorraine Cleaver to give evidence at a future meeting. Link to Official Report 2 February 2017
15 June 2017: The Committee agreed to reflect on the evidence heard and consider a note by the clerk and a revised draft report at a future meeting. Link to the Official Report 15 June 2017
21 September 2017: The Committee agreed to consider a draft report on the petition in private at a future meeting. The Committee also agreed to seek time in the Chamber for a debate on the petition. Link to Official Report 21 September 2017
14 December 2017: Consideration of draft report (in private): The The Committee considered a draft report on PE1463 on effective thyroid and adrenal testing, diagnosis and treatment. The Committee agreed to write to Dr Anthony Toft.
22 March 2018: Consideration of draft report (in private): The Committee considered and agreed a draft report on PE1463 on effective thyroid and adrenal testing, diagnosis and treatment.
13 September 2018: The Committee agreed to note the Scottish Government's response to the Committee's report and confirmed its agreement to seek time in the parliamentary business programme for a debate in the Chamber. Link to Official Report 13 September 2018.
7 February 2019: The Committee agreed to write to the Health and Sport Committee to draw its attention to the calls made during the debate for a short, focussed inquiry. Link to Official Report 7 February 2019
6 June 2019: The Committee agreed to invite the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing to give evidence at a future meeting. Link to Official Report of Meeting 6 June 2019
26 September 2019: The Committee agreed to close the petition under Standing Orders Rule 15.7 on the basis that the Scottish Government is taking active steps to address the issues raised by the petition. It also agreed to write to NHS Tayside. Official Report of Meeting 26 September 2019
Written Submissions: