Jenni Minto's 'second term vows' as Argyll and Bute MSP looks to the future

Ms Minto was formally sworn in again on May 14, and is widely expected to return to government following her previous role as public and women’s health minister.

However, her return comes as Argyll and Bute continues to face mounting pressures in health and social care, with staffing shortages, rising costs and reductions to home care packages placing increasing strain on services.

The area’s Health and Social Care Partnership has also faced scrutiny after introducing a care ceiling in an effort to manage growing demand.

Asked how she would address those concerns during her second term, Ms Minto stressed the importance of partnership working.

She said: “Rightfully so, health and social care is devolved to the health boards and local authorities. I recognise that there have been concerns, it’s been raised on many doorsteps, and it’s something that concerns me.

“I recognise it from a personal perspective, the care that people need is incredibly important. Now that I’ve been re-elected, one of the things that I want to do is ensure that I can continue dialogue with the health and social care partnership, but also ensure that they are bringing in third sector people as well.

“Working together, that I have seen when I was in my ministerial role, is something we need.”

Another major issue likely to dominate her second term is the ongoing debate surrounding the proposed Mull Campus project.

Ms Minto has previously supported campaigners calling for a split-site campus and has helped facilitate discussions with the Scottish Government over the controversial Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) funding model.

Campaigners argue the programme’s “like-for-like” funding requirements make a fair solution for Mull impossible under the current framework.

Ms Minto told us she remained hopeful that the Scottish Government would review the programme to better reflect the needs of island communities.

She said: “I raised a review of LEIP to ensure that it accounts for islands’ differences, and also the UNCRC and also the Promise, and that’s something that I am hopeful that the government, assuming the SNP forms the government, will review.”

She added that direct government funding for the project was a discussion “the council needs” to have and said she would be willing to help facilitate those talks.