NICOLA Sturgeon will today warn that the health service is facing a pivotal moment in its history but she is willing to take "tough decisions" to protect its future.
The First Minister, in a major speech to students at Queen Margaret University in Musselburgh, will admit the NHS must overcome key challenges to ensure it is "fit for the future".
She will also announce increases in medical student numbers while confirming plans to increase the role of nurses.
She is expected to say: "There is no doubt in my mind that this - the second decade of the 21st century - is a pivotal moment for health care and healthcare systems, not just in Scotland but around the world."
The SNP's record on health is set to come under increased scrutiny as the campaign for May's Holyrood election ramps up.
Ms Sturgeon will say the integration of health and social care, a flagship policy, will be vital to cope with demographic changes and that more care should be delivered at patients' homes.
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