Chamber and committees

I welcome everyone to the 27th meeting in 2022 of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. I have received apologies from Evelyn Tweed, and James Dornan is attending online as her substitute. I invite him to declare any interests that are relevant to the committee’s remit.

Okay. Tess White has some questions on workforce planning and a supplementary question on bed numbers.

Under our next agenda item, do we agree to take items 5 and 6 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

I thank the panel members for their time this morning. I know that Sandesh Gulhane wanted to make a quick comment. Can it wait until the end of the next panel?

They are universal issues.

If other colleagues on the panel want to come in specifically on Sandesh Gulhane’s question, they are welcome to do so. I will go first to Dr Armstrong.

I will bring in Dr Coldwells to talk about what NHS Grampian is doing to manage the soaring energy costs.

If none of the other witnesses wants to talk about their areas, I will go back to Emma Harper, who has a supplementary question.

Staffing has been mentioned by many people and we have given it a good airing, but we have some specific questions on retention and the pressures on staffing.

We will take each health board in turn.