Chamber and committees

Stephanie Callaghan has questions on the same theme.

I call Paul O’Kane.

We have a further question on resourcing, from Sandesh Gulhane.

The next item on our agenda is consideration of two negative instruments. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instruments at its meeting on 21 February 2023 and made no recommendations in relation to either instrument.?

The first instrument is the Public Health Scotland Amendment Order 2023, which amends the Public Health Scotland Order 2019.?The order would allow Public Health Scotland to make arrangements for the vaccination or immunisation of persons against any disease.?The policy notes accompanying the order state that that is required due to the expansion of the role of Public Health Scotland in vaccination and immunisation-related activities.?

No motion to annul has been lodged in relation to the instrument.??If members have no comments, I propose that the committee makes no recommendations in relation to that negative instrument.??Are we all in agreement??

Members indicated agreement.

A number of colleagues want to ask questions on powers. May I bring them in?

We move on to questioning about the resourcing of the commissioner and their office, which will be led by Sandesh Gulhane.

We will move on to discuss the powers of the patient safety commissioner, our questions on which will be led by Emma Harper.

Item 2 is continued scrutiny of the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill. We have two evidence sessions this morning, the first of which involves representatives from industry bodies and professional organisations that relate to patient safety. After a short break, the committee will then hear from the Patient Safety Commissioner for England, as a number of members thought that that would be useful.

I welcome to the committee Dr Amit Aggarwal, the executive director of medical affairs for the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry;? Shaun Gallagher, the director of strategy and policy for the General Medical Council; Matthew McClelland, director of the Nursing and Midwifery Council; and Dr Chris Williams, the joint chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland. Joining us online is Richard Phillips, the director of strategy for the Association of British HealthTech Industries. Good morning to you all.

I will issue my usual caveat that not every member will be able to ask every witness to answer every question or we will be here all day. However, I like to start with an opening question to allow witnesses to state their case.

What are your general views of the establishment of a patient safety commissioner? What value would a patient safety commissioner add to the existing scrutiny mechanisms for patient safety?

PE1890 is on finding solutions to recruitment and training challenges for rural healthcare in Scotland. The theme is very similar. Gillian Mackay wants to comment.

Yes. The petition is on finding solutions to recruitment and training challenges for rural healthcare in Scotland, so it is almost asking for an inquiry.