Chamber and committees

Public Health Scotland has a number of documents to support healthcare professionals to deliver alcohol brief interventions. They are also available on NHS Education for Scotland’s Turas e-learning platform. Are we tracking the uptake of those by healthcare professionals—whether they are nurses, doctors or other professionals—especially those who work in primary care and accident and emergency? Are ABIs a good thing that is working?

Good morning. Dr Gulhane has covered some of what I was going to ask about, but I am interested in the health inequalities where we have made the best progress, and those where we maybe have not.

Elinor Jayne said that if we affect affordability, that will directly relate to consumption, and if we reduce consumption, that will reduce harm. I am interested in what we should do to continue implementing the best progress and where we need to change tack, especially when it comes to pandemic work.

We might not get the answer to my question today. I am aware that there are different models of ADPs. Some have independent chairs who work only three days a month, whereas some have full-time employees, lots of co-ordinators and administration support. I am interested in whether we are looking at examples of best practice in ADPs that have good outcomes, so that such practice can be reflected in other areas.

The alcohol industry is a big part of Scotland’s economy. How do we support that business in Scotland while supporting the industry to take responsibility for the issue and helping it to do what it can to support alcohol-harm reduction?

I have a quick question on the families and women issue. I know that the Scottish Government has a framework that has been created for families who are affected by drug and alcohol use in Scotland. That is a framework for a whole-family, holistic approach that is inclusive for families. Women might need to be supported because they might have families to support and they might be carers for family members. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on that framework, which has been implemented, and on progress on its delivery.

I have a quick question about self-directed support. A couple of panel members have mentioned that and we raised it in the Health and Sport Committee in a previous parliamentary session. There is a document from 2011 that talks about barriers to self-directed support and things that help it. Do any panellists—perhaps Annie Gunner Logan or Fiona Collie—have a feeling about how well we are doing with self-directed support? In my case work, I have people who are not really aware of it or what it does. How are we doing with it now?

I will be short and will focus my comments on the Audit Scotland briefing. One of the key messages says:

“Regardless of what happens with reform, some things cannot wait. A clear plan is needed now to address the significant challenges facing social care in Scotland”.

There are things that we can do without legislation. Setting aside longer-term challenges, what can be done with the social care sector to address immediate short-term issues? What specific actions could be taken to address the short-term challenges?

Thank you, convener. I was just waiting for my camera to come on.

Cabinet secretary, I will pick up on your comments about working with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Obviously, a lot of work has taken place between the civil servants in both Governments. In your opening statement, you outlined that, originally, the bill was encroaching on devolved areas. Will you tell us a little bit about the work that has taken place between the two Governments to achieve legislative consent, and can you confirm that work will continue to ensure that Scotland’s devolution settlement is always considered in future legislation?

As someone who is interested in child poverty and public health, I wonder whether you can tell us to what extent child poverty is viewed as a public health issue.

I think that Clare Haughey said that 200,000 baby boxes had been given out so far. I know that NHS Dumfries and Galloway has had 1,241 and NHS Borders 1,033, but are you able to say a wee bit about the impact of their introduction and how they have helped to support and protect families and met some of the challenges of the poverty that we are seeing?