Chamber and committees

Our approach is for people to have access to the support they may need for assessment, diagnosis, care and rehabilitation in a setting that is as close to their home as possible. This is being supported through local primary care teams, community based rehabilitation services and secondary care investigation where needed.

NHS Boards, including our Island Boards are developing pathways according to local services and the needs of their respective populations, to support people with long COVID. We continue to engage with Boards to identify their support needs in relation to delivering care and support to people with long COVID.

In addition, we have invested over £460,000 in Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland to enable them to deliver their ‘Long COVID support service’ which complements the support being provided by NHS Scotland.

8 new-build vessels have been delivered to CalMac since 2007: the MVs Loch Shira, Argyle, Finlaggan, Hallaig, Loch Seaforth, Lochinvar, Catriona and Carvoria. Had vessels 801 and 802 been delivered to the shipyard's original schedule, then there would have been 10.

The Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan set out plans for the next 5 years for the procurement of a new major vessel for Islay, up to 7 vessels under phase 1 of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme and further major vessels for Craignure-Oban and Mallaig-Lochboisdale.

A National Mission with Local Impact: Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The Scottish Government encourages anyone planning to visit a Scottish Island to test for coronavirus prior to travel, this includes any Ministers, staff or agency employees who are traveling to the islands. Scottish Government staff are not routinely travelling for work purposes and continue to work from home wherever possible.

Pre-departure testing for travel to the Scottish Islands is a voluntary scheme, however, everyone is encouraged to participate in order to reduce the risk of inadvertently carrying coronavirus into one of the island communities. Information on travel, including to the Scottish islands, is set out in the COVID-19 Framework for Decision Making – Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis, which is available at www.gov.scot/coronavirus .

Thank you for submitting the series of parliamentary questions in relation to NHS Forth Valley, with a specific focus on the External Review around Culture in the Emergency Department, Forth Valley Royal Hospital. I have responded to each of the questions in this one response.

Firstly, you asked about the number of people that were directed away from the A&E department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital without a correct clinical assessment during 2020 and from 1 January to 30 June 2021, we do not collate that level of data therefore I am unable to provide a response on this.

Regarding the findings of the External Review around Culture in the Emergency Department, this was an independent report commissioned by NHS Forth Valley and we are pleased that the Board took swift action after serious allegations were made by staff representatives.

The Scottish Government has noted the findings of the independent review and welcome that the Board has accepted the recommendations. We meet regularly with all Boards, including Forth Valley, and we will support the Board in taking forward these recommendations, seeking assurance that these are fully implemented.

We are also committed to supporting staff within the Board. All staff in our NHS must have the confidence to raise any concerns they have about patient care and not suffer any repercussions for doing so. The NHS Scotland Whistleblowing Policy requires boards to have an impartial, confidential contact that all staff can access to raise concerns should they feel that they cannot raise these concerns with their line manager or senior management.

In addition the confidential, Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) advice line provides information, support and signposting for those raising whistleblowing concerns, including former staff - the number of this service is 0800 008 6112. The INWO, which came into force in April 2021 and is the first of its kind in the UK, provides a mechanism for external review of how a Health Board, primary care or independent provider has handled a whistleblowing case.

Furthermore, staff working in health and social care can access support services available through the national wellbeing hub this can be accessed via www.promis.scot or by calling 0800 111 419. Both the INWO and wellbeing hub are available to current and former members of staff.

You have raised a number of issues including communication with patients in case of any subsequent legal or civil action. The decision on whether or not an action for damages is time-barred is a matter for the courts to determine. If there is any doubt as to when the limitation period should start to run, a court could hear arguments about when the pursuer became aware of his or her entitlement to pursue a claim, as part of the court’s application of the date of knowledge test.

The Scottish government and NHS Scotland have a shared vision for an open and learning culture and we want to learn when there has been dissatisfaction or harm and encourage organisations to identify improvements. Safety is at the heart of everything we do in NHS Scotland and it is vital to building a culture, which allows all frontline professionals time and safe spaces to learn, without fear of censure.

As part of our commitment to transparency, improving standards and learning lessons when something goes wrong, we have introduced a Statutory Organisational Duty of Candour. This makes it a legal requirement for all care providers, including Health Boards, to review certain types of adverse events, meet personally with those affected, and to publish an annual report to support openness and learning.

Part of that includes an organisational emphasis on staff support and training to ensure effective implementation of the organisational duty of candour. Staff must feel that they have the necessary skills and confidence if they are to be meaningfully involved in the delivery of the procedure and they are supported after an incident occurs. Being candid promotes accountability for safer systems, better engages staff in improvement efforts, and engenders greater trust in patients and service users.

The Scottish Government is clear that there should be robust site management in place across NHS Boards at all times, including access to senior decision makers, with operational overview of all emergency activity. Through our unscheduled care programme we continue to work closely with Boards, including NHS Forth Valley, with a specific focus on supporting the implementation of a series of improvements, including the workforce model in emergency departments, for example staffing levels, systems and processes as well as a nursing workforce review.

In terms of redirection, the Scottish Government policy is that patients may be referred to another service or provided with self-care advice once assessed by an appropriate clinician and deemed not to require emergency care. We are aware that during peak times of the pandemic some Boards had to take necessary measures to keep patients and staff safe by redirecting people following triage at the front door. We would expect any Board utilising this approach do so based on risk assessment.

During the summer months NHS Forth Valley, supported by the national programme for unscheduled care, have been working to explore the option of a care navigation area at the front-door to safely direct people to the onsite Minor Injury Unit and Urgent Care Centre if these areas are appropriately medically staffed.

In addition, the Scottish Government unscheduled care programme commissioned a Short Life Working Group, with representation including clinicians and managerial staff, during this year to review existing Redirection and Signposting Guidance to support Boards to implement best practice and ensure a consistent, coherent and safe approach to the right care in the right place. A key aim is to ensure people can be seen at services which better meet their healthcare requirements avoiding unnecessary exposure to a hospital environment. This will be published in September.

The Scottish Government has issued guidance emphasising the need to ensure good ventilation across all indoor settings.

Our Covid-19 ventilation guidance includes reference to the possibility of monitoring carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels in buildings, with a link to the more detailed information on CO 2 monitors provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

We are currently considering what further steps we can take to support good practice in ventilation across all settings and this includes consideration of the role of CO 2 monitors and standards.

The Covid-19 test kits are home PCR kits provided by NHS Test & Trace. The cost of the kits is set by the UK Government and the process managed through its contract with the travel management company, so we are unable to influence the cost of these.

Currently, we are not using private test providers for international travellers arriving into Scotland from green and amber list countries.

We are having on-going discussion with the UK government on using private test providers, particularly about the speed and reliability of the flow of data from private companies. We are keen to understand fully the key performance indicators (KPIs) that have been recently set for these companies and the process should these not be met.

As previously set out in the Chamber, Scottish Government will take forward a comprehensive review of the arrangements in place for provision of financial support for patient travel. This review will take full account of the matters raised by Members.

Regrettably, this review has been delayed due to prioritisation of NHS recovery and remobilisation planning, and will be taken forward as soon as possible.

a) Scottish Government set targets for forest creation and for native woodland creation within that. In the current year, 2021, the woodland creation target is 13500 ha and of this 4000 ha will be new native woodlands. Scottish government and its agency Scottish. , do not pre-determine the type of trees that will be planted by landowners that are supported by the Forestry Grant Scheme. There are a number of grant options provided for applicants and landowners in order to help achieve Scottish Government targets and policy priorities. For example, a grant option is provided to enable applicants to create new native woodlands in order to promote biodiversity and meet the targets under the Biodiversity Strategy.

The FGS does not guide applicant’s schemes based on carbon sequestration and species choice. Each scheme is guided by the principles of sustainable forest management as set out in the UK Forestry Standard.

The existing forestry grant scheme works to support the three principle objectives of Scotland’s Forestry Strategy. As of May 2021, conifer and diverse conifers accounted for 58% of the woodland creation programme, broadleaves and small farm woods, 4%, native broadleaf woodlands including native Scots pine, 32% and natural regeneration, 6%.

The Covid-19 test kits are home PCR kits provided by NHS Test & Trace. Currently, we are not using private test providers for international travellers arriving into Scotland from green and amber list countries.

We are having on-going discussions with the UK government on using private test providers, particularly about the speed and reliability of the flow of data from private companies. We are keen to understand fully the key performance indicators (KPIs) that have been recently set for these companies and the process should these not be met.

Transport Scotland recognise the importance of tourism to the Scottish economy and the role that Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders serve within this sector as popular tourist destinations. As the current signs on the M74 are in a good state of repair no reviews are currently planned. For new tourist signs to be considered on the Scottish Trunk Road that highlight visitor attractions, applications from the tourist attraction must meet the criteria set out in Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Guidance document.