Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-08628

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of packaging from theatre equipment at NHS hospitals was recycled in each of the last five calendar years.

The requested information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) has advised waste data collection is not measured by product type or hospital department, therefore the requested information is unavailable.

Within the upcoming NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy there is a commitment to work with our existing suppliers to reduce unnecessary plastic and take steps to ensure that unavoidable single-use items contain a high minimum recycled content and are themselves fully recyclable. This strategy is expected to be published in summer 2022.

Question reference: S6W-08630

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason patients with sepsis in Scotland are reportedly instructed to access healthcare using a different symptom list to other parts of the UK, and what steps are being taken to ensure that clinician recognition criteria are aligned with their equivalents in other parts of the UK, using standardised guidelines for recognition and management.

The symptom list on NHS Inform focuses on the early symptoms of sepsis. It highlights the importance of a high or low temperature, which can encompass a wide range of sources of infection that may potentially cause sepsis.

On 27 May 2022, Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) issued a statement regarding the Society of Critical Medical Care’s Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) Statement on the initial antimicrobial treatment of sepsis. The statement outlines the SPSP’s revised approach to the identification and management of adults with sepsis.

Furthermore HIS’s Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) are currently reviewing SIGN Guideline 139 – Care of Deteriorating Patients to include an updated section on sepsis addressing Primary and Secondary Care considerations.

Question reference: S6W-08629

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of waste from NHS hospitals was recycled in each of the last five calendar years.

The requested information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) has advised the most accurate data source on NHS Scotland waste performance are the annual Public Sector Reports on Compliance with Climate Change Duties which are available for each Health Board. These reports are published on the Sustainable Scotland Network website ( Sustainable Scotland Network - The Sustainable Scotland Network ) and are available from the period 2014-15 to 2020-21.

We have outlined clear actions within the upcoming NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy to manage the risk of environmental harm from our activities, promote good environmental stewardship and reduce the impact of our waste. This includes working to improve data recording of waste collections and reporting against the national waste target of recycling and composting 70% of all Scottish waste by 2025, and sending no more than 5% to landfill.

Question reference: S6O-01157

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects on any difficulties faced by veterans in Scotland, including on the prevalence of mental health issues and drug and alcohol abuse.

Question reference: S6W-08168

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a genomic diagnostics strategy, and, if so, when.

Question reference: S6W-08164

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03513 by Humza Yousaf on 8 November 2021, what development plans it has for Scotland’s genetic laboratories and frontline genetics services, and what investment it will make in the current financial year to support the delivery of any plans.

The Scottish Government has committed £6.2 million to genomics for the financial year 2022-23. This is in addition to the funding allocated to the 4 genetic laboratories in Scotland by NHS Boards through NHS National Services Division (NSD) commissioning arrangements.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the role of genomics in improving patient outcomes. We have provided funding to NSD to establish a Transformation Team led by a Lead Clinical Scientist alongside resource that specialises in transformative programme management and Data Analytics. The Team will be operational from June 2022.

This team will be responsible for delivering the rapid adoption of a number of genetic tests for cancer across the genetic laboratories as well as developing an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations from the Genetic Laboratory Major Service Review.

The transformation team will work within NSD and support the Scottish Government to develop our long term plans for genomics medicine in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-08166

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03514 by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021, whether the outcome of the National Services Division review of NHS Scotland’s genomics services will be published.

The NHS National Services Division (NSD) commissioning team have completed a Major Service Review of the current Genomics service. The final report has been shared with NHS Board Chief Executives, the Scottish Genomics Leadership Group, Trade Union representative, Medical and Laboratory Directors for the boards that host the Genomic Laboratories, the document is now available on the (NSS)NSD website at the following link:

https://www.nss.nhs.scot/specialist-healthcare/specialist-services/genetic-and-molecular-pathology-laboratories/

Question reference: S6W-08167

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03514 by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021, what engagement the National Services Division and Scottish Genomics Leadership Group are having with the pharmaceutical industry and academia on the design of sustainable genetic laboratories and frontline genetics services that would benefit patients and attract clinical research to Scotland.

Engagement is ongoing with industry, academia and other interested stakeholders in the expansion of NHS Scotland capabilities for genomics. Over the coming months we will be expanding the membership of our Scottish Genomics Leadership Group (SGLG) and relevant work streams to include a wider pool of stakeholders than those currently on the SGLG. This expanded structure will consider the recommendations from the Genetic Major Service Review as well as considerations for further genomics expansion.

Our genetic laboratories are engaged with NHS Board Research and Development departments as well as a number of academic institutions and charity organisations regarding clinical research in Scotland.

In particular, the genetic laboratory in Glasgow has been working with the Glasgow Precision Oncology Laboratory (GPOL), oncology colleagues and eHealth to build a platform for the delivery of clinical trials in cancer patients. This platform will enable the delivery of clinical grade next generation sequencing as well as novel systems for the collation of all diagnostic results including genomics, for cancer patients.

Question reference: S6W-08169

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03517 by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021, and the National Services Division review of NHS Scotland’s genomics services, what steps are being taken to align the timing of the publication of advice by the Scottish Medicines Consortium with the commissioning of companion diagnostic tests in order to prevent delays for patients getting advanced therapies.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) currently provides early information to National Services Division (NSD) on cancer medicines in clinical development that are expected to require a companion diagnostic through regular horizon scanning reports; these are also discussed at regular meetings between the SMC and NSD. To support financial and service planning, the SMC also provides Health Boards – in confidence - with information on medicines that may require a companion diagnostic through regular forward look reports which include emerging new medicines, including Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs).

The Scottish Government recognises that an improved streamlined process for the implementation of new genetic tests linked to a Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC)-approved medicine is required. A key priority of the Scottish Genomics Leadership Group will be to review how horizon scanning for new medicines is linked to implementation of testing for Scottish patients to prevent delays for patients getting access to advanced therapies. Close collaborative working with the pharmaceutical industry will be essential to this process.

Question reference: S6W-08163

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that genetic testing is embedded as a standard of care in the treatment pathways for people with cancers.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the role of genomics in improving patient outcomes particularly for people with cancer. Our genetic laboratories across Scotland already provide a range of cancer genetic tests to support the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

We have committed £6.2 million of funding to genomics in 2022-23 which will support expanding our genomics capabilities in NHS Scotland.

Furthermore, we have provided funding to NSD to establish a Transformation Team led by a Lead Clinical Scientist alongside resource that specialises in transformative programme management and Data Analytics. The Team will be operational from June 2022.

This team will be responsible for delivering the rapid adoption of a number of genetic tests for cancer across the genetic laboratories as well as developing an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations from the Genetic Laboratory Major Service Review.

Over the coming months we will be expanding the membership of our Scottish Genomics Leadership Group (SGLG) and relevant work streams to include a wider pool of stakeholders than those currently on the SGLG. This expanded structure will consider the recommendations from the Major Services Review as well as considerations for further genomics expansion. The availability of genetic testing for the treatment of cancer as a standard of care will be a key consideration of the work taken forward.

Chamber and committees