Chamber and committees

For financial years 2020-21 to 2023-24, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17940 on 30 May 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

For 2024-25, the allocated budget for Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme is:

The Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme was launched in April 2020 to support landlords with the cost of installation of energy efficiency improvements, renewable systems and energy storage systems. It is a demand-led scheme open to landlords who choose to apply.

The following table outlines the number of landlords who received a loan offer in each financial year since the launch of the scheme:

Jenni Minto: Quantitative evaluation is ongoing through data analysis by Practitioner Services Division of NSS and is published by Public Health Scotland quarterly. This data can be found at the following link:

https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-dental-data-monitoring-report/nhs-dental-data-monitoring-report-quarter-ending-march-2024/

The Scottish Government has also introduced a revised system of Quality Improvement activity with a specific focus, in 2024-25, on qualitatively evaluating the impact of payment reform. Dental teams are required to undertake a team-based reflection activity to discuss their experience of the reform process in addition to the resultant changes they have made in their practices. This process has been to complement and enhance the qualitative information already collated through regular engagement with NHS Boards and Directors of Dentistry.

The Scottish Government undertook and published an Equality Impacts Assessment and Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment, as part of the amendment regulations made as payment reform. Further detail can be found at:

Supporting documents - NHS dental payment reform: equality impact assessment record - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

A Health Inequalities Impact Assessment would not ordinarily form part of the policy process in Scottish Government.

The Women’s Health Champion, Professor Anna Glasier, has highlighted the impact of polycystic ovarian syndrome and its effect on women as one of her priorities.

Given the impact PCOS can have on women’s lives, and in particular the way in which symptoms such as these can affect relationships, work, education and mental health, we have ensured that our Women’s Health Platform on NHS Inform provides accurate and comprehensive information about PCOS including the options for care, treatment and support.

The Platform also offers a wide range of information to support people with their mental health including a self-help guide focussed on menstrual health and mental health.

The health and wellbeing of women at work is an important element of fair work. Our policy approach is informed by evidence and findings from a range of expert stakeholders. This includes the 2023 survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) which recommends employers provide appropriate workplace culture, environments and support that are menstruation friendly. These can increase employee attendance, and also legitimise absence where this is needed.

In addition, we have worked in partnership with the University of Glasgow on the ground-breaking study "Advancing Menopause and Menstrual Health in Organisations (AMMInO): A National Study of Employees in Health and Social Care".

Over 6,000 NHSScotland staff responded to the staff survey which informed the NHSScotland Menopause and Menstrual Health Workplace Policy, launched in October 2023. This policy and accompanying supporting resources are available on the National Wellbeing Hub which is accessible to the public.

Over the past 10 years, there has been a 50% increase in consultant oncologists, from 94.8 WTE (whole time equivalent) in March 2014, to 142.6 WTE in March 2024. We have also increased consultant radiologists by 31.9%, from 288.2 WTE ten years ago (March 2014) to 380.1 WTE in March 2024.

In addition to this, we have been increasing the number of available specialty training places for junior doctors in Radiology and Oncology training programmes, and more junior doctors are joining NHS Scotland than ever before, with more than 1,100 specialty trainees recruited throughout 2023.

To specifically support scope based diagnostics, the National Endoscopy Training Programme has been established within the NHS Scotland Academy to commission and deliver endoscopy training to a wide range of learners from different professional backgrounds, with representatives from every mainland health board in Scotland.

This ensures the availability of appropriately trained endoscopists and endoscopy support staff to deliver safe, high quality endoscopic investigations for Scotland’s patients. To date this has supported 80 trainees to complete Basic Skills courses, 137 trainees to attend upskilling courses, 54 trainees to attend immersion training at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital, and 113 trainees to develop their ability to recognise lesions, primarily to support improved cancer detection.

We have also funded NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop a non-medical endoscopy programme. Since 2021, 53 places in total have been made available for non-medical endoscopy training and 20 places have been made available for non-medical cystoscopy training.

Since 2021, Scottish Government has provided three permanent CT scanners to support core diagnostic imaging capacity within Boards, including a mobile CT pod which is deployed flexibly to Boards that require additional capacity. One further mobile CT and seven mobile MRI scanners are also being used across multiple NHS Boards to provide additional capacity and earlier diagnosis efforts.To specifically support scope-based diagnostics we have published an Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan backed by £70 million. The plan focuses on key areas including infrastructure. Funding has been allocated to extend the use of mobile endoscopy units for 24-25 to provide additional capacity.Further to this and despite the extremely challenging capital funding position, we are committed to continued investment in our capital radiotherapy replacement programme. We intend to invest more than £65 million over the next 3 years for this programme.We continue to invest in cancer services across NHS Scotland, with £11.3m recurring funding provided to Health Boards in 2024-25 to support cancer waiting times improvements, focusing efforts on the most challenged tumour types.

Given the significant numbers of arrivals and visas issued we need to continue to find creative ways to boost the supply of longer term housing. On 22 September 2022, the Scottish Government launched the Ukraine Longer-Term Resettlement Fund (ULTRF) to bring Local Authority (LA) and Registered Social Landlord (RSL) empty properties back into use that would otherwise not have been available for let.

Through this high value for money initiative, the Fund has approved twenty one capital projects across Scotland, bringing nearly 1300 homes back into use. As of 18 July 2024, 11 projects have fully completed, providing nearly 1200 homes, of which over 1000 are tenanted, providing settled accommodation for nearly 2200 Ukrainian people. The programme has offered commitments to fund improvement works of over £27.146 million in total across 2022-23 and 2023-24.

The ULTRF budget has now been confirmed as £5 million for 2024-45 and we continue to work closely with potential applicants to maximise delivery from the funding available.

The continuation of the Ukraine Longer-Term Resettlement Fund and its legacy is an opportunity to prevent unnecessary homelessness with some homes to be retained in the longer-term to address wider pressures by increasing social rented housing supply.

The Scottish Government is committed to helping displaced Ukrainians access sustainable accommodation, including in the PRS.

The Housing (Scotland) Bill includes a package of PRS reforms that provide additional rights and protections for tenants, including displaced people from Ukraine.

Information on tenants’ rights has been translated into Ukrainian and shared via the Scottish Government’s website and within the Ukrainian community. The Minister for Housing has engaged with landlords, estate agents and their representatives and will continue to do so to understand the challenges facing the PRS and how we may most effectively support displaced Ukrainians in accessing it.