Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-18057

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

In June 2022 the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousef published a timetable for the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 on both the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website and Care Inspectorate website .

This timetable is still valid although it is noted the guidance consultation period is now due to start in June 2023, rather than May 2023.

If there is a particular element of implementation you would like further information on, please do not hesitate to contact the Act Implementation Team using [email protected] .

Question reference: S6W-18045

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of any hospital wards or units that have (a) closed and (b) been downgraded in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-18044

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly not possible to currently (a) train in paediatric palliative medicine and (b) study for a community children's nursing (CCN) qualification in Scotland.

Given the small numbers of highly specialised trainees in paediatric palliative medicine, training is currently delivered at the UK centre of excellence at Great Ormond Street.

With regards to studying for a community children’s nursing (CCN) qualification in Scotland, the Scottish Government has commissioned education specific to the needs of nurses delivering care in the community in the form of the Integrated Community Nursing Graduate Diploma.

This education provides opportunities to select an optional module, one of which is focused on integrated care of children and young people. In tandem with this, the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland, alongside other colleagues and stakeholders, contributed to the revision of the NMC post-registration education standards, available online here Standards of proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk) .

These standards continue to include provision for the development of community children’s nurses education programmes and higher education institutions in Scotland, and across the UK. We are now considering how best to develop programmes in alignment with the revised standards.

Question reference: S6O-02323

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-18047

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any delays to the network of NHS Scotland's National Treatment Centres; what the (a) original scheduled opening date was and (b) new forecasted opening date is, for each centre, and whether it will provide (i) an update on the recruitment of the 1,500 clinical and non-clinical staff needed for the centres and (ii) a breakdown of any increases in forecasted costs for each centre.

The Scottish Government’s National Treatment Centres (NTCs) programme will provide protected capacity for planned care for orthopaedic, ophthalmic and diagnostic activity. NTC Fife and NTC Highland have already opened this year with NTC Forth Valley and Golden Jubilee Phase 2 due to open later this year.

The original and actual / projected costs, as well as original and actual/projected opening dates are shown in the following table.

	As stated in Full Business Case		Actual / projected
	Cost	Opening Date	Cost	Opening Date
Golden Jubilee – Eye Centre (Phase 1)	£15.8m	July 20	£15.3m	Nov 20
NTC Fife	£33.2m	Sep 22	£34.3m	Mar 23
NTC Highland	£41.3m	Note 1	£48.6m	Apr 23
NTC Forth Valley	£10.2m	Dec 22	£12.7m	Sep 23
Golden Jubilee – Phase 2	£80.9m	Dec 22	£82.3m	Dec 23

Note 1: The Planned Opening Date of July 2021 (and construction completion of May 2021), as noted in the FBC submission, was based on the full business case being approved in May 2019. Consideration of the full business case was deferred until the January 2020 Capital Investment Group meeting and the approval letter issued in February 2020. At the date of approval the revised opening date would have been April 2022.

For the remaining Centres, the costs and dates for opening will be confirmed on submission and approval of the full business cases.

The Scottish Government is providing a range of recruitment support, as well as training and development activity to assist Health Boards with securing the right mix of new and experienced staff for their NTCs.

We are working with Health Boards to publish NTC workforce data alongside the overall NHS Scotland workforce statistics in June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17979

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) annual, (b) monthly and (c) hourly remuneration is for the Women's Health Champion.

Question reference: S6W-17762

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the University of Dundee report, Senior Hospital Doctors' Intentions to Retire in NHS Scotland, which states that nearly half of all senior hospital doctors in Scotland aged 50 and over intend to retire before normal pension age.

I welcome this report and the valuable insight it has given us. The report highlighted that pension taxation was the main driver for Consultant’s seeking early retirement, which is why we continued to press the UK Government to resolve this issue. I am pleased they listened and brought forward changes at the UK Budget on 15 March to the annual and life time allowances that resolve this issue for the vast majority of Senior Doctors, ensuring they have an alternative choice to retiring early and leaving the service.

The report gives NHS Employers a clear understanding of the issues facing our highly valued Consultant staff. It will allow us to work in partnership with BMA Scotland and NHS Boards through our established structures to address the issues raised in this report, ensuring that NHS Scotland is able to attract and retain doctors at all stages in their career.

We have already established the Improving Medical Retention Advisory Group who have made recommendations to improve the retention of senior doctors and are continuing to implement these actions.

Question reference: S6O-02289

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-17624

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide (a) an update on the work of the breast screening modernisation programme, particularly in relation to addressing health inequalities in screening programmes and (b) further details of the work being undertaken on a national Equity in Screening Strategy, including when it is expected to be published.

The Scottish Government recognises that work is required to reduce inequalities and improve access for all to the screening programmes.

The Breast Screening Modernisation Programme was established in April 2022 to take forward the recommendations of the Breast Screening Review. The Programme has had four meetings over this period, and has agreed its vision and priority areas. Three projects are now underway, focussing on workforce, call/recall of screening participants and data. The Breast Screening Modernisation Programme is linking in closely with the development of the Equity in Screening Strategy to reduce inequalities in the screening programme – for example by improving access and modernising digital capabilities.

The Equity in Screening Strategy has been developed over the past 12 months, through a collaborative process that has involved professionals from all parts of the screening system, third sector representatives and academia. The main aim of the strategy is to improve understanding of where inequalities exist in the screening pathway, and for which population groups. The Strategy is expected to be published in June, with an associated Action Plan being published shortly thereafter.

Question reference: S6W-17597

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many students (a) applied for and (b) were awarded the paramedic bursary in its first year of operation.