Chamber and committees

Inspiring Scotland through the ‘Support in the Right Direction’ (SiRDS) programme, provides access to independent advice and advocacy in 31 local authorities, with a forthcoming scoping project tasked with identifying a SiRD partner to offer services in the Moray area from FY 2023-2024. SiRDS is supporting over 9,000 people and families.

The Scottish Government funds the Personal Assistant Network Scotland (PANS) , which is a Personal Assistant (PA) national membership organisation offering a free photo ID card as well as advice. PANS has also helped to promote the first ever online PA handbook which provides valuable information for PAs.

Whilst responsibility for recruitment and retention of pharmacists and the wider team in community pharmacies is a matter for individual community pharmacy contractors, the Scottish Government has increased the number of pharmacist pre-registration training places available from 170 to 224 currently. A further 44 places will be available by 2024-25.

In order to aid retention of pharmacists in community pharmacy we have developed a Community Pharmacy NHS Post Registration Foundation Programme, which sees up to 130 places made available for a two and a half year programme for early career pharmacists. The programme is an experiential learning programme designed to develop confidence in pharmacy practice specific to Scotland, building on the skills and resilience established during the pre-registration Foundation Training Year. A Scottish NHS community pharmacy contractor will employ post-registration pharmacists qualifying in the summer of each year as pharmacists in a permanent role.

We are also already investing in and providing a greater mix of enhanced experiential learning in clinical practice for undergraduate pharmacy students, including in community pharmacy, to help them gain valuable experience in this setting. This is a key addition in preparing students with the relevant skills and experience for the changing demands of the workforce, including collaborative practice. It is also an important first step in helping to build a career pathway for pharmacists.

The Scottish Government is increasing the number of pharmacist pre-registration training places from 200 by an additional 120 places over 5 years from December 2019, to create the opportunity for more pharmacists to enter the profession. To date we have increased places by 76, with the remaining 44 places due to be available by 24/25.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving pharmaceutical care in Scotland and the development of digitally enabled infrastructure in primary care to underpin this. The ePharmacy Programme continues to oversee and develop technology used in community pharmacies to support the provision of NHS pharmaceutical care services.

The Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways (DPDP) programme is on track to replace the current paper prescription in Scotland with a digital approach by the end of this parliamentary term. The early focus is in-hours fixed General Practice prescribing and Community Pharmacy dispensing across Scotland, with initial user engagement complete and planning underway for the design on an initial prototype approach.

The Acute Medication Service (AMS) Digital Programme is also underway which aims to significantly reduce the volume of barcoded paper prescriptions that need to be sent by community pharmacies into NSS for scanning.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on recreational vaping. However, the Scottish Government published a report earlier in 2023 which examined the extent of use of e-cigarette in adults and children. The numbers will include those using e-cigarettes to quit smoking tobacco, as well as recreational use - Vaping - understanding prevalence and trends among adults and children: research - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Although challenging to establish a precise estimate of use, key messages from the report include:

The percentage of adults in Scotland reporting current use (generally includes those who vape once a week or more and those who vape only occasionally) is likely to be somewhere between 5% according to the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS 2021) and 13.2% as shown by the Smoking Toolkit Study (STS 2022). The most recent data suggest that the percentage reporting current vaping has increased over time, despite the SHeS 2021 indicating a decrease since 2019.

Although based on different samples by age, surveys from across the UK show that the percentage of current young users (both regular and occasional) could be somewhere between 1.1% of 10-15 year olds ( Understanding Society 2020/21 ) and 7% of 11-17 year olds ( ASH GB Youth Survey 2022 ). Current use appears to be increasing.

Scottish Government commissioned Zero Waste Scotland to undertake a review of the environmental impacts of single use e-cigarettes, the report was published in June 2023. The report identifies several environmental impacts, including littering, wasteful use of resources and carbon emissions. Further detail is available in the report. The environmental impact of single-use vapes (zerowastescotland.org.uk) . The Scottish Government is considering the findings of the report and will set out next steps in the autumn.

The Scottish Government will publish a refreshed Tobacco Action Plan in Autumn this year, which will include further action on nicotine vaping products.

We work with Public Health Scotland, Scottish Government analysts and a range of academics and stakeholders to understand the evidence. This is an ongoing process to ensure that the Tobacco Action Plan is based on the latest evidence.

In May 2023 we published “Vaping – understanding the prevalence and trends among adults and children – research” ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/understanding-prevalence-trends-vaping-adults-children/pages/2/ ). This analysis of data on vaping from twelve surveys conducted at UK or regional level, with a focus on current use, ever tried and dual use of vaping products, and differences by socio-economic status. It helps understand the potential extent of any issues.

We have not had any direct discussions with Local Authorities to date regarding the potential banning of disposable vapes.

However, a stakeholder roundtable was held on 6 September 2023 by the Ministers for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity and for Public Health and Women's Health to discuss the findings of the Zero Waste Scotland report on the environmental impacts of single use vapes, which will include representation from local government.

In 2022 we published our consultation on Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products . Evidence about the impact of e-cigarette use on health was included as a section.

Since then Electronic cigarettes and health outcomes: systematic review of evidence (anu.edu.au) and the UK Government commissioned Khan report have been published, adding further to the evidence base.

In May 2023 we published "Vaping – understanding the prevalence and trends among adults and children" ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/understanding-prevalence-trends-vaping-adults-children/pages/2/). This analysis of data on vaping from twelve surveys conducted at UK or regional level, with a focus on current use, ever tried and dual use of vaping products, and differences by socio-economic status.

We work with Public Health Consultants, Scottish Government analysts, and a range of academics and stakeholders to understand how this, and other evidence, informs current understanding. It is an ongoing process to ensure that the development of a refreshed Tobacco Action Plan is based on the latest evidence.

We have a clear message on vaping – that it is one possible smoking cessation method and not a lifestyle accessory. Vapes should not be used by children and young people or adult non-smokers.

Our 2022 consultation on Tightening Rules on Advertising and Promoting Vaping Products proposed restrictions on vaping products that strike a balance between protecting non-smokers from the potential harms of vaping, whilst providing existing adult smokers with the information they need to make an informed choice on cessation.

Officials are working to develop further action in this area, which will form part of our refreshed Tobacco Action Plan when it is published in autumn 2023.

Any action that we seek to take will build on the regulations that are already in place to restrict the marketing, promotion and sale of vaping products to under-18s.

We are also supporting work with young people to help them understand the risks related to vaping.

We continue to work with the UK Government, alongside Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly, over joint approaches where appropriate and welcome their commitment to help address underage vaping.

The Zero Waste Scotland report on the environmental impacts of single use vapes highlighted an increase in the number of people using vapes in Scotland. The Scottish Government is committed to taking action on single use vapes, which includes our Programme for Government commitment to consult on a proposal to ban their sale and other appropriate measures. Our approach will be subject to further engagement, policy development and consultation, and informed by a stakeholder roundtable and engagement with the UK Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive.