Chamber and committees

Public bodies operate independently from Scottish Ministers for their procurement activities and are therefore responsible for running their own tendering exercises and for the decisions they take as part of those exercises. It is their responsibility to ensure that any PPE they acquire is fit for purpose. Therefore, questions about the standard of PPE acquired by a public body should be addressed to the public body in question as we do not hold this information centrally.

To further support public bodies and ensure that PPE standards were clear, in March 2020 the Scottish Government issued a policy note to raise awareness on handling certain procurement related issues that arose as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. This contains information for public bodies relating to urgent purchases and can be seen at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/procurement-regulations-during-covid-19-outbreak-sppn-4-2020/ .

The Scottish Government does not hold current or past employment information on the number of specialist infection control nurses within individual NHS Boards.

The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) website includes information on the Infection Prevention and Control Service in NHSGGC and the local Infection Prevention Control Teams (IPCTs) which cover different geographical sectors. This information can be accessed via the NHSGGC website: https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/your-health/infection-prevention-and-control/about-us/#

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Scottish Ministers have postponed the introduction of the new milk and healthy snack scheme. Discussions with key stakeholders paused as public sector resource has been focussed on the Covid-19 response. Discussions with CoSLA and our wider stakeholders are expected to resume soon and we will publish information about the new scheme when a new timescale has been confirmed.

The Scottish Government has released guidance on the appropriate use and hygiene requirements of face covering. You can find a copy of the face coverings guidance on the Scottish Government website here .

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-30295 on 26 August 2020. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

As at 13 August 2020 the total number of tests carried out in (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) Argyll and Bute are:

West Dunbartonshire – a total of 7,800 tests of which 7,364 were negative and 436 positive.

Argyle and Bute – a total of 6,183 of which 6,015 were negative and 168 positive.

The numbers quoted above are for individuals tested and not overall tests.

As at 13-08-2020 the total number of tests carried out in (a) West Dunbartonshire and (b) Argyll and Bute are:

West Dunbartonshire – a total of 7,800 tests of which 7,364 were negative and 436 positive.

Argyle and Bute – a total of 6,183 tests of which 6,015 were negative and 168 positive.

The numbers quoted above are for individuals tested and not overall tests.

This guidance was as a result of changes to the nurse director and public health director role set out in a cabinet secretary letter published on 17 May and this is additional guidance to that already issued to care homes by HPS and Scottish Government and also earlier letters and advice about testing routes issued to directors of public health. The letter referenced on the 17 May is attached: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2020/05/coronavirus-covid-19-care-home-oversight/documents/letter-from-cabinet-secretary-for-health-and-sport-regarding-multi-professional-oversight-in-care-homes---may-2020/letter-from-cabinet-secretary-for-health-and-sport-regarding-multi-professional-oversight-in-care-homes---may-2020/govscot%3Adocument/Letter%2Bfrom%2BCabinet%2BSecretary%2Bfor%2BHealth%2Band%2BSport%2Bregarding%2Bmulti%2Bprofessional%2Boversight%2Bin%2Bcare%2Bhomes%2B-%2B17%2BMay%2B2020.pdf

The Scottish Government has agreed with COSLA to meet additional costs incurred through Covid-19. We continue to work closely with Integration Authorities and care homes and will provide further funding so that care homes have the resources needed throughout this pandemic. We have released an initial £50 million to Health and Social Care Partnerships to meet these additional costs. A second tranche of funding, an additional £50 million, was announced 03 August.

On the 29 June, I wrote to Scottish Hospices to confirm that their funding requests related to loss of income during the pandemic during the first financial quarter of 2020 would be met in full, and that £10.1m in total would be provided to Scottish Hospices for this purpose. Integration Authorities and NHS Boards were also notified of this on the same date, and the funding was processed for onward allocation to hospices at the end of quarter 1 (June 2020). The funding that has been provided to each hospice as per their request has been broken down in the following table.

It is important to reflect that this funding was provided on a one off basis to account for loss of income during the pandemic, and that we expect the existing commissioning arrangements between hospices and Integration Authorities to be maintained going forward.

When we have clarification on the total consequential funding we will receive this will be allocated in full to Scottish Hospices.