Chamber and committees

The information is not centrally held.

Testing for COVID-19 in Scotland is available through the NHS in Scotland to all Health and Social care staff delivering NHS services and providing social care to protect and care for the most vulnerable. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested/pages/who-can-be-tested/ .

Testing for COVID-19 in Scotland is available to all symptomatic individuals aged 5 years and over through the Test and Protect Programme further information can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested/ or by calling 0300 303 2713.

The Scottish Government is committed to using testing where it has a clear purpose and can contribute to reducing the risk of transmission. We will continue to adopt a flexible approach to testing which is based on the best available evidence to address the challenges where it can have the greatest impact and is guided by scientific, clinical and public health advice from our expert advisory structures.

Testing is one of a number of key public health mitigation measures and must be seen alongside a strong emphasis on removing symptomatic health and social care staff from the work, the use of PPE, physical distancing, environmental optimisation and decontamination and good social hygiene. It must not be seen as a substitute.

The Scottish Government have engaged with Social Work Scotland Learning Disability and Autism sub group and the Scottish Commission for Learning Disabilities to monitor what has been happening across the country for day care services. This has included consultation to understanding the potential barriers to safely re-open and reconfigure services; what creative solutions have been implemented to date; and what support and guidance is needed to support local decision making.

Social day care services encompass a wide variety of types of support. Some critical day care and respite support for people with learning disabilities has remained in place with appropriate physical distancing and hygiene measures, whilst other services have re-opened, providing essential support in a different way.

It is critical that social care support is maintained throughout this difficult period to ensure the safety, dignity and human rights of people who already receive support and their unpaid carers. We have made clear to local authorities that they should act to do what is right to deal with the virus, and not be constrained by funding issues. In addition to the funding directed towards social care from the 2020-21 budget, we have agreed with COSLA that Scottish Government will meet additional social care costs incurred because of the impact of the pandemic.

The information is not centrally held.

Testing for COVID-19 in Scotland is available through the NHS in Scotland to all Health and Social care staff delivering NHS services and providing social care to protect and care for the most vulnerable. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested/pages/who-can-be-tested/ .

The information is not centrally held.

Testing for COVID-19 in Scotland is available through the NHS in Scotland to all Health and Social care staff delivering NHS services and providing social care to protect and care for the most vulnerable. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested/pages/who-can-be-tested/ .

The information is not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29384 on 16 July 2020 for further information about data on hospital admissions from care homes. 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 .

The information is not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29384 on 16 July 2020 for further information about data on hospital admissions from care homes. 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 .

The information is not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29834 on 16 July 2020 for further information about data on hospital admissions from care homes. 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

On 3 June, the NRS published data on the number of COVID deaths of people whose usual residence was a care home and who died in hospital. That figure was 154.

This information can be accessed via the following link:

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//statistics/covid19/covid-deaths-care-home-residents.xlsx

One of our key priorities is to ensure that children and young people with additional support needs, continue to be fully supported with their learning as we begin to transition back to a greater level of face-to-face education.

The needs of individual children should be carefully considered by education authorities, schools and early learning centres within the plans for anticipating a return to schools on a full-time basis in August. Our national guidance on continuity of learning supports this approach.

To further support local authorities and schools, Education Scotland has developed bespoke resources to assist in planning the individual support that children and young people with additional support needs may require in their transition back to school or in their progression to another learning setting.