Chamber and committees

The Common Financial Tool Working Group has met on the following dates:

• 7 February 2013
• 11 March 2013
• 31 July 2013
• 11 March 2014
• 2 Sept 2014
• 8 December 2014
• 5 February 2015
• 29 May 2015
• 21 March 2016
• 2 May 2017
• 19 February 2018
• 27 March 2018
• 24 July 2018
• 4 Sept 2018
•  

A Common Financial Tool Working Group sub-group met on 12 December 2018.

Discussion points from each meeting are set-out in the minutes and all of the minutes agreed by the Working Group have been published on Accountant in Bankruptcy’s website – https://www.aib.gov.uk/about-aib/stakeholder-working-groups/scottish-common-financial-tool-working-group

Through our £42 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme, we aim to increase the proportion of cancers that are detected at the earliest stage when the chance of survival is higher.

Public awareness of early signs and symptoms is key to driving early stage diagnoses. The Detect Lung Cancer Early campaign fronted by Sir Alex Ferguson was first launched on 6 November 2013. This was supported by the existing marketing campaign being on air again in January and November 2018. A Detect Cancer Early campaign ‘Survivors’ was also launched in September 2018 to reduce fear around all cancers and to empower people, regardless of age or symptoms, to act if they have a worry or concern.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting GPs to be more aware of the potential signs and symptoms of cancer and the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, which include a specific section on lung cancer, are currently being refreshed and will be published early 2019.

The Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland is currently in its early stages of development.

The Plan will set out the main priorities to support NHS Boards in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory conditions. Respiratory screening programmes will be included as appropriate in recommended clinical pathways.

We have encouraged Cornerstone to seek a resolution to the dispute with Unison, through the involvement of ACAS. We are offering to meet both organisations to support efforts to reach a resolution.

The Scottish Government is committed to fair work and consider it to be central to the delivery of inclusive growth. While progress has been made, we want to go further so that we use all of the levers and the financial power of the Scottish Government to achieve our vision of a Fair Work Nation by 2025. In the absence of powers over employment law, we are taking a strategic approach through a Fair Work Action Plan to and through Fair Work First we will extend fair work criteria to as many funding streams, business support grants and public contracts as we can.

The Scottish Government believes that a progressive approach to industrial relations and that trade unionism is at the very heart of a fairer, more successful society. Research suggests that workers rate collective voice exercised through trade union representation and collective bargaining arrangements most highly in relation to concerns over pay, discipline and grievance.

The Scottish Government is therefore committed to supporting strong trade unions in Scotland's care sector where there is currently a voice deficit; any case of derecognition is therefore highly regrettable and should be avoided.

The Scottish Government has had several discussions with Cornerstone about its dispute with UNISON. The Scottish Government has also been liaising with UNISON.

Scottish ministers are keen that both parties enter into negotiations as soon as possible and officials will continue to liaise with Cornerstone and UNISON until a resolution is found. Scottish ministers are writing to both organisations offering support in reaching an agreement.

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, provides for Scottish Ministers to publish Statutory Guidance on Addressing Fair Work Practices, including the Living Wage, in Procurement. This Guidance was published in October 2015, after consultation with Trade Unions. It states that where a Fair Work criterion is included in a procurement exercise, bidders are expected to describe how they adopt fair work practices, including, for example, their approach to supporting trade union recognition or alternative arrangements to give staff an effective voice.

Data is not held centrally on cancer performance by hospital site. Validated cancer waiting times by health board is published quarterly by ISD. Data for Quarter 3 2018 (July - September) will be published by ISD on 18 December 2018 and can be accessed at http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/Publications/data-tables2017.asp?id=2254#2254 .

Data is not held centrally on cancer performance by hospital site. Validated cancer waiting times by health board is published quarterly by ISD. Data for Quarter 3 2018 (July-September) will be published by ISD on 18 December 2018 and can be accessed at http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/Publications/data-tables2017.asp?id=2254#2254 .