Chamber and committees

This type of scheme is demand led, and it is difficult to estimate the number of people eligible for the scheme. Based on our modelling of the number of people who might be asked to self-isolate, our current estimate of costs is upwards of £11m for the remainder of this financial year. However, it is difficult to provide estimates around such an unpredictable virus and human action.

The Scottish Governments approach to modelling COVID-19 testing draws together a number of data sources, and is reflected in the our current Testing Strategy. We continue to work closely with colleagues across the NHS to further understand testing demand from all eligible groups, including pandemic curve modelling and the testing capacity required to deliver this.

In the initial stage of the pandemic, a key focus of the testing strategy was to test symptomatic key workers and their family members, allowing negative-cases to return to work quickly. Currently testing of asymptomatic key health and social care workers is driven by regular testing of Care Home staff and NHS workers in critical pathways. As the pandemic progresses, the Scottish Government is constantly reviewing the list of key workers that should be tested on a regular basis. As with the general public, symptomatic key workers should isolate and arrange a test as soon as they develop symptoms, this can ensure they can return to work quickly if the test is negative.

Anyone in Scotland who develops symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate immediately and book a test. A COVID-19 test can be booked online using NHS Inform or by calling 0800 028 2816. Anyone who requires support to book a test can call 0300 303 2713. Once a test has been booked it can be taken at a drive-through site (Regional Testing Site or Mobile Testing Unit), at a walk-in site (Local Test Site) or by using a home testing kit. The test kits are then analysed at UK Government run Lighthouse laboratories.

Information is published on the Scottish Government website on both how to arrange a test and how to access the test once it has been arranged. This information can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-
getting-tested/pages/overview/ .

Testing for COVID-19 is available through the NHS in Scotland to all symptomatic Health and Social care staff or symptomatic household members (where a negative test will support their return to work). Further information on how to arrange a test can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-
getting-tested/pages/arrange-a-test/ or by calling 0300 303 2713.

Routine asymptomatic testing is being offered to some health and social care staff working in high risk settings as part of a wider range of interventions appropriate because of particular concerns about transmission in these contexts including care homes, specialist oncology wards, long term care of the elderly wards, and long term care wards in mental health facilities. Testing for care home staff is mostly arranged through the UK social care testing portal with some testing now being organised and managed by NHS Boards where they have local capacity. Testing for healthcare staff is organised and managed by NHS Boards.

Testing for some key workers, for instance staff in schools and childcare settings is accessed through the Employer Referral Portal.

The Scottish Government is working to ensure that testing is accessible across the country and is currently introducing Local Test Sites to improve local access to testing. The Scottish Government is keeping the accessibility of testing under constant review.

The majority of people who are tested get their test results the day after taking the test. Whilst some results may take longer, we expect all test subjects get their results within 72 hours.

Testing is one important tool in our overall approach to managing the pandemic in Scotland and reducing as far as is possible all of the harms caused by COVID-19. Our testing strategy will be updated as the evidence base continually builds; as innovations provide new, better and faster possibilities; and as we continue to move through and out the pandemic.

Since 2016 we have had a joint policy with COSLA to ensure that all adult social care workers are paid at least the real living wage in the context of a system that is currently delivered by private, third sector and public employers. We also have a long-standing commitment to the principles of Fair Work and are currently working with stakeholders to further embed fair work principles and achieve better terms and conditions and more rewarding roles for the social care workforce. The independent review of adult social care, announced in our Programme for Government, will include the consideration of a range of national approaches to adult social care. The review will take a human-rights based approach taking into consideration fair work and pay of the workforce, funding, governance, administration and delivery.

We have no plans to abolish registration fees for registered workers in social care. Workers who are required to register with a professional regulator, such as SSSC, are required to pay an annual registration fee and that remains the legal position. Through emergency legislation, we have taken action to address the payment of registration fees for social care workers during the COVID-19 outbreak by extending the period of time a new or returning worker is required to pay their fees, from 6 months to 12 months. SSSC will not remove workers from the Register who are unable to pay the annual fee on time but will contact them at a later date if the fee remains due.

By offering an extended period of time in which to register we hope to encourage workers to return to the register during this emergency.

The emergency legislation will remain in place during the current pandemic.

The guidance to support the safe re-opening and delivery of building-based day services for adults was published on the 31 August on the Scottish Government website at:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-adult-social-care-building-based-day-services/

Details about the research projects funded from the rapid research in COVID-19 call issued by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO), which include a project relating to COVID-19 vaccine development and projects relating to the treatment and management of COVID-19, are available at: https://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/rapid-research-in-covid-19-programme/

Details about the COVID-19-related clinical research projects that are being supported by the Scottish Government’s investment, through CSO, in NHS Research Scotland (NRS) are available at: http://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/coronavirus/covid-19-research . NRS is also supporting the participation of the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow with NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde in the UK trial of the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine.

CSO and NRS are also working with the National Institute for Health Research and NHS Digital and partners in Wales and Northern Ireland on the UK-wide NHS COVID-19 vaccine research register to support COVID-19 vaccine trials. Details about this are available at: https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/vaccine-studies/

The Scottish Government has given local authorities the flexibility to co-ordinate food provision to families eligible for free school meals, during the school summer holidays, in any manner which they feel best meets the local needs and circumstances of all eligible families within their respective areas. Local authorities have made provision through a variety of methods including providing eligible families with direct cash payments; supermarket or shop vouchers; delivering food items directly to the homes of eligible families; and providing food at local hubs for collection.

The provisions set out in The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008 apply only to food which is served in schools, however we would encourage that healthy and nutritious meal options continue to be provided to eligible families during the school summer holidays where local authorities are providing food items directly to eligible families.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31038 on 13 August 2020. The Scottish Government has given local authorities the flexibility to co-ordinate food provision to families eligible for free school meals, during the school summer holidays, in any manner which they feel best meets the local needs and circumstances of all eligible families within their respective areas.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .