Chamber and committees

The Scottish Learning Disability Observatory have approval to link the National Records of Scotland (NRS) and NHS controlled datasets to enable them to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the learning disabilities population in Scotland. Once they receive the datasets, it will be linked and analysed. We expect the evidence to be available in September, and if it meets statistical quality thresholds it will be published thereafter.

Occupational therapists provide an important service in supporting people to regain and maintain healthy independent lives. During the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, Occupational Therapists were providing essential only care. The Scottish Government is currently developing a framework on recovery and rehabilitation from Covid-19 that will put in place clear principles, priorities and objectives to support planning and delivery to meet increasing demand and to provide high quality person-centred rehabilitation in different settings, including Occupational Therapy. The scope of this will cover the different ways people have been affected by the virus and inform delivery of services as a result of Covid-19. We expect this Framework to be published this month.

General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) legislation was amended from 1 October 2018, formally establishing community optometry as the first port of call for eye problems in Scotland. Supported by continued Scottish Government investment in GOS, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic a record number of patients received a supplementary eye examination in 2019-20, illustrating the management of more ocular conditions in the community. This increase in scope of practise has been further supported by continuing professional development for optometrists provided by NHS Education for Scotland, including a mandatory first port of call module for all practitioners across the country.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, financial support provided by the Scottish Government has helped community optometrists to remotely triage and safely manage as many patients as possible in the community.

The Scottish Government is also funding an additional 50 places on Glasgow Caledonian University’s Independent Prescriber (IP) optometry course. IP optometrists can help manage more patients in the community and avoid them needing to go to hospital or General Practice, thus reducing the burden on those health care settings.

The oil and gas sector continues to be significantly affected by the impact of COVID-19 and the fall in oil price and this has unfortunately led to a number of redundancies across the sector. Skills Development Scotland is continuing to offer PACE support services to all employees facing redundancy.

The Scottish Government has committed £100 million in 2020/21 to support those looking for work or at risk of redundancy to retrain and get back into work. This package of support will include a job guarantee for young people, a new national retraining scheme and more funding to provide immediate assistance and advice if people are made redundant. I shall seek to ensure that the sector is aware of all opportunities for support for individuals arising from this funding, for example in supporting transition to alternative employment within the renewable energy sector.

The Scottish Government has also launched a £62 million Energy Transition Fund which will support businesses in the oil, gas and energy sectors to grow and diversify and will help to attract private sector investment. This investment will support and develop sustainable jobs and contribute to inclusive economic growth across the country.

The Oil and Gas and Energy Transition Strategic Leadership Group is meeting monthly to identify practical actions to support the sector, its supply chain and its workforce.

The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the UK Government which retains many of the key levers required to support the sector, including delivery of an oil and gas sector deal.

The procurement process carried out by NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) has not changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Board has continued to evidence due diligence within its procurement procedures.

The Scottish Government does not intend to change this process, which has proven itself to operate effectively. However officials are working closely with NSS to identify opportunities to further enhance national procurement for NHSScotland.

The Scottish Government is currently developing a framework on recovery and rehabilitation from Covid-19 aligned to Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: the framework for NHS Scotland which was published in May 2020. In line with our route map, we are looking for services to recommence in a safe and effective way. Exceptional efforts are being made by the Scottish Government Digital Directorate and NHS Education Scotland to provide all healthcare professionals, including Occupational therapists with equipment, education and training to facilitate patient/client engagement. This will mean that a blended model of service delivery will be required, utilising telephone, NHS Near Me video consultation and in person when required.

There is significant work underway to confirm the scale of costs facing NHS Boards as a result of Covid-19 pressures. This includes the assessment of addressing backlogs across the NHS, including occupational therapy services. As part of this work, the Scottish Government will provide the necessary funding to support delivery of services and remobilisation, and will continue to ensure that patient safety remains the top priority.

We were delighted to receive over 400 responses to our consultation on the draft Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore wind energy earlier this year. The consultation analysis report was published on 22 July, marking another important milestone towards delivery of the final plan.

We are considering the responses as well as the views expressed at 17 events held in coastal communities throughout Scotland. It is our aim to publish the final plan in the autumn, subject to the remaining process running without complication.

Following a clinical assessment, personal retail services, including Complementary and Alternative Medicine services (CAMs) and massage therapy, were advised that they could resume services as of 22 July 2020, where the service is carried out in a therapist’s own premises (i.e. not a mobile therapist, who provides treatment in a patient’s home), and the close contact retail guidance has been updated to reflect this.

The Scottish Government are undertaking further clinical assessment of the risk of transmission of COVID-19 for mobile massage and CAM services, and are considering whether further guidance is required for these.

All regulated childcare settings, including school age childcare services have been able to reopen from 15 July, subject to public health guidance. On 3 July the Scottish Government published non-statutory guidance for school-age childcare providers to support safe re-opening of these settings during Phase 3. Refreshed guidance for school age childcare services was published on 30 July which will take effect from 10 August. Both sets of guidance can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-reopening-school-age-childcare-services/pages/overview/ . Guidance will be kept under review and updated as scientific and public health advice evolves.