Chamber and committees

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Testing for COVID-19 is undertaken by local NHS Health Boards, responsible for the delivery of healthcare at Scotland’s prisons.

On a daily basis SPS publishes on our website:

• The number of people who are self-isolating in our prisons;
• The number of prisons that this total is held across; and
• The number of people in our care who have tested positive for COVID-19.

We are discussing with justice partner organisations how best to publish data on levels of staff absence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and anticipate providing an update on this topic in the near future. At this stage, the position regarding staff absence in Police Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, as at 27 April, is as follows. Some care is advised in the interpretation of this information as organisations can have different ways of classifying staff absence within their own administrative systems.

(a) Police Scotland

On 27 April, a total of 1,926 Police Scotland staff (headcount), or approximately 8% of the workforce, were absent overall. A subset of this (1,122 staff or approximately 5% of the workforce) were absent due to a range of reasons related to COVID-19. The equivalent figures for the position on 23 March (the day when the ‘lockdown’ was announced) were 13% of the workforce being absent overall and 9% being absent for COVID-19 related reasons.

(b) Scottish Prison Service

On 27 April, a total of 876 Scottish Prison Service staff (headcount), or approximately 20% of the workforce, were absent overall. A subset of this (607 staff or approximately 14% of the workforce) were absent due to a range of reasons related to COVID-19. The equivalent figures for 23 March were 16% of the workforce being absent overall and 8% being absent for COVID-19 related reasons.

(c) Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service

On 27 April, a total of 264 Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service staff (full time equivalent), or approximately 15% of the workforce, were absent overall (due to all sickness absence types, carers leave and COVID-19 shielding). This compares to the position on 23 March when 19% of the workforce were absent.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

NHS partners have identified those in our care who, as a result of underlying conditions, are placed at greater risk from COVID-19. NHS Boards have issued those identified with letters advising them that they should self-isolate for up to 12 weeks.

Where someone is advised that they should be shielding then they should be accommodated in a single room and their meals should be provided in their cell. They should continue to be given access to the phone and showers. However, these should be thoroughly cleaned prior to use.

SPS staff have been issued with information on how to identify those individuals who may be struggling to cope while in isolation.Self-help support leaflets for both those who live and work in our prisons have been issued and provide information and tools designed to assist people in maintaining good mental wellbeing during the pandemic. A range of innovative in-cell activities and means of family contact are also being progressed.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of people in prison who require protection through shielding.

Healthcare provision in prisons is the responsibility of local Health Boards and Integration Joint Boards. The NHS has identified people in prison who meet the criteria for shielding.

The Scottish Government cannot comment on individual cases. The responsibility for healthcare services in prisons sits with Integration Joint Boards and NHS Boards.

The Scottish Government established the Health and Social Care in Prisons Programme in 2017 through which a refresh of the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding has been identified as a priority. We are working with key Stakeholders to progress an approach to drafting a new Memorandum of Understanding that will accurately reflect Stakeholders current roles and responsibilities in the delivery of safe, effective and patient centred care.

The safe treatment and health of those in custody is a key priority for Scotland’s prisons. Our frontline prison officers, together with our NHS staff, work hard every day to support people in custody who often have complex health care needs. The responsibility for healthcare services in prisons sits with NHS Boards and Integrated Joint Boards. The Scottish Prison Service also plays a crucial role in facilitating access to those services.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people leaving prison are supported to reintegrate into their communities, as well as ensuring our public services recognise and respond to their needs. The National Prison Care Network hosted by NHS National Services Scotland brings together local NHS partners and the Scottish Prison Service at a tactical level. This mechanism will provide national coordination, develop consistent approaches and coordinate communications between partners, across custody settings. This new structure will provide a platform to address a number of issues that require a national approach this includes Data and Information (including clinical IT), Integration of Health and Social Care, Medicines and Community Integration Planning.

The Scottish Government will also be making changes to legislation to allow prisoners to register with a GP in the community prior to their release. This will promote continuity of care, prevention of re-offending, prevention of accidental overdose, potential to reduce work for GPs, and reduce pressure on Out of Hours.

The Scottish Government cannot comment on individual cases.

Healthcare provision in prisons is the responsibility of local Health Boards and Integration Joint Boards. Decisions about patient care and treatment are determined by a range of influences and are entirely for clinicians to make on the basis of their professional judgement of the patients clinical need.

The quarterly update on action 15 was published at 09:00 on 11 March 2020.

The provision of surveillance at each of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited’s (HIAL) Air Traffic Control airports is crucial to the delivery of modern, efficient and environmentally sound Air Traffic Services in the Highlands and Islands, where safe operation is key. HIAL will be undertaking a procurement exercise to fully inform the market of the requirement and press for innovative solutions from suppliers. Following the completion of the tender exercise, the number of radar heads and costs will be known.

It should be noted that, as identified in the ‘HIAL ATM2030 Technical Scoping Study’ by Helios, any change to the current method of Air Traffic Control operation will lead to an increase in operational costs.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-25939 on 24 October 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .