Chamber and committees

Following Exercise Silver Swan, NHS Boards were provided with the exercise report by the Scottish Government to inform local planning. This included comment on national pandemic flu stockpile distribution. NHS National Services Scotland, who have the lead responsibility in the distribution of PPE, were consulted about their plans to distribute to the NHS. Some Boards have also been involved in examining how community pharmacies could support Board distribution of national stockpiles of antiviral medicines, which are a treatment specifically for pandemic influenza. These discussions are in addition to the general consideration of Exercise Silver Swan recommendations included in the answer to S5W-29612 on 25 June 2020.

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

We are in regular written and phone contact with Scottish Care on a range of matters relating to Covid-19. However, we have not entered into discussions with any organisations in relation to establishing a national care service.

The Scottish Government is monitoring closely and regularly publishing data on surveillance and our Test and Protect system that will give an early warning of local and national increases in Covid-19 cases. In addition, modelling undertaken by Scottish Government can be used to forecast the different potential scenarios.

The biggest single factor in controlling the virus and avoiding a second wave is how well we all continue to observe public health advice. We continue to take account of modelling expert advice, lessons learned from our own experience and from international data to adapt our plans and advice from the Chief Medical Officer and SAGE. We are now better prepared than ever to respond to any possible second wave.

Some NHS Boards were closely involved in the planning of Exercise Silver Swan alongside the Scottish Government. Following the exercise, NHS Boards were provided with the exercise report to inform local planning. NHS Boards and other organisations discussed the exercise recommendations with the Scottish Government on 6 December 2016. Discussions on the exercise have also been held between the Scottish Government and the NHS Board officials dealing with resilience issues. Both NHS Boards and Scottish Government are represented at Regional Resilience Partnership meetings, where the exercise was discussed at regional level.

The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on attacks against NHS Scotland staff. NHS Boards have delegated responsibility as the employer. Figures on violence and aggression towards NHS Scotland staff are collated by Health Boards, in line with the relevant policies and procedures.

Assault of any form is completely unacceptable and we take a zero tolerance approach, to violence and aggression towards our NHS Staff. We have been very clear that Health Boards should support all staff that wish to make a claim, against anyone who assaults a staff member.

In response to your question, the information you request is not available centrally; whether or not power of attorney has been granted prior to discharge is not recorded.

We can provide information on the number of people who were discharged from hospital to a placement following a period of delay due to matters associated with application of the Adults with Incapacity (AWI) legislation. A placement includes discharges to care home, and other placements including Intermediate Care.

Across Scotland, in January, a total of 18 people who had experienced a delay associated with incapacity were discharged from hospital, In February a total of 19 people were discharged, in March a total of 37 were discharged and in April a total of 41 were discharged.

I hope that this information is helpful.

Any policies on media handling would be a matter for NHSScotland. Boards as individual organisations to consider locally.

The Scottish Government publishes weekly data on the number of care home staff tested in each Board area:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-additional-data-about-adult-care-homes-in-scotland/

It is not possible from the data to provide a breakdown of the number of staff who can access drive through facilities.

Health and social care workers in Scotland continue to be the top priority for testing and all health and social care workers who have symptoms can be tested through their local NHS board. Each health board will offer a variety of options for testing, these can include providing transport to test centres or access to mobile testing units. Regular testing every 7 days is also now being extended to all care home staff, regardless of symptoms.

Number of “excess” deaths which occurred by day between 20 April 2020 and 31 May 2020 compared with “what would normally have been expected” based on the previous 2 years.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29289 on 17 June 2020. 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