Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-28225

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 28 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research that suggests the use of antipsychotic drugs in older people with dementia can shorten the lives of some.

Clinical research in any area which may potentially have implications for clinical practice is considered by The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network as part of their regular processes for reviewing the need for and updating clinical guidelines for NHS Scotland.

The 2018 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence dementia guideline includes an evidence-based assessment of the benefits and risks associated with the prescribing of antipsychotic medications to people with dementia. The guideline does not identify an increased risk of premature death from prescribing antipsychotic medication in these circumstances.

The Scottish Government’s Dementia Standards are clear that people with dementia have the right to receive a full range of therapeutic interventions to help alleviate stress and distress and that psychoactive medications including antipsychotic medications should only be used if no alternative interventions are available. Carers should be fully involved in discussions on the use of such medications including their benefit and associated risks.

Question reference: S5W-28199

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 27 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives it has implemented to ensure the (a) psychological and (b) physical welfare of NHS staff working in temporary hospitals.

In relation to (a) psychological initiatives:

I refer the member to my response to S5W-28198 on 27 April 2020. Staff working in temporary hospitals will be included in these initiatives.

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

In relation to (b) physical welfare:

A programme of work is in progress to ensure that a range of wellbeing and practical support is in place for health and social care staff, covering guidance for staff, accommodation, catering and rest spaces.

Question reference: S5W-28195

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 27 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to ensuring that the education and training of psychological professionals continues during the COVID-19 outbreak, and what action it is taking to respond to any additional need for psychological support as a result of the outbreak.

Question reference: S5W-28198

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 27 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives it has implemented to ensure the psychological (a) welfare and (b) resilience of NHS staff during the COVID-19 outbreak.

I am leading work to support the psychological welfare and resilience of NHS staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. I have written to Health Boards about the importance of support for workforce wellbeing, highlighting key messages and approaches, and this was included in recent Scottish Government directives issued to Health Boards on mental health services.

All Boards have developed responses to support their staff in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. These responses include staff wellbeing ‘hubs’ and services, staff helplines and phone services, links with Occupational Health and Chaplaincy services, wellbeing and mental health guidance and digital offerings in relation to staff mental health and wellbeing.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is taking forward national resources, training models and systems of practice support for local delivery to promote and address staff psychological wellbeing and resilience arising from the Covid-19 response. The intention is to provide a ‘ladder’ of support spanning early intervention (Psychological First Aid) to complex care. This will help with prevention, early intervention and treatment of stress, anxiety, burn out, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Question reference: S5W-28367

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it used to include people with asthma on the list of those who it advised should be shielded during the COVID-19 outbreak, and what its response is to reported concerns that fewer people with asthma have been included on the list in Scotland compared with the equivalent list compiled by NHS England.

The four UK nations’ Chief Medical Officers have identified six categories of people at highest risk of severe illness from Covid-19. This includes people with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD and, people with all forms of Interstitial Lung Disease/Sarcoidosis. We have provided further details on how people in these groups have been identified on the Scottish Government website - https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-shielding-contacts/pages/highest-risk-classification/ .

Using national NHS databases and prescribing data from GP systems we are identifying and writing to these patients with advice on how to protect themselves and access the care and treatment they need during the COVID-19 incident. This is an ongoing identification process and we are also asking GP’s and hospital clinicians to help ensure that those within the six high risk groups have received a letter.

It is important to remember that only those identified at the highest clinical risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of their underlying health condition are being asked to take forward shielding measures. People who are in the highest clinical risk group will have received a letter giving them further advice. This letter will also include advice on how to access support for food and medication.

For people with asthma and other respiratory conditions who do not fall into the category above, the Scottish Government has published guidance and this will be reviewed and updated regularly: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-tailored-advice-for-those-who-live-with-specific-medical-conditions/ .

Question reference: S5T-02103

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 April 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to support young people’s mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Question reference: S5W-28196

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to digital or telephone delivery of psychological therapies in relation to (a) accessibility and equity and (b) safety and confidentiality during the COVID-19 outbreak.

In terms of accessibility, digital services such as computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapies (cCBT) are developed with a maximum reading age of 10, with the option of subtitles for those users with hearing difficulties. cCBT and internet enabled CBT are delivered through web browsers so work with the various accessibility tools such as "Read Aloud". Like telephone contact, they can be particularly helpful to those in remote and rural areas.

Language can be a significant issue in terms of equity as the majority of products will be in English. However as part of the procurement process we will only select those products that we know can be adapted to include additional language choices.

The safety and security of clients remains paramount in the current Covid-19 situation. For example, NHS 24 continues to follow its standard procedures within the Mental Health Hub in terms of the triage and assessment procedures in place. All calls to the 111 service, including the Mental Health Hub, are managed within the NHS 24 clinical and governance processes so there is no compromise of governance and security during the Covid-19 situation.

Question reference: S5W-28200

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to deploying psychological professionals within the NHS to support the wellbeing of staff.

Question reference: S5W-28027

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 6 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it gave to the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018 and (e) 2019 (i) for staffing and premises, (ii) in core funding and (iii) to distribute to other organisations.

The Scottish Government has funded the Health and Social Care Alliance (The ALLIANCE) for their work on a wide ranging number of projects in the years set out in the question (2015-2019). This work has crossed a number of Scottish Government policy areas including Children and Families and Health and Social Care.

Within Health and Social Care the Scottish Government currently has a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the ALLIANCE. This agreement sees the ALLIANCE receive around £4m per year in consolidated funding to deliver a range of projects and programmes.

The work set out in the agreement sits within the context of the Christie Commission Report on the future delivery of public services and is intended to contribute to improving outcomes for people across the health and social care landscape.

The detailed information that you have requested requires resource to assemble and collate and given the Scottish Government resource is focussed on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 61458).

Question reference: S5W-27942

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 3 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been admitted to each hospital for treatment because of self-harm in each year since 2007.