Chamber and committees

Vaccination policy in Scotland, as with the rest of the UK, is based on recommendations from the JCVI, an independent expert panel which provides impartial advice on matters relating to vaccination.

In light of the JCVI advice we introduced a shingles vaccination programme in 2013. People are eligible for the shingles vaccine in the year they turn 70 up until the age of 80. We also offer the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for everyone aged over 65 years.

This information is not held centrally. Further information may be sought directly from individual health boards. NHS Scotland health boards have devolved responsibilities in relation to the recruitment, retention and deployment of staff.

The following table shows the number of gastric lavage procedures carried out in Scotland in each year since 2007 when a person has been admitted to hospital. Due to changes in clinical practice, gastric lavage is not generally carried out within an A&E department but these figures will not include any that may have been. Due to the small number of cases, it is not possible to provide a breakdown by NHS Board.

Number of gastric lavage procedures carried out in inpatient/day case setting, Scotland, 2007 to 2017

The following tables show the number of people from Scotland who have received treatment in hospitals in other parts of the UK in each year since 1999. The data across the UK is not directly comparable due to differences in data definitions.

Information is provided in the following table on the number of finished admission episodes for patients resident in Scotland who have received healthcare from the NHS in England since 1999.

This information is not held centrally. Further information may be sought directly from NHS Scotland Health Boards.

Youth employment returns issued to the Scottish Government indicate that NHS Scotland Boards employed 556 new modern apprentices in the period 1 August 2014 – 31st March 2018.

Furthermore, health boards across Scotland routinely meet and exceed annual requirement to provide 1 new youth employment opportunity for every 100 employees, pursuant to Scottish Government’s National Youth Employment Strategy “Developing the Young Workforce”.

The following table shows the number of new cases of diabetes amongst those aged 0 to 19 in each year from 2009 to 2016.

Type 2 diabetes: Number of new cases, age 0-19

Information on the number of self-funders residing in a Care Home in Scotland is not held centrally.

Information on Care Homes in Scotland is collected via the Scottish Care Home Census for adults which takes place annually on 31 March and covers all adult care homes in Scotland registered with the Care Inspectorate. The Scottish Care Home Census collects information on the numbers of residents who are fully or partially funded but this information is only available for long-stay residents. Information on the source of funding for short-stay residents is not collected.

The care home census is incomplete as it is not a mandatory data collection. Approximately 80% of all long stay residents' records were submitted by Care Homes to the census over the time period and information on the source of funding was submitted for approximately 86% of these records in 2017. ISD and the Scottish Government work with the Care Inspectorate on an annual basis in order to improve data quality in this non-mandatory data return.

The number of mainly or wholly self-funding long stay residents in adult care homes for whom information is available is presented in a table available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (BIB. number 60065). Figures are presented as a snapshot on the census date of 31 March each year since 2007, and are presented by the Local Authority in which the Care Homes are located.

Funding is provided to Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) by Local Authorities and Health Boards. Levels of funding are set out in the annual accounts for IJBs and published on each IJB’s website. Funding is allocated on the basis of the IJB’s strategic plan for delivery of delegated services, and is not allocated solely on the basis of population levels.

The information on waiting times for hearing aid maintenance is not held centrally. However individual Health Boards will be able to provide the member with this information.

Delayed discharges are on an annual downward trend, with the latest annual report showing a 7% reduction on 2016-17, builds on a 3% reduction the year before and a 9% reduction 2015-16.

This is good progress which we recognise. None the less, more needs to be done and officials are currently working with Health and Social Care Partnerships to explore ongoing challenges and drive long-term, sustainable improvements.