Chamber and committees

Please see in the following table how many and the percentage of pupils with additional support needs in each local authority for 2016.

The information on hours of support provision is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government has not carried out this assessment. We are however aware of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) economic evaluation of Interventions to Improve the Uptake of Vitamin D Supplements in England and Wales, published in 2014. The results of this analysis are available online at https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph56/evidence/economic-evaluation-final-69290605

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-06238 on 26 January 2017. All answers to Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The membership of the Effective Prescribing Programme Board (EPPB) is determined by the organisations tasked with facilitating and supporting a ‘once for Scotland’ approach, ensuring best use of resources through joint working to quality prescribing and medicines use. Experts from each organisation were identified, suggested and recruited. There is wide experience of working within the NHS Board Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees.

The EPPB includes patient representation – two recognised public partners are invited to attend each meeting. Clinical representation on the EPPB is provided by a number of Medical Directors and Directors of Pharmacy. Each project area aims to engage effectively with the clinical community, included working with the appropriate Managed Clinical Network leads, where these exist. The Scottish Government Therapeutics Branch successfully consulted with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry regarding previous medicines management work, and the intention is to do the same for the Effective Prescribing Programme.

After each EPPB meeting a newsletter is sent to Boards summarising the position of each project and identifying areas for Boards to act and respond upon. These newsletters are not currently published publically but are designed for NHS management purposes.

(a) Shingles vaccine uptake rate for the routine and catch up cohorts for each year of the programme is presented in the following table.

* additional cohorts added in February 2016 so coverage is lower than that of the aged 70 and 78 years who were eligible since September 2015.

Vaccine coverage for those aged 71 and 72 years who were aged 70 in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 programmes increased to 64.6% and 67.4% respectively, showing that vaccination of these groups who remain eligible is still taking place on an opportunistic basis and it is expected that this will continue.

(b) Influenza vaccine uptake is monitored by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) based on aggregate level data for all population groups eligible for free influenza vaccine in Scotland and published routinely throughout the influenza season in our HPS Weekly National Influenza Reports:

(http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resp/seasonalinfluenza.aspx?subjectid=00#report ). The population groups recommended for the free influenza vaccine have changed over the years as new evidence is considered by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the eligible groups are stated annually as part of the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) seasonal influenza vaccination letter.

These population groups (as defined by their age and/or by the presence of underlying chronic health conditions) are listed in table 1. We have provided vaccine uptake for these groups for the years 2000-01 to 2016-17 (as at week ending 15^th January 2017, please note this is provisional data). The risk groups have been identified as being at increased risk of influenza infection and severe presentation or complications of influenza infections, and/or as posing an increased risk of transmitting influenza to vulnerable individuals. Vaccine uptake for the different groups is derived from a number of data sources, which are described in more detail in the following table.

Table 1: Cumulative influenza vaccine uptake in Scotland by eligible group since 2000-01 to 2016-17 (as at week ending 15^th January 2017)

1. End of season vaccine uptake for seasons 2010-11 to 2015-16 for the 65 years and older group is based on GP claims for payments for influenza vaccinations. In-season vaccination uptake estimates for season 2014-15 for this group are based on weekly automated extracts from GP software. In 2016-17 vaccine uptake thus far is from estimated data received weekly by HPS and is correct as at week ending 15th January 2017.

2. End of season vaccine uptake estimates is based on weekly automated extracts from GP software. In 2016-17 vaccine uptake thus far is from estimated data received weekly by HPS and is correct as at week ending 15th January 2017.

3. In 2013-14 all two and three year old children (regardless of whether or not they were in a clinical at risk group, age as on 1st September 2013) were eligible for influenza vaccination, as partial implementation of the extension of the seasonal influenza programme to all children. End of season vaccine uptake estimates are provided for 13-14 only as this group became part of the 2 to under 5 year age group from 2014-15 onwards (see point 4 below). This data is based on weekly automated extracts from GP software. In 2016-17 vaccine uptake thus far is from estimated data received weekly by HPS and is correct as at week ending 15th January 2017.

4. In season 2014-15 eligibility for influenza vaccination was extended to all 2-5 year old children not yet in school (regardless of whether or not they were in a clinical at risk group, age as on 1st September 2013). End of season vaccine uptake estimates for each season is based on weekly automated extracts from GP software. In 2016-17 vaccine uptake thus far is from estimated data received weekly by HPS and is correct as at week ending 15th January 2017.

5. The pilot programme in Scotland in 2013-14 targeted a subset of primary school aged children, in preparation for full primary school roll out of the childhood influenza vaccine programme in 2014-15. Aggregate level data on number of eligible pupils per school and number of children vaccinated was collated nationally on a weekly basis, end of season figures provided here include children vaccinated at mop up sessions, but not children vaccinated at GPs. In 2016-17 vaccine uptake thus far is from estimated data received weekly by HPS and is correct as at week ending 15th January 2017.

6. In season 2014-15 all primary school aged children across Scotland were eligible for influenza vaccination. Aggregate level data on number of eligible pupils per school and number of children vaccinated is collated nationally on a weekly basis. Figures provided include children vaccinated at mop up / community sessions, but not children vaccinated at GPs. In 2016-17 vaccine uptake thus far is from estimated data received weekly by HPS and is correct as at week ending 15th January 2017.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05995 on 23 January 2017. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05995 on 23 January 2017. 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

Current Scottish Government advice on vitamin D is based on recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which advises all four UK administrations.

As part of its recent review on vitamin D, SACN considered all relevant evidence suggesting links between vitamin D and various health conditions. SACN concluded that the risk of poor musculoskeletal health (e.g. rickets, osteomalacia, fracture prevention) is increased with low vitamin D levels. SACN found insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions on the impact of low vitamin D levels for non-musculoskeletal health outcomes (including cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease and neuropsychological functioning, such as dementia, autism and depression).

Information on how many people in Scotland may have vitamin D deficiency is not held centrally.