Chamber and committees

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the formation of blood clots in the vein. The Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) ran a national collaborative during 2014 to reduce hospital associated VTE. As part of this work, SPSP supported health boards to raise awareness among the public of the risks of blood clots and the risks and benefits of thromboprophylaxis with the production of an information leaflet and posters. The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network has published guidance for boards on the prevention and management of venous thromboembolism and produced a patient leaflet. http://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/pat122.pdf

SPSP is now working with NHS Borders to identify further learning for spread across Scotland. This includes work to develop a public facing campaign for VTE.

The Scottish Government is concerned about variation in the costs of burial and cremation across Scotland and the impact this can have on people on low incomes. While it is for individual local authorities to set the level of their fees and manage their budgets, the Scottish Government will be working with them and the funeral industry to look at the impacts of variable fees as part of our wider work on funeral poverty. This will include a round table event with local authorities and a national conference on funeral poverty on 16 November 2016.

The Scottish Government has:

Written to Baroness Altman outlining our concerns regarding the current Department for Work and Pensions Social Fund Funeral Payment.

Had discussions at official level with the Department for Work and Pensions on the Social Fund Funeral Payment.

Set up a Funeral Poverty and Funeral Payment Reference Group to advise on work on funeral poverty and the development of the successor to the DWP Funeral Payment.

Had discussions with COSLA regarding the role of local authorities, and funeral directors and funeral plan providers about the role of the funeral industry.

Met with third sector organisations, advice services, the NHS, older people’s organisations and others with an interest to seek their views.

Published a consultation on the Future of Social Security in Scotland, which includes a section on the Funeral Payment. The consultation closes on 28 October 2016.

Set up a series of themed round table discussions and a National Conference on Funeral Poverty to progress the public debate.

The Scottish Government commissioned an independent review of funeral poverty in October 2015 and this was published in February 2016. The Scottish Government response accepts almost all of the report’s recommendations and we have been pursuing a coordinated set of activity since then. For example:

During autumn 2016 we are undertaking a series of engagement events including three themed round table discussions and a national conference on funeral poverty to promote a debate and develop a shared understanding of the issues. This work will feed in to a funeral costs plan which identifies practical actions.

Developing and consulting on options for a Scottish Funeral Payment to produce a benefit which helps more people, is more predictable and provides help more quickly.

Considering whether a Scottish Funeral Bond could help people plan ahead for their funeral.

All specialist cleft surgery - for both adults and children, to repair cleft lip and palate should be carried out by one of three specialist cleft surgeons, based in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Should the recommendation to consolidate cleft surgery in Glasgow be supported, this arrangement will continue. Patients will continue to be assessed by the national specialist cleft surgery service. Those who do not require a specialist cleft surgery intervention, will continue to be managed locally, including at St John’s Hospital in West Lothian.

A decision whether to approve the recommendation will be made in due course.

The running costs for the NHS Scotland Confidential Alert Line (NCAL) pilot (2 April 2013 to 31 July 2014) were £18,666. The running costs for the period 1 August 2014 to 31 July 2016 were £31,600.

Public Concern at Work, the charity that provides the NCAL service were awarded £120,660 in total from 2 April 2013 to 31 July 2016 to cover a range of services including whistleblowing training for NHS Sotland staff, reporting, communication and running costs of the NCAL.

Information on staff outsourced from private companies is not centrally held.

The Scottish Government published the Waste Prevention and Re-use Guide which provides practical advice and guidance on implementing effective waste prevention systems within NHS facilities and includes guidance on clinical waste. It is aimed at hospital and healthcare staff including senior management, waste management officers, sustainability officers and any others interested in promoting resource efficiency in a healthcare environment.

The Scottish Government has taken forward a range of actions through Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action. This includes improved substance misuse education in schools through Curriculum for Excellence and improved identification of, and support for, children affected by parental substance misuse. Also, support for diversionary activities for young people and guidance for parents and carers about young people and alcohol.

In addition the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Act 2010 imposed a mandatory condition onto licences to have an age verification policy (Challenge 25) to make it harder for under-age drinkers to gain access to alcohol and the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 will make it an offence to give alcohol to children or young people in a public place helping the Police to address the scourge of drinking dens.

The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government.