Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is currently working with NHS Scotland on the development of a business case on the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing to the cervical screening programme. This business case is expected to be submitted later in 2016 and Scottish Ministers will make a decision on the future use of HPV testing in the programme on the basis of the evidence and assessment it provides.

The faecal immunochemical test (FIT) Implementation Group, which includes Scottish Government officials, is actively working to introduce FIT as a first line test in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme, but a final date for implementation has not yet been confirmed. The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing this change to the programme in 2017.

The Scottish Government commissioned NHS Health Scotland to undertake research with women into the reasons for non-uptake of the screening invitation in 2015. This research was carried out with women from both younger and older age groups and will be used to consider how we can deliver targeted communications to different age groups to improve uptake of cervical screening.

The Scottish Government commissioned NHS Health Scotland to undertake research with women into the reasons for non-uptake of the screening invitation at the end of 2015. A large part of this research focused on the facilitators and barriers to uptake. The results of this work has informed the communications strategy which supports the cervical screening programme and has fed into the development of an upcoming awareness raising campaign.

While information on how many cleaning staff have been directly employed in each NHS board in each year since 1999 is not centrally held, information on the pre-agenda for change ancillary staff group from 30 September 1999 to 30 September 2006 is published by Information Services Division Scotland (ISD) and can be found in the following link:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Historic-Data/WFG01_HB_REG.xls

Information on the number of whole time equivalent staff working in hotel services from 30 September 2007 to 31 March 2016 is published by ISD Scotland and can be found in the following link:

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2016-06-07/Non-Medical_Trend_M2016.xls

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) are currently trialling three heart Autopulse machines in the south east of Scotland as part of their approach to Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA). There are also two Autopulse machines available to SCOTstar, the national specialist transport and retrieval service.

SAS continually reviews the available evidence about the best way to respond to OHCA to give patients the best chance of survival and recovery, and reviews its training and equipment requirements based on this evidence.

The Scottish Government works closely with independent expert advisory group the UK National Screening Committee, who advise ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening.

The Scottish Government and the Medical Research Council are investing £4 million and £2 million respectively to the Scottish Genomes Partnership for whole genome sequencing, in collaboration with Genomics England. This will contribute towards research to improve the understanding of genetic diseases and cancers and support the development of new diagnostic tests and treatments, including precision medicine.

The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies, including NHS boards and local authorities, to support implementation of policy.

The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and decisions on local spending priorities are the responsibility of relevant local agencies. It is therefore the responsibility of NHS boards and local authorities to work with their partners and regularly review spending decisions to deliver fit for purpose services which respond to local needs.

Funding on mental health promotion, early intervention and appropriate services and treatment for people with mental health problems, including veterans, will continue to be drawn from the overall funds allocated to NHS Scotland and local authorities by the Scottish Government.

Allocations relating to veterans’ issues made from the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Division since 2007-08 are set out in the following table:

Scottish Government Mental Health Division Allocations	2007-08 (£)	2008-09 (£)	2009-10 (£)	2010-11 (£)	2011-12 (£)	2012-13 (£)	2013-14 (£)	2014-15 (£)	2015-16 (£)
Combat Stress - specialist mental health services	0	0	0	18,000	1,224,090	1,224,090	1,224,090	1,224,090	1,224,090
Combat Stress - specialist mental health services - Travel Expenses	0	0	10,204	11,348	11,659	12,600	11,829	7,640	0
Combat Stress - community mental health services	0	159,801	200,000	200,000	200,000	200,000	200,000	200,000	200,000
Veterans First Point Lothian	250,000	130,000	130,000	130,000	200,000	200,000	200,000	200,000	200,000
Veterans Scoping Review	0	0	13,215	0	0	0	2,471	0	0
SAMH Poppy Scotland Conference	0	0	8,500	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	250,000	289,801	361,919	359,348	1,635,749	1,636,690	1,638,390	1,631,730	1,624,090

The Scottish Government has accepted the recommendation in the national infertility group’s report, published on 13 June 2016, to increase the maximum number of IVF cycles from two to three. Work will now begin to develop a sustainable implementation plan, including timescales for the introduction of the criteria changes in the group’s report.

Since July 2013, all NHS boards in Scotland have offered a maximum of two full IVF cycles for eligible patients. The Scottish Government has accepted the recommendation in the national infertility group’s report, published on 13 June 2016, to increase the maximum number of IVF cycles from two to three. Work will now begin to develop a sustainable implementation plan, including timescales for the introduction of the criteria changes in the group’s report.