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-30918

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 6 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that NHS England has been recording all deaths of someone who had COVID-19 regardless of when they first reported a positive case, unlike in Scotland where this is within 28 days, how many additional, if any, deaths would be recorded under that methodology.

In Scotland, COVID-19 confirmed deaths are based on individuals who have died within 28 days of their first laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection. The selection of 28 days followed discussion with the other devolved administrations and is the same time period used by Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Public Health England (PHE) approach of not having a time cut off increases the chances of including non-COVID-19 deaths. On 17 July, the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care asked PHE to urgently review the way their daily death statistics are currently reported.

Public Health Scotland will prepare a comparable analysis to the PHE approach and will publish it in their weekly Covid-19 statistical publication when available.

Question reference: S5W-30346

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 31 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what communications it has had with specialists who provide medical care for older people to help inform its response to the COVID-19 outbreak, broken down by date.

The Scottish Government has actively engaged a wide range of medical specialists, including those who care for older people, on an ongoing basis to ensure that our response to the COVID-19 pandemic is clinically appropriate and based on the best available evidence.

The Scottish Government facilitated a cross specialty discussion on the 20 April, which informed publication of ‘presentations and management of COVID-19 in older people in acute care’. on the 29 May.

The Scottish Government presented to a National British Geriatrics Society Scotland meeting focussing on responses to COVID-19 on April 29th, and two BGS council meetings on 27 May and 29 June.

In addition the Scottish Government has published clinical and practice guidance for the care home setting which has had clinical input. This was first published on 13 March and updated on 26 March and 15 May: guidance for the care home sector . The guidance is updated by the Care Homes Clinical and Professional Advisory Group, which includes members who work in clinical settings.

On 20 May, the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland issued a joint letter with senior leaders in the specialty to NHS Board Chief Executives encouraging them to consider:

i) ways to provide support to the care home sector,

ii) the development of services to utilise the expertise of geriatricians as part of a multidisciplinary approach.

This followed an in depth discussion with senior leaders in the specialty on the 5 May.

The Scottish Government has also facilitated weekly Hospital at Home webinars since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Regular communication and consultation also takes place between the Scottish Government's medical specialists including the National Clinical Lead for Older People, and the Professional Advisory Group where a wide range of specialties are represented.

Question reference: S5W-30347

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government which areas of medical speciality it has consulted to help inform its response to the COVID-19 outbreak, broken down by date.

The Scottish Government actively engages a wide range of medical specialists to ensure that our response to the COVID-19 pandemic is clinically appropriate and based on the best available evidence. Discussions continue to taking place across Scottish Government on a frequent and regular basis.

For example, the Scottish Government continues to hold regular meetings with a wide range of specialties that are represented on the following groups:

The Scottish Academy of Medical Royal Colleges;
The Clinical Guidance Cell;
The CMO Scientific Advisory Group;
The Scottish Government’s Professional Advisory Group;
Scottish Association of Medical Directors.

A range of medical views have also been sought to help inform our remobilisation plans. We have received constructive contributions for various medical specialty stakeholders including: