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-28810

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the data being collected through the community surveillance testing programme for COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-28632

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 15 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what improvements and changes were made to community and national influenza pandemic preparedness between the completion of its training exercise, Silver Swan, in 2015 and January 2020, and on what dates pandemic response plans were (a) reviewed and (b) updated during this period to ensure that the lessons learned during the exercise were incorporated.

A range of improvements and changes were made to local and national influenza pandemic preparedness arrangements since the multi-agency exercise Silver Swan in 2015 and up to January 2020. These are reflected in documents relevant to a pandemic response which have been updated during that period, including:

- Local and regional pandemic response plans which have been kept under review and updated at various points since 2015

- The NHS Standards for Organisational Resilience were published in 2016 and reviewed in 2018

- Guidance on dealing with mass fatalities in Scotland was revised in 2017

- Good Practice Guidance For Setting Up And Managing Body Storage Facilities was issued in 2017

- Guidance on death certification during a pandemic was revised in 2017

- The Scottish Risk Assessment was issued in 2018

- National pandemic response and guidance documentation for health and social care was updated and issued for consultation in 2019.

- Pandemic Influenza Guidance for Infection Prevention and Control was updated in 2019

- Pandemic Influenza Communications Guidance was issued to stakeholders in Scotland in 2019

Question reference: S5W-28636

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 15 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assumptions and modelling were made and reviewed regarding the distribution of the national influenza pandemic stockpiles between the completion of its training exercise, Silver Swan, in 2015 and January 2020, and how often it reviewed its frameworks in pandemic preparedness during this period to ensure that the lessons learned during the exercise were incorporated.

A point was raised through Exercise Silver Swan regarding assumptions on whether deliveries to NHS Boards would be to central locations or a wider range of delivery points. NHS National Services Scotland core approach to pandemic distribution has remained the same since 2015, in that it is based on delivery to single or multiple points depending on the size and infrastructure of the individual NHS Board.

During the exercise event there was a point raised around modelling allocations to Boards during a pandemic; specifically whether these would be based on proportionate population based allocations or other approaches. NHS National Services Scotland have continued to base their approach on initial allocations to Boards largely based on population size. Subsequent allocations are based on the individual needs of the Board.

Question reference: S5W-28627

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the daily absence rate of NHS staff has been each day in April 2020 for (a) COVID-19 and (b) non-COVID-19 reasons.

The daily absence rate of NHS staff for each day in April 2020 for (a) COVID-19 and (b) non-COVID-19 reasons can be found on the following table:

Date	COVID-19 Absence rate	Non-COVID-19 Absence rate
01-Apr	6.1%	8.4%
02-Apr	6.3%	8.7%
03-Apr	6.3%	9.2%
04-Apr	5.9%	7.9%
05-Apr	5.8%	7.9%
06-Apr	4.5%	11.3%
07-Apr	4.8%	10.1%
08-Apr	5.3%	11.1%
09-Apr	5.0%	11.4%
10-Apr	4.6%	31.2%
11-Apr	4.5%	9.8%
12-Apr	4.4%	9.8%
13-Apr	3.8%	31.4%
14-Apr	4.3%	11.0%
15-Apr	4.4%	11.2%
16-Apr	4.6%	11.5%
17-Apr	4.8%	11.9%
18-Apr	4.4%	8.6%
19-Apr	4.5%	8.9%
20-Apr	4.2%	9.0%
21-Apr	4.3%	9.1%
22-Apr	4.4%	9.5%
23-Apr	4.6%	9.9%
24-Apr	4.6%	10.8%
25-Apr	4.3%	8.1%
26-Apr	4.3%	8.3%

SOURCE: SSTS (Scottish Standard Time System)

This data is provided each day by NHS National Services Scotland on behalf of 21 NHS Boards, and by the Scottish Ambulance Service separately. It covers hospitals and community health services, and excludes those working in general practice. Accuracy and completeness is dependent on frontline services and administrators inputting absence data into the NHS Scotland national time and attendance system (SSTS). The figures cover all staff recorded as absent on the system, irrespective of whether they were due to be at work on that particular day. Recording processes vary between Boards and service areas. In particular, the timing of absence recording will vary, and some absences may not be recorded timeously.

Question reference: S5W-28631

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS staff who undertake overtime during the COVID-19 outbreak will be paid for the additional hours or be expected to take the time back in lieu.

All staff who work overtime should have the choice to take this as extra payment or time off in lieu, or a combination of both. This is a decision taken at local level, and in making this decision consideration should be given to both the needs of the staff member and the needs of the service. We have ongoing regular engagement with Trade Union partners where issues related to pay and terms and conditions are discussed.

Question reference: S5W-28340

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns of unpaid carers regarding the withdrawal of care packages for vulnerable people and families during the COVID-19 outbreak, which is reportedly taking place without any warning, effective review or risk assessment.

The Scottish Government absolutely values the support provided by Scotland’s unpaid carers. Throughout this difficult time, it is critical that social care support is maintained to ensure the safety, dignity and human rights of people who already receive that support and their carers.

I have expressed my concern about these reports in the Scottish Parliament and stated that it is not acceptable that care packages are cut.

In addition to the funding directed towards social care from the 2020-21 budget, we reached agreement with COSLA some weeks ago that we would meet additional costs incurred because of the impact of the pandemic. That agreement was specifically to ensure that both existing and new demand could be met.

Alongside this, around 185 returning social services staff have been matched into roles in care homes and care at home services, and several hundred more are ready and available. We expect the number of matches to increase rapidly in the coming weeks to ensure staffing resilience.

I expect the steps I have already taken to be used locally and I have emphasised that we are ready to work with colleagues in the sector if there is more that needs to be done to ensure existing packages are not cut and new demand is met.

Question reference: S5W-28338

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many unpaid carers are living in the same household as an individual in receipt of a shielding letter in relation to COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-28142

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in situations where a person's death is recorded as COVID-19-related on their death certificate, whether (a) members of the same household and (b) other close contacts are offered testing if they are (i) symptomatic and (ii) not symptomatic.

The current tests in use in Scotland are effective at identifying people who have COVID-19 infection when they are symptomatic. However, the current tests cannot reliably detect infection prior to the onset of symptoms, and cannot confirm whether a person has had the infection once symptoms are resolved.

Whilst we are working very hard to increase our NHS laboratory testing capacity, we cannot currently offer testing to everyone with symptoms. Our three testing priorities in Scotland are: directing our testing capacity effectively to save lives and protect the vulnerable; ensuring that critical staff can return to work as soon as possible; and monitoring and reporting on the spread and prevalence of the virus in the population to understand the impact of public health measures.

It is vital that those in the same household as a person with possible coronavirus infection follow the guidance on household isolation. Anyone with symptoms should self-isolate for 7 days and any close or household contacts should self-isolate for 14 days. Information on household isolation can be found at NHS Inform .

We understand how difficult and distressing this situation will be for family members. Families can find advice on dealing with the death and bereavements of a loved one at the following websites: https://www.mygov.scot/births-deaths-marriages/death-bereavement and https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/death-and-bereavement .

Question reference: S5T-02171

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 May 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide clarification on the current COVID-19 testing policy for people being discharged from hospital to care homes, and what clinical guidance is currently in place for care homes.

Question reference: S5W-28318

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) staff working and (b) young people residing in secure care centres have been tested for COVID-19.

The Scottish Government does not gather data on how many staff and how many young people in secure care have been tested for COVID-19.

Scottish Government officials are in daily contact with secure homes and host a weekly tele conference with all 5 secure care providers, Education Scotland, Care Inspectorate (Scotland’s care regulator) and the Contract Manager. This is an opportunity to monitor Covid 19 cases, raise concerns, discuss new guidance and share good operating practice.

These calls began on 20 March - officials and secure services have discussed testing for young people and staff each week. At 28 April 2020, at least 6 young people had been tested, and all have been negative for COVID-19. One member of staff has tested positive following hospital admission.

All positive tests for Covid-19 must be reported to the Care Inspectorate.

The Care Inspectorate monitor absence levels in secure services to ensure there are sufficient care staff ratios to provide care for the young people. They request weekly information on staff absences related to Covid-19 from all care settings across Scotland, including secure care centres. This includes:

How many staff are not working due to:

Confirmed (by testing) as having COVID-19 - currently in hospital
Confirmed (by testing) as having COVID-19 - currently at home
With symptoms of COVID-19 - currently in hospital
With symptoms of COVID-19 - currently at home
Having to self-isolate due to living with someone who has symptoms of or is confirmed as having COVID-19
Shielding - those staff members who are not able to work because they are in the vulnerable group
Stress / mental health / emotional conditions related to COVID-19