Chamber and committees

We have not made a formal assessment of how many fire and smoke alarms will be disposed of as a result of the new regulations coming into force in February next year. Fire and smoke alarms are classed as small electrical equipment items and most are suitable for recycling. We encourage people to either return alarms to the retailer or take them to their local authority recycling centres as they already would do together with other items for recycling.

It is possible that awareness of the new standard, which includes the need to replace alarms that are more than ten years old, may lead to an increased number of expired alarms being recycled over the coming months.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) previously published advice on the Management of end-of-life smoke detectors, including advice for businesses and households on safe disposal and promoting the environmentally sound management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) devices.

I am aware of ongoing discussions between industry and Scottish local authorities regarding recycling options of end-of-life smoke alarms as part of Household Waste Recycling Centre provision.

SEPA continue to engage with the WEEE sector and other UK Environment Agencies.

I am most grateful to my colleague, Mr Burnett, for raising the important matter of overseas recruitment for social care providers. Regarding the recent funding for NHS boards; this funding cannot be routed to social care providers, who sit outwith the NHS. However, I would be happy to explain to Mr Burnett the work which is ongoing to address recruitment within the sector.

The Scottish Government are working hard to attract more people to a career in the social care sector. For the past two years the Scottish Government has funded an Adult Social Care Marketing Campaign. A further national marketing campaign launched on 8 November to attract more people to the sector.

We believe that Scotland’s social care services benefit greatly from the staff in the workforce who come from overseas. The sector is deeply concerned about the impact that the post-EU Exit loss of freedom of movement will have on recruitment to critical frontline social care roles. Scottish Government and key sector partners will continue to engage with UK Ministers to highlight why Scotland’s social care sector must have access to workers from outwith the UK, to help meet shortfall in workforce capacity and avoid the subsequent impact on our most vulnerable citizens. We also highlight that Scotland’s care workers are qualified, registered and regulated.

We will continue to push for a migration system tailored to Scotland’s needs, including a Scottish Visa, and work with partners and employers to develop proposals that suit their requirements.

It is understood the proposed lifetime cap on care costs to be introduced in England will apply only to personal care costs. Free personal care has been available in Scotland for adults aged 65 or over since 2002. From 1 April 2019 this was extended to adults of any age, no matter their condition, capital or income, who are assessed by their local authority as needing this service.

Since 2014 the Scottish Ambulance Service has delivered a comprehensive 4 day training course, developed in-house, to provide the required training for Community First Responders - delivering a more detailed and comprehensive training package than the basic 2 day FPOS scheme.

a) There are 6 planned training sessions for Community First Responders between November 2021 and March 2022. Each training session will accommodate up to a maximum of 12 trainees. These courses are scheduled to be held in Braemar (Grampian), Glasgow (Greater Glasgow & Clyde), RAF Lossiemouth (Grampian), Grangemouth (Forth Valley) and Portree (Highland).

b)

i) There are 765 Community First Responders across Scotland and approximately 80 Wildcat Cardiac Responders.

ii) The Scottish Ambulance Service recruited 199 Community First Responders between 2019 and 2021. In March 2020 utilisation of Community First Responders was suspended due to COVID-19 and the need to establish safe and effective processes with the subsequent delivery of training in the use of PPE and enhanced Infection & Prevention Control measures. This commenced in Sept ’20 with the majority back on-line by March ’21.

The Scottish Ambulance Service determine which resource and assistance to call upon depending on the circumstances faced and the need that has arisen.

We continue to review our international travel restrictions and associated exemptions and health measures and will consider appropriate changes where clinical and scientific advice allow it. We expect the vast majority of seafarers to be covered under the inbound vaccinated traveller scheme for the purposes of travel to Scotland for shore leave.

Following the introduction of travel restrictions, specific sectoral exemptions were introduced to facilitate emergency or essential work in Scotland. An exemption for seafarers was introduced to deliver this, and it currently remains in place - it currently applies to seamen, masters of ships, maritime pilots, ship inspectors or surveyors of ships (under the definition of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995). Taking into account the public health risk associated with importation of the virus, extending the exemptions for non-work related travel has not been appropriate and would be inconsistent with clinical advice.

Regular feedback from Border Force has suggested that Scotland sees a higher number of seafarers travelling in and out of the country compared to other parts of the UK. For this reason, we have different arrangements to regulations elsewhere. The border health measures associated with international travel into Scotland is a matter for Scottish Ministers, and there are a number of areas where different arrangements are in place for some sectors given different circumstances in Scotland including wider public health measures and the numbers involved.

Other changes to the international travel regime has enabled quarantine-free travel and relaxed testing measures for eligible fully vaccinated travellers. Currently, there are no red list countries which means no one entering Scotland would be expected to enter a Managed Quarantine hotel. We would encourage seafarers who have not yet been fully vaccinated to register for vaccination appointments as soon as possible, so they can return for leave purposes as eligible vaccinated travellers. We will continue to monitor the situation across all sectoral exemptions and will make further amendments to the international travel regulations as required in the course of the pandemic.

Further information on travel restrictions and sectoral exemptions is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/pages/sectoral-exemptions/

The information requested is not published. Any information on second dose appointments is used to show people their upcoming scheduled appointments, and a record of cancelled appointments is used to track Did Not Attend (DNA) rates. However, the specific information requested regarding under-16s is not available.

Children and young people age 12-15 are being offered a first dose of the vaccine. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will continue to review data and evidence on second doses for children and young people aged 12-15 once more data on second doses in this age group has accrued internationally.

We are aware of an issue where a small number of under-16s were incorrectly issued invitations to for a 2 nd dose. This was mainly in the central belt, however the people affected were quickly identified, the appointments cancelled, and revised communications were issued to those affected.

People can show their COVID-19 vaccine status either via:

1. NHS Scotland COVID Status App via Google Play or the App Store;

2. Download a PDF of the vaccination status record via NHS Inform website; or

3. Request a paper copy of the vaccination status record by calling the Freephone COVID Status Helpline on 0800 196 8565.

People should allow plenty of time to access their certificate; and if using paper certificate allow at least 14 days for any letter to arrive.

If the helpline is busy then they may wish to call back at later.

Our Freephone COVID-19 Status Helpline on 0808 196 8565 can provide a free and secure paper copy of the vaccination status record for patients who do not have access to online services or a smartphone. There is no need for patients to approach their GP practices.