- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement in full the recommendations in the report, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis, prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and, if so, what steps it will take to do so.
Answer
The latest report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows the very real threat and heightened risk the climate emergency poses to the planet - but it also makes it clear that with immediate, concerted international action to reduce emissions, global temperature rise can still be limited to 1.5°C in the longer term.
Scotland is leading the way. We will end our contribution to climate change by 2045 at the latest, reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 along the way – a world-leading target. In December 2020 we updated our Climate Change Plan which sets out how we will deliver on this ambition and published Scotland’s indicative Nationally Determined Contribution in July 2021 outlining the actions we are taking to help meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The global evidence provided by IPCC reports, as well as the independent expert scientific advice provided by the Climate Change Committee on what this evidence means for Scotland, will be part of the evidence base that informs development of Scotland’s next Climate Change Plan and Climate Change Adaptation Programme.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society 2021 Workforce Wellbeing Survey that 57% of pharmacy workers have reported being frequently unable to take a rest break or were not offered a break at all, how it plans to ensure that pharmacy workers are not overworked and are offered adequate rest throughout the workday.
Answer
The Scottish Government would expect all employers to ensure that all staff have the necessary rest breaks and support; and this was re-emphasised by the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer in her joint letter with the leaders from the pharmacy sector, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, to the service on 8 December outlining the importance of wellbeing to all pharmacy staff and detailing support available.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown to us all the value which the pharmacy profession bring to the NHS in Scotland be that hospital, community pharmacy or general practice settings. In particular the pharmacy network has been pivotal in the NHS response to the current pandemic in ensuring people across the country have continued access to their medicines and professional healthcare advice. We take the wellbeing of pharmacy teams very seriously and that is why we have made £12m available to support the wellbeing of the pharmacist workforce. That includes £8m from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce – alongside an extra £4m to provide further support to address winter pressures.
The funding supports the 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, our National Wellbeing Hub, Coaching for Wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service, alongside tailored psychological interventions for staff, providing individualised wellbeing support focusing on people’s physical and emotional needs.
Wider workforce issues and challenges will be discussed at the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Workforce Forum, which will bring together stakeholders from pharmacy education and pharmacy service provision to set a strategic workforce plan for the profession.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Storm Arwen, whether it plans to make any revisions to its targets for the (a) number and (b) species of trees to be planted, and what its position is on the suitability of particular land uses.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans to revise its ambitious woodland creation targets as a result of Storm Arwen. Neither is there any plans to review species of trees to be planted as the range of species already being planted adds to Scotland’s rich, abundant and thriving landscape.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society 2021 Workforce Wellbeing Survey that 68% of pharmacy workers have reported that their mental health and wellbeing had been negatively affected by their work or study, what plans it has for supporting pharmacy workers in this regard.
Answer
This year the Scottish Government has made £12m available to support the wellbeing of the pharmacist workforce. That includes £8m from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce – alongside an extra £4m to provide further support to address winter pressures.
The funding supports the 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, our National Wellbeing Hub, Coaching for Wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service, alongside tailored psychological interventions for staff, providing individualised wellbeing support focusing on people’s physical and emotional needs.
The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland in a joint letter, issued 8 December, with the leaders from the pharmacy sector, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Scotland), has written to all pharmacy teams outlining the range of wellbeing support available to pharmacy teams and encouraging them to access these resources for support when needed.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society 2021 Workforce Wellbeing Survey, what plans it has to tackle the reported high risk of burnout experienced by 89% of pharmacists.
Answer
This year the Scottish Government has made £12m available to support the wellbeing of the pharmacist workforce. That includes £8m from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce – alongside an extra £4m to provide further support to address winter pressures.
The funding supports the 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, our National Wellbeing Hub, Coaching for Wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service, alongside tailored psychological interventions for staff, providing individualised wellbeing support focusing on people’s physical and emotional needs.
The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland in a joint letter, issued 8 December, with the leaders from the pharmacy sector, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Scotland), has written to all pharmacy teams outlining the range of wellbeing support available to pharmacy teams and encouraging them to access these resources for support when needed.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to encourage owners of defibrillators to register the devices so that ambulance services can have easier access to them during emergency situations.
Answer
The refreshed Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) Strategy 2021 to 2026, published in March recognises the importance of defibrillation registration. We are key partners within the Save a Life for Scotland Partnership (SALFS).
We would urge all defibrillator guardians to register their defibrillator so that the Scottish Ambulance Service call handlers can direct people to them in incidents of cardiac arrest. Registration of defibrillators in Scotland will build the evidence to support people and organisations in making informed decisions about where to place their life saving device.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to expand education on the use of defibrillators.
Answer
An aim of the refreshed Out-of-Hospital Strategy 2021 to 2026 is to ensure that 20% of all OHCAs will have a defibrillator applied before the arrival of ambulance service. We want to improve bystander confidence in the use of these devices and the Strategy includes an aim for the Save a Life for Scotland partnership to increase familiarisation with defibrillator usage across Scotland, through embedding defibrillator usage in awareness raising campaigns and CPR training.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the early diagnosis of (a) idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and (b) interstitial lung disease.
Answer
On 24 March 2021, we published our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland that sets out our vision for driving improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with Asthma, Bronchiectasis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), and Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA).
A link to the Plan can be found by following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/respiratory-care-action-plan-scotland-2021-2026/documents/.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with BMA Scotland in connection with the findings of the report, Supporting Junior Doctor Wellbeing – Now and for
the Future.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05371 on 10 January 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the publication, Junior Doctors - 48-hour Maximum Working Week (Without Averaging): Expert Working Group Report, (a) what immediate steps are being taken to implement the recommendations for improving junior doctor wellbeing and minimising fatigue and (b) what plans it has to provide updates to, and seek regular feedback from, key stakeholders, particularly junior doctors, in delivering the recommendations.
Answer
The focus of Scottish Government remains on pandemic response and supporting the NHS and its entire workforce through this challenging winter and beyond. The wellbeing of the entire workforce of the NHS is a key priority which is why, in the current financial year, the Scottish Government has made over £12 million available to support the wellbeing of the workforce.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care meets regularly with representatives from BMA Scotland, and other trade unions, to discuss and agree actions to support the entire NHS workforce. The next meeting between the Cabinet Secretary and the BMA will take place on 10th January. In addition there is a regular tripartite forum with Scottish Government, BMA and NHS employers which has a focus on all aspects of junior doctors working lives, and agrees and implements actions to improve these.
Through this group several important actions have been implemented including abolishing junior doctors working more than seven days in a row, and ensuring no junior doctors works for seven night shifts in a row.
We have agreed with BMA Scotland that we will work through this group to explore how we can implement the recommendations contained within the Junior Doctors - 48-hour Maximum Working Week (Without Averaging): Expert Working Group Report. This group will also consider the recommendations in the BMA report Supporting Junior Doctor Wellbeing – Now and for the Future .