Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the lives of people with conditions such as Turnpenny-Fry syndrome.

Genetic testing for TFS is accessed through one of Scotland’s four regional clinical genetics services, which provide essential support to families after diagnosis, including genetic counselling and guidance on any further testing that may be necessary.

I recognise the work that Alexander Stewart does on the CPG. Last week, I met members of our cardiac clinical advisory team to discuss exactly those differences of service across the country. I am working with other members of the Scottish Government to look at a task and finish group so as to move forward and ensure that we have the best heart disease support and care in Scotland.

I am very sorry to hear about the difficulties that Harper’s family have experienced. I assure members that the Scottish Government expects national health service boards to provide safe, effective and person-centred care, and I hope that the Kelly family are now getting appropriate support.

We know how important research is to people who are affected by ultra-rare conditions, but the fact that very small numbers of people are diagnosed with such conditions presents unique challenges in supporting clinical trials. I was pleased to attend the rare conditions disease day in March in the Parliament, when people with rare conditions made moving and powerful speeches.

We know how important research is. Scottish researchers can apply to the chief scientist office and the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research for specific projects. However, for ultra-rare conditions, collaboration across the UK and internationally is essential to enable expertise to be shared, for example with the horizon Europe partnership on rare diseases.

Action 42 of the three-year cancer action plan is a commitment to

“Carry out a clinically led review of latest data and evidence and determine whether there is merit in specific additional or alternative cancer waiting times standards for different types of cancer and cancer treatment.”

The Government has been putting in place arrangements for that review, which will be under way shortly. The review will require significant clinical leadership, with appropriate engagement across a range of stakeholders. A project steering group is being established. It will support the review and determine whether any amendments to the standards would enhance patient experience and meet the national health service’s needs for the future.

I recognise the sentiments that Neil Bibby expressed in his supplementary question, and my heart goes out to Christina McKelvie’s family, friends and loved ones.

This morning, I met Make 2nds Count, another breast cancer charity, and we had long discussions about research and the options for getting on clinical trials. The subject is very close to my heart.

I recognise Mr Bibby’s question about waiting times and the need to improve the service. That is what the Scottish Government is investing in.

We are exploring a new long-term conditions strategy to better recognise the fact that many people who are living with long-term conditions, including heart disease, need the same types of support and care, regardless of their condition. We will shortly launch a full public consultation on that strategy, and we plan to publish a long-term conditions framework before the end of 2025, with action plans following thereafter.

I thank Colin Smyth for his supplementary question and recognise the huge amount of work that he has done as a member of the heart and circulatory diseases CPG. Last week, I had a meeting with the British Heart Foundation, in which we discussed exactly what was behind Colin Smyth’s question. I recognise that heart conditions need to be treated with importance but that a number of areas of care for heart conditions could be replicated across other long-term conditions.

To that end, I met cardiologists and other heart clinicians just last week, and I visited the Royal infirmary of Edinburgh to see more of what it is doing in diagnostics. I absolutely understand where Mr Smyth’s question is coming from, and I commit to continuing to work closely with those who are living with heart conditions.

I am concluding.

It is through addressing the fundamental causes of violence against women and girls that we can effectively respond to this critical issue. Hospitals should be places of safety for patients and staff, and their safety is paramount. Assaults on patients or staff are abhorrent, and all instances of violent behaviour, including sexual assaults, should be reported and escalated to the police as quickly as possible.

I have listened to what many members have said during the debate, and I will comment on two points. Tomorrow morning, I will meet Professor Anna Glasier, who is Scotland’s wonderful women’s health champion, and I will take the discussion from the debate to her, in order to have a further conversation with her.

I would also be content to engage with members who have taken part in the debate, because I think that it is important that we have a cross-party solution to the issue, and a cross-party approach to how we can work better with our health boards.

I believe that violence against women reflects the worst aspects of our society, and we must do more to ensure that women and girls are safe, feel safe and are respected.

I am going to continue, if the member does not mind.

Those policies are due to be published soon and will provide a standardised approach for all health boards. We are also working with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh to roll out its “Let’s remove it” campaign, which is designed to raise awareness of sexual misconduct. Furthermore, we have been working with Police Scotland and other parties, using the your safety matters initiative, on tackling violence and aggression across our front-line services.

In addition, supporting survivors is key. In order to support victims and change attitudes, we are providing more than £5.3 million to rape crisis centres through our delivering equally safe fund. We have taken robust action to tackle sexual offending and we are encouraging more victims to come forward, improving support and modernising the law on sexual offences. It is vital that we progress our vision for justice and that we deliver a truly person-centred and trauma-informed system through the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill.

The Minister for Equalities recently announced a £2.4 million increase to the delivering equally safe fund for 2025-26. That will allow all funding recipients to continue the vital work that they undertake to prevent violence and to support survivors of violence against women and girls.

Stopping violence against women and girls before it occurs must be central to our collective efforts. To do that, we must tackle the root cause of the problem—

Every member who has spoken in the debate today recognises that violence against women and girls is abhorrent and unacceptable. That is the case in our hospital estate, as it is in every part of our society. It is shocking and depressing that it remains the case that there is violence, including sexual violence, at the hands of men wherever women live and work. I agree with what Tess White said in her opening speech that one attack in a hospital or anywhere else is one too many.

Such violence has a profound, long-lasting and devastating impact on the lives of women and girls, and those around them. It damages health and wellbeing, limits freedom and potential, and is a fundamental violation of human rights. In my office, I have a 16 days of activism against violence against women candle. I see it every day, and the movement is something that I very much understand and support. Although I have not read the WRN report in its entirety, I have read some summaries of it, and it is shocking.

We are, I think united together in our recognition that the drivers of violence against women and girls are firmly anchored in the behaviour of men. It is men who must accept that they need to do much more to deliver the culture and the national change that is necessary to remove that stain that remains with us. As the First Minister said during the debate to mark the annual 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign last year,

“men must take up the challenge ... about being a better guy and reflecting on our own behaviour.” —[Official Report, 5 December 2024; c 116.]

Violence against women and girls is, and always will be, an issue that the Government takes seriously. That is reflected in our partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities through “Equally Safe: Scotland’s Strategy for Preventing and Eradicating Violence Against Women and Girls”. The strategy sets out a vision of

“A strong and flourishing”

country

“where all individuals are ... safe and respected, and where women and girls live free from all forms of violence, abuse and ... the attitudes that ... perpetuate it.”

The strategy works to prevent violence

“from occurring in the first place”

and to build and sustain the capability and capacity of support services and strengthen the justice response to victims and perpetrators.

A number of members have commented on single-sex spaces for women in hospitals. Jackie Baillie is correct that, since 2005, we have expected NHS boards to ensure that their facilities comply with guidelines on the elimination of mixed-sex accommodations. In all new hospital developments, there should be a presumption that there will be 100 per cent single rooms, and where existing accommodation has been refurbished, that the figure will be as close to 100 per cent as possible.