We know that there is a lot of publicity around the drugs crisis that Scotland faces. The alcohol aspect of that is in your remit. People with alcohol dependence also need support and treatment. You have spoken a lot about what you are doing in relation to advertising and, obviously, there is minimum unit pricing. What is the Scottish Government going to do to help people with that dependence to access treatment and support? How might that link into the plans for the national care service?

I hope that that question was not too complicated.

Thank you, minister.

Thank you, convener. You have said a lot about Callum. He is already a determined and passionate young man.

With the support of his family, Callum set out over the summer to walk the John Muir way from Helensburgh to Dunbar in various stages. His walk concluded in the October holidays, when I met him. He has been determined to complete that sponsored walk so that every pupil in his school could get a reusable water bottle and has succeeded. In addition, he has organised a raffle and a pyjama day to beat his financial target and allow Klean Kanteen bottles to be provided to the 185 pupils in his school in Livingston. He has written to the First Minister regarding his concerns and he has managed to get the petition here before the committee. He is absolutely delighted about that in itself. However, I am really delighted to support the campaign further.

As I said, Callum is a very determined young man and he is not finished yet. He will continue with his campaign, whatever happens, in order to reduce plastics in schools. Right now, he is at home “bouncing off the walls”—those are the words of his mum—because he has been invited to the green zone at COP on Friday. Given what is going on in the country this week, it is only right that we support him in his ambition for every child at primary school to have a reusable water bottle.

He is at Dedridge primary school in Livingston.

However, those specialist roles have very different levels of expertise. What support and training is the Scottish Government providing to upskill healthcare professionals who are redeployed to A and E departments from clinical services elsewhere in order to keep patients and staff as safe as possible?

Yesterday, the cabinet secretary stated:

“Facing those challenges, health and care staff on the front line continue to give their all to keep us safe, and I take this opportunity to reiterate my appreciation and gratitude for their enduring efforts.”—[Official Report, 2 November 2021; c 13.]

That, along with the £10 million that he announced, will not and cannot help those staff today, tomorrow or over the coming weeks.

Last-minute redeployment of nurses and allied health professionals between departments in hospitals or different hospitals in the same board is very common and has been for some time. That is now to include physiotherapists and occupational therapists being redeployed to A and E departments to triage and treat patients who would otherwise have to see nursing staff.

Thank you for those answers. However, going back to what Jackie Baillie said earlier on and the correspondence that we received last night, that trust and confidence are still not there. That binary choice, and the one route into referral via Glasgow, will be an issue.

Although the choice of surgeon is significant, another factor is that, for whatever reason, the Glasgow service has a bad reputation among mesh survivors. What, specifically, are we doing to give women the confidence to come into the service, knowing that they will get a good outcome, wherever it might be, for whatever treatment and whatever the approach might be needed at the other end?

Thank you; that answers my specific question.

Can you clarify whether all women will still have to refer in via NHS GGC, whether the commissioned service be the Glasgow mesh service, the site in NHS England, the potential site at Spire Healthcare, or overseas? With regard to the hierarchy—that word might not be correct but you will understand it—is there a preferred route? If the women do not want to go to Glasgow, will we encourage them to take up the service in NHS England because it is an NHS service and the wraparound care might be more definable there, or are those choices patient driven? The matter is complicated.

You have spoken at length, and we have heard much, about the complexity of the wraparound care that the women need. Are you satisfied that the bill and the provision for procurement of services from the private sector will not undermine the NHS in any way?

Thank you for that answer. We know that the first point of call is often with the woman and her GP, but there are many GPs across the country. What wider publicity and training are being provided about the national mesh service, and particularly about the GPs linking into it and understanding the complications that arise from the surgery, so that they can refer women quickly and effectively into the service?