Chamber and committees

When Professor Lindsay Thomson came to the committee, I asked her about the challenge of overweight and increased body mass index in patients and how to support them to have a healthier weight. Professor Thomson’s said that the on-site hospital shop had made a decision to have 80 per cent healthy foods and 40 per cent unhealthy foods, whereas other places were doing 50:50. That was a goal. At the moment, I am reading about ultra-high processed foods in a book by Chris van Tulleken, in which he talks about the correlation between UHP foods and obesity. How do you support people when activity might not be easy to achieve and groceries are brought in by family members? That issue was highlighted the last time a state hospital representative was here.

I will ask one final wee quick question. If someone is transferred to the state hospital and is then relocated to another less secure facility, do you measure that as part of performance measurement? Is that part of tracking patients’ movements?

I am pleased to speak in favour of the Government’s motion. I remind members that I am a registered nurse and former employee of NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

As members and the cabinet secretary have indicated, the purpose of hospital at home is to reduce hospital admissions by providing treatments in the comfort and familiarity of a person’s home. Clare Haughey described the types of treatment that are received, which include intravenous infusions and oxygen therapy.

Evidence shows that those people who benefit from the service are more likely to avoid hospital or care home stays after a period of acute illness. For older patients, that means remaining at home longer without losing their independence, which has contributed to overall improvements in patient satisfaction.

I am a member of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, which is currently undertaking scrutiny of NHS boards, including the rural boards in my South Scotland region. The chief executive of NHS Borders, Ralph Roberts, told us about the reablement work that is being implemented in his board. Reablement refers to the care that a person receives after experiencing an illness or injury. The main aim of reablement is to allow people to gain or regain the confidence, ability and skills that are necessary to live as independently as possible, especially after an illness, injury or deterioration in health. Reablement is a person-centred approach, and support is usually delivered in the person’s home or in a care home. That work has led to an increase in people receiving hospital at home care, which is of course welcome.

Delayed discharge is one the biggest issues that health boards in Scotland face. I welcome the fact that, as the motion indicates, the Scottish Government is providing on-going support to boards in a range of areas, including discharge planning.

Significant evidence shows that ultra-processed foods link directly to obesity, poor diet, malnourishment and negative health implications. Will the minister describe some of the specific policy work that is being carried out to use the evidence that relates to ultra-processed food—which impacts on low-income families in particular—to improve diet and health outcomes?

It is interesting to hear what Dr Gulhane says about NHS Dumfries and Galloway. It is my understanding that NHS Dumfries and Galloway has taken a home teams approach and that that is how that health board is delivering the equivalent of hospital at home.

Gie me a wee sec.

Home teams is a new health and social care model of working that is being delivered in Dumfries and Galloway to help people to live happier and healthier lives in their own home and to tackle delayed discharge.

I do not think that I have time to take another intervention.

It would take a six-minute speech to go into the detail of the provision that is required across the whole rural area. I apologise to Mr Mundell that I cannae do that.

I am looking forward to the community bed provision consultation responses. We all know that people want their care to be closer to home.

I thank NHS Dumfries and Galloway for the innovative work that it is taking forward to make a difference to patient outcomes. As well as hospital at home, the out-patient parenteral antimicrobial treatment scheme and respiratory community response teams now offer more than 600 virtual beds to treat patients for conditions that would traditionally need hospitalisation.

There is no doubt that, as Monica Lennon has just highlighted, the soaring price of essential products is exacerbating the already challenging circumstances facing parents, particularly those who are on low incomes. What additional action is the Scottish Government taking within its limited powers and budget to support people during this cost of living crisis? What more does the cabinet secretary consider that the UK Government should be doing to help?

Would Alex Cole-Hamilton welcome the remote monitoring that has been implemented by NHS Dumfries and Galloway for the monitoring of their chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory patients? That is working really well to keep folk out of hospital.