Chamber and committees

Does the member agree that the respiratory care action plan that is being implemented right now by the Scottish Government includes long Covid?

I welcome the further easing of Covid-19 restrictions, which will allow people to meet up in greater numbers. However, more people indoors means a greater risk of spreading the Covid-19 virus. That can be mitigated by good ventilation, as the First Minister has described, by introducing CO2 monitoring in schools and even by high-efficiency particulate absorbing air filtration for virus that is aerosolised. Can the First Minister expand on the introduction of CO2 monitoring and on whether further support with ventilation or HEPA filtration for public, third sector or business places is being considered?

I would also like to offer my condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives.

The Scottish Government has rightly identified tackling drug-related stigma as a priority in our national mission of reducing drug deaths and harm. Therefore, can the minister outline what education is being provided or is intended to be provided to healthcare professionals who do not work directly in drug and alcohol services, such as hospital and community staff, as well as to the wider public, to tackle drug-related stigma?

Like Rona Mackay and Christine Grahame, I agree that this is an important issue. Has the Scottish Government assessed whether the divergence from Covid-19 restrictions in England, with the approach of the dangerously named “freedom day” on 19 July there, will create confusion about the Scottish Covid-19 rules and, therefore, barriers to their enforcement? Can the First Minister reaffirm that action will be taken to ensure that people in Scotland and those visiting from other parts of the UK, including to my South Scotland region, are aware of Scotland’s more responsible approach to easing Covid-19 restrictions?

What action is the Scottish Government taking in response to high numbers of people not attending their appointments at Covid-19 vaccination clinics? Is the Government exploring innovative ways, such as text messaging, for vaccination team staff to contact people about vaccination, which could help to ensure attendance?

I remind members that I am a member of NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s vaccination team.

There are many reasons why women might be reluctant to attend their screening test. Those range from difficulties in attending or being examined due to physical disability to cultural and language barriers, lack of awareness and uneasiness. What action is the Scottish Government taking to break down those barriers and help more women attend their appointment when called?

I welcome the First Minister’s announcement yesterday regarding changes to the guidance on weddings, which are key to the hospitality sector. I have been contacted by wedding venues in the south of Scotland that have asked whether a specific route map out of Covid-19 can be created for the sector that takes account of the diverse nature of weddings and wedding venues. Will the minister consider that? If it is possible, will he outline a potential timeframe for its establishment?

I remain a registered nurse and am a member of NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s vaccination team. I will continue to be available as and if required to support further Covid vaccinations in the upcoming months, and I will update my entry in the register of interests as necessary to declare any income that is derived when that occurs.

I nominate Gillian Martin.

Gillian Martin was chosen as convener.

I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate, and I congratulate Bob Doris on bringing it to the chamber, and on his excellent contribution. I also acknowledge and thank Christina McKelvie for the huge amount of work that she has put into raising awareness of MND, and for previously leading the debate in Parliament over a number of years.

My contribution will focus on the fantastic work of MND Scotland, both nationally and across my South Scotland region, the groundbreaking medical advances that have been made over the past 12 months, and on some points of interest in my region.

As Bob Doris said, this June marks 40 years since police officer John Macleod and his wife, Peigi, first launched MND Scotland from their living room, after John was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Since then, many people—activists, healthcare professionals, researchers and those who have been diagnosed with MND—have helped to create a movement to fight back against MND through research and clinical trials. They have also helped to power MND Scotland’s life-changing support services through fundraising, donations and political action.

Across Scotland, including in my South Scotland region, MND Scotland provides support services for those who are living with MND, including through face-to-face support services, emergency financial grants, advocacy services and, during the current Covid-19 pandemic, video support and one-to-one phone calls. The charity’s work has been a lifeline for many, and I thank John and Peigi and all at MND Scotland, past and present, for the outstanding job that they do.

I highlight that Dumfries and Galloway in my South Scotland region has a particularly high prevalence of MND—higher than in other areas of Scotland. Across Dumfries and Galloway, an average of 15 people per 100,000 are diagnosed with MND, which compares with a United Kingdom average of five to seven people per 100,000. Figures show that the issue is particularly acute in Stranraer, where the statistics translate to 57 people per 100,000 being diagnosed with MND. I am thinking of my colleague the former MP Richard Arkless, his wife Anne and their family at this time, because both Richard and Anne have lost close members of their family to MND. No one knows exactly why MND is so prevalent in Dumfries and Galloway. MND has such a profound and devastating impact on the lives of so many, and there is a clear need for further research across the south-west of Scotland.

I welcome the significant advances in MND research over the past 12 months. Currently, almost everyone in Scotland who is living with MND is participating in MND Scotland’s new clinical trial, MND-SMART. Although typical clinical trials focus on a single drug, MND-SMART will allow more than one treatment to be tested at a time, which will give patients a higher chance of receiving an active treatment rather than a placebo. The project, which is being led by researchers at the Euan MacDonald Centre at the University of Edinburgh, has been developed to find effective medicines more quickly. The clinical trial will include as many people who have been diagnosed with MND as possible, regardless of how the disease or current treatments affect them.

The first trial is looking at amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and involves interleukin-2, which is used for treating some types of cancer. The study will focus on immune cells in the blood, which can influence the speed at which ALS progresses. I welcome the research and agree that it will improve the life chances of people who are living with MND in Scotland.

I wish MND Scotland a happy 40 years and every success as it moves forward. Again, I highlight the high levels of MND across Dumfries and Galloway, and I ask the minister to bear that in mind as policies move forward.