Chamber and committees

This information is not held centrally.

As of December 2024 there have been:

• Almost 65,000 users on the life sections
• Over 986,000 views on the Periods pages
• Just under 3.2 million views on the Menopause pages

The Endometriosis Care Pathway for Scotland, adapted from NICE guidance, provides a streamlined integrated primary, secondary and tertiary care pathway aimed at providing a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis-like symptoms.

The Scottish National Menstrual Health Specialist Network provides healthcare professionals with a special interest in menstrual health a forum for peer support and sharing expert clinical advice and best practice related to menstrual health symptoms and conditions.

We will build on the progress set out in the Women’s Health Plan 2021 - 2024 Final Report, as we work towards ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

We are committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

Through the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform, we have made a range of information on endometriosis available to women online.

This has included the Endometriosis UK Pain and Symptom Diary as well as access to a self-help tool on periods and mental wellbeing.

A menstrual health symptom questionnaire has also been developed by NHS Education for Scotland and is available through the TURAS platform for healthcare professionals to share with women. It will also be available for women to access directly via the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform shortly.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30034 on 3 October 2024. 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

The Retail Industry Leadership Group, co-chaired by myself and Polly Jones, Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs, Asda, is in the process of finalising a refreshed Terms of Reference (ToR) to better reflect the ongoing work of the Group. All members have had the opportunity to provide their views on this process, including a discussion on the ToR at an ILG meeting on 06 November 2024. The revised ToR, which now includes a redrafted line highlighting that the Group will promote the interests of businesses in all their sizes and formats, is expected to be published on the ILG gov.scot page in early 2025.

The Lord President as head of the Scottish judiciary is responsible for the training of judicial office holders. Training is delivered by the judicial institute for Scotland.

All retailers selling alcohol that despatches from a location in Scotland, including those selling online, are required to hold a licence to sell alcohol and must comply with the Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) requirements as a condition of licence.

The Scottish Government set out in its final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) an assessment of the effects of MUP on Scottish businesses, including in relation to cross-border and online sales.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with business and industry, and a range of other key stakeholders, following the price increase and continuation of MUP from 30 September. As a developing market the Scottish Government continues to keep the effect and impact of online sales of alcohol under review.

The Scottish Government publishes annual statistics on support staff in schools, including school library staff. From 2010-2016, figures were published as part of the Teacher census supplementary statistics - gov.scot. From 2017 onwards, figures on school library staff are published as part of the School support staff statistics - gov.scot.

We do not hold statistics from earlier than 2010.

The following table details the number of post mortem examinations which have been instructed by the Procurator Fiscal in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh in each of the last ten years.

COPFS does not hold figures for hospital post mortem examinations conducted by NHS boards.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis can access the best possible care and support.

There is now an Endometriosis Care Pathway for NHS Scotland which aims to support healthcare professionals to provide a holistic approach and timely care for those with endometriosis and endometriosis-like symptoms. All NHS Boards should be taking steps to implement the pathway.

Most individuals with endometriosis can be managed within secondary care. For patients with more complex symptoms or who need complex surgery, there are three regional specialist endometriosis centres in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow that provide multidisciplinary specialist care across Scotland.

To support health care professionals to improve their knowledge and understanding of endometriosis NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has launched an e-learning module on menstrual health available on Turas Learn. It is open to anyone working in NHS Scotland and in particular is aimed at those working in primary care.

Further training resources have also been provided through the Women’s Health Masterclass on endometriosis which provided information on diagnosis, treatment and current research on endometriosis, raising awareness of the Pathway with attendees. The resources from this event are also available on Turas Learn.

The Scottish National Menstrual Health Specialist Network provides healthcare professionals with a special interest in menstrual health a forum for peer support and sharing expert clinical advice and best practice related to menstrual health symptoms and conditions.

More information can be found in the Women’s Health Plan 2021 - 2024 Final Report.