Chamber and committees

Health Boards throughout Scotland are asked to record any wastage on an online waste recording tool. However in providing some context to the Member there are a number of limitations; it is not mandatory for GP Practices to use the recording tool and most GP Practices do not record waste on the online reporting tool. The vaccine tool was launched in late January; some but not all Boards chose to record wastage from the beginning of the programme (entering data retrospectively)

The total number of vaccine doses recorded as expired since the start of the programme under the reason code ‘expired shelf life’ is 23,312 doses (11,700 Moderna, 5696 Pfizer and 5,917 AZ) however as above, this is not comprehensive.

In terms of stock that will go out of date by 30 September 2021, there is ongoing work to minimise any wastage including sites only drawing down stock where there is certainty that it will be used before expiry.

Given the scale of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, some vaccine wastage has been unavoidable for a variety of reasons. Wastage has remained well below the 5% planning assumption throughout, however, we continue to work with Health Boards to ensure wastage is at a minimum, and maximise the availability of vaccines to the people of Scotland.

Weekly updates on the number of vaccine doses allocated and delivered to Scotland are published at Coronavirus (COVID-19): daily data for Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) – see COVID-19 Vaccine supply data in the Vaccination section.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 requires that all wild birds are protected. NatureScot has responsibility for the issuing of General Licences under Section 16(1) of the Act, which authorise the killing and taking of certain wild birds including their eggs for one or more of several reasons including public health and safety.

NatureScot held a consultation on General Licences between August and October 2019. Following this consultation, they removed several species, including herring, lesser black-backed and great black-backed gulls, from the 2020 General Licences either on the basis that there was insufficient evidence of the damage they caused; there are other alternative non-lethal solutions; or there are conservation concerns over their population status. Although some species have been removed, authorised persons will still be able to apply to NatureScot for a specific licence to control them or undertake lethal control, including nest and egg destruction.

The Scottish Government does not plan to review the law in relation to the management of seagulls because it is viewed as striking the correct balance between preserving public health and conserving the species.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02280 on 7 September 2021. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02280 on 7 September 2021. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02280 on 7 September 2021. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02280 on 7 September 2021. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02280 on‎ 7 September 2021. 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 NHS Scotland already has in place the electronic transfer of prescriptions between general practice and community pharmacy.

Our NHS Recovery Plan and Programme for Government commits to investing in developing new digital solutions such as ePrescribing and eDispensing to make the prescribing process paperless which will free up capacity for healthcare professionals so that they can see more patients and making it easier for patients to access their medicines quickly and safely.

As I noted in my statement to Parliament on 24 June, a single NHS Board first discovered in December 2020 that a small number of women who had subtotal hysterectomies had been wrongly excluded from the cervical screening programme and subsequently developed cervical cancer. All affected individuals or their families were directly contacted on 15 April 2021 by their NHS Board.

The Scottish Government is aware of the potential for workforce issues to arise within NHS podiatry services. The Government is currently gathering data to support information from a range of sources. Early findings suggest the possible requirement to increase the education and training routes available for professional and support roles to offset future retirements and to allow expansion and development of innovative delivery models. These issues will be examined in more detail in the current AHP Education Review.