Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has no role in individuals’ power of attorney arrangements.

Where an individual has concerns about handling of a power of attorney, these are dealt with via local authorities’ and NHS complaints procedures, and through the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman if necessary.

Where a local authority or Health Board has concerns about the decision of an attorney with relevant powers, they can apply for directions from the Sheriff under section 3 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. If concerns persist, the local authority can apply to the Sheriff to appoint the Chief Social Work Officer as welfare guardian to replace the attorney.

Contract tracers working as part of NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect service are employed by the NHS, either within local Health Boards or by NHS National Services Scotland, they are not employed by an agency or agencies. These workers are paid on NHS terms and conditions.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that those living with respiratory conditions can access clinically appropriate, safe and effective person-centred healthcare treatment and support.

The draft Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland contains a set of commitments to drive improvement in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea, bronchiectasis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

As we continue to develop our understanding of the impact that Covid-19 has had on the health of the people of Scotland, including those that have developed long-term respiratory problems as a result of contracting Covid-19, the final Respiratory Care Action Plan will play a key role in responding to the implications and consequences for many aspects of respiratory care going forward.

It is not possible to definitively quantify the current CT scanning capacity as it is not a fixed number but is dependent on the daily availability of equipment and staff which has been affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, diagnostic services have been running at reduced capacity levels, as Health Boards take account of Covid-19 related physical distancing and additional health and hygiene measures for staff and patients as they provide these services.

During the pandemic, Diagnostic Imaging services have continued to be provided for urgent referrals, and all those who have an urgent suspicion of cancer.

To support the recovery of diagnostic services additional mobile CT and MRI capacity has been secured to support the existing services which are operating at reduced levels due to the requirements of PPE and physical distancing. This capacity will be available for six months and will provide an additional 15,000 CT and 11,000 MRI scans.

The data is not centrally available.

Public Health Scotland have pre-announced that Acute Hospital Activity and SMR01 data to end March 2020, is scheduled for publication in September 2020 and that data for April to June 2020 is scheduled for publication in November 2020.

https://beta.isdscotland.org/forthcoming-publications/

The investigation into the safety and operation of the A702/A703/Old Pentland Road junction has identified a number of options to reduce vehicular conflict at this location. As the A703 and Old Pentland Road are the responsibility of Midlothian Council, Transport Scotland is collaborating with them to ensure effects on the trunk and local road networks from potential interventions are fully considered.

The site constraints at this location are extremely challenging, with topography and the presence of adjacent housing making it difficult to develop a solution that would meet current design standards. Improvements are therefore likely to be complex and further investigation will be required to understand their feasibility and buildability. Improvements may also require public consultation, with any objections to proposals having potential to delay or curtail alterations to the junctions.

Once a preferred option has been confirmed by Transport Scotland, following engagement with Midlothian Council, delivery will then be subject to prioritisation with other road safety schemes in the South East trunk road area, and the availability of sufficient funding for a scheme of this scale.

The Scottish Arthroplasty Project https://www.arthro.scot.nhs.uk/ will publish their annual report providing information on the numbers of hip and knee replacement surgeries taking place during 2019 in September 2020. As there is less than 12 weeks before publication data release of this information is currently embargoed.

The information that is available is given in the following table, which was supplied by National Records of Scotland (NRS). The figures were produced from NRS’s records of the deaths that were registered in Scotland in each year. The latest year for which NRS’s statistical data on causes of death have been finalised, and a definitive breakdown of the numbers of deaths by cause can be provided, is 2018.

In this answer, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been taken to refer to thrombosis of the deep veins of the leg. Deaths from DVT frequently occur from complications of the DVT, principally pulmonary embolism, so deaths from pulmonary embolism have been included in these figures.

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) system, which is used in the UK to classify deaths, does not allow deep venous thrombosis to be separated from phlebitis (inflammation of a vein), so these figures may include a small number of deaths due to phlebitis.

Deaths attributed to deep vein thrombosis (DVT)* registered in Scotland, 2014 to 2018

The £25 million Third Sector Resilience Fund is part of the £350 million Communities Fund.

As of 30 June 2020:

• Investment has helped save organisations that have a collective annual turnover of c£0.5bn.
• Close to 14,000 jobs have been saved.
• There were 3253 applications with a cumulative value of over £81.6m.
• Grants totalling £21.4m have been made to over 1261 organisations.
• The fund has now committed 100% of its original value.

Details of the awards made under the Third Sector Resilience fund can be found at https://www.firstport.org.uk/news/awards-made-by-the-third-sector-resilience-fund/  The Scottish Government has published a new collection of digital maps showing where funding has been given to support communities across Scotland affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). The online dashboard enables users to view financial support by local authority across four main funds. Full details can be accessed via https://www.gov.scot/policies/poverty-and-social-justice/funding/ 

Public Health Scotland issues letters removing individuals from the shielding list on behalf of the NHS Boards. As at 2nd July 2020, 9,221 removal letters have been issued.

The following table details instances where a removal letter has been sent. For generic removals it is not possible to identify the reason for the removal.

Number of individuals sent Shielding Removal letters by Letter Type (as at 2nd July 2020)