Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5O-04150

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the future rebuild of the Edinburgh Cancer Centre.

Question reference: S5W-27199

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response to reports of supply difficulties with the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system for people with type 1 diabetes; what discussions it has had with the manufacturer regarding this, and what action NHS boards are taking to manage supplies.

The manufacturer of FreeStyle Libre, Abbott, have chosen to also be the exclusive distributer for their product, therefore any healthcare professional experiencing difficulties in obtaining this product must contact Abbot directly. The manufacturer have indicated that sensors are likely to be out of stock until end of February 2020.

We expect all NHS Boards to advise patients on having a regular finger pricking routine and also ensure that they have enough test strips as a safety measure in the event of a device malfunction or a supply issue.

Anyone seeking advice on FreeStyle Libre should speak to their diabetes team as they are best placed to provide specific advice and support based on individual circumstances and clinical needs.

Question reference: S5W-27062

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-26660 by Michael Matheson on 19 December 2019, when work on the installation of the sensors will (a) commence and (b) be completed, and how much this will cost.

The safety of road users is our number one priority.

The procurement process for installation of the ice sensors and ancillary equipment is currently underway and we hope to be in a position to award the contract shortly, after which the sensors will be installed as soon as possible. Costings will be confirmed following completion of the procurement process.

In the meantime, robust procedures are in place to deal with issues relating to ice accumulation.

Question reference: S5W-27060

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 5 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what actions are being taken to improve NHS staff (a) safety and (b) welfare in the workplace.

The Ministerial Short Life Working Group, I convened following the Sturrock Review is examining wellbeing, support services and how behaviours and values fit together. Specifically this group has been tasked with developing a framework to support cultural improvement. This will contribute to the implementation of practical strategies on staff welfare and wellbeing, to ensure staff have access to appropriate services.

This includes examining how behaviours and values fit together, our approach to recruitment and retention, staff-governance monitoring, iMatter, the development of a new Dignity at Work tool and the provision of wellbeing and support services.

Our policies and the Healthy Working Lives initiative ensure that we provide a healthy working environment and support individuals to improve their own health and wellbeing.

The Managing Health at Work policy is being reviewed as part of the Once for Scotland process, to provide a more consistent approach to health and wellbeing at work.

The NHS Scotland Staff Governance Standard requires health boards to demonstrate that staff are provided with a continuously improving and safe working environment and that they promote the health and wellbeing of staff.

Health boards routinely use a variety of mechanisms to monitor the health and wellbeing of their workforce including stress audits. Services are also provided for staff to access discrete support, including through staff helplines and counselling services.

We are committed to protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of staff in our NHS, and our managing health at work policies help deliver that commitment.

Question reference: S5W-27121

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to carry out a review of non-residential social care for people with Parkinson’s disease and other long-term conditions.

We are currently working with people who use social care support, unpaid carers, COSLA and the social services sector to take forward a shared programme of reform for adult social care in Scotland. This covers all parts of the population who have a need for social care support now, or that may do in future. It covers both care homes and care and support in people’s own homes and communities.

The programme will support positive change in a range of different areas. This includes how care and support is planned and bought at a local level; the consistency of support for people across Scotland; co-operation between statutory provision and community and voluntary support; and the spreading of successful ways of providing person-centred care and support across the country. A specific focus of the programme will be looking at how adult social care is funded and paid for into the future. This will include considering approaches to charging.

Question reference: S5W-27054

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether GPs will be provided with tinnitus awareness training to be better informed about the range of support available to people who present with tinnitus.

While the RCGP curriculum makes reference to the treatment options available for tinnitus within the ‘Ear, Nose & Throat and Speech & Hearing’ section, it acknowledges that patients with ENT symptoms may prove difficult to manage e.g. tinnitus, facial pain, unsteadiness, hearing loss.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) will signpost health professionals to a resource recently developed by Action on Hearing Loss Northern Ireland and the British Tinnitus Association, and will also actively look at whether a separate Scottish module should be developed.

All medical professionals, including GPs, have a professional obligation to undertake continuous professional development to remain up-to-date and meet GMC requirements to retain their license to practice. CPD opportunities and information are provided by the RCGP and NES.

Question reference: S5W-27053

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 31 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support the establishment of additional tinnitus support groups in communities to provide more accessible peer-to-peer support.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting children and adults who have a sensory impairment, including deafness and tinnitus, to access the health services and social care they need through the See Hear Strategy. Local See Hear Leads partnerships have established tinnitus support groups in a number of areas where this has been identified as a priority, including Forth Valley, Ayrshire and Arran, Edinburgh and South East Scotland and Glasgow and the West of Scotland. See Hear partnerships remain responsible for identifying local priorities and unmet need, including which additional services are required in their areas.

Question reference: S5W-27055

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 31 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on people who are especially affected and distressed by tinnitus being fast-tracked through audiology services so that they can benefit from using hearing aids more quickly.

The decision to fast track people affected by tinnitus is a clinical one, based on the reported or presenting symptoms, and will be made as part of the vetting of referrals and/or following a specialist assessment, on an individual case by case basis. In most cases where there is sudden onset and distressing tinnitus, individuals would be prioritised as a matter of course. Hearing aids and specialist audiology support are provided through NHS audiology services, who can also signpost to local 3 rd sector organisations, including those which provide peer to peer support.

Question reference: S5W-26981

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given further consideration to removing reference to chemical restraint from health and social care standards.

I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-22466 on
‎ 23 May 2019. The legislation applicable for the use of chemical restraint makes clear that consent is required where an individual has capacity. Where an individual does not have capacity, the use of chemical restraint must only be applied in exceptional circumstances to the benefit of the individual.

The Health and Social Care Standards do not replace or remove the need to comply with legislation, which health and care services are expected to continue to follow. There are no plans to amend the Standards.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5O-04063

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of children across Edinburgh who are living in temporary accommodation.