Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government takes the issues with taxis very seriously and is reviewing the published guidance daily to ensure that spread of the virus is contained while balancing the needs of NHS staff to get to work, many of whom use taxis. For the current position on staff and passenger safety in taxi and private hire vehicles I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28129 on 22 April 2020. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

COVID-19 is affecting all our daily lives including our workplaces, and the Scottish Government recognises the very challenging position that many employers and workers are now facing. The health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and the economy is our priority, and the Scottish Government is actively looking at what it needs to do to secure safe workplaces across a whole range of sectors, including the private hire and taxi sector.

The Government remains committed to answering all parliamentary questions as quickly as possible and within the deadlines agreed with Parliament. The vast majority of questions continue to be answered on time. It is clear however that the impact of responding to the exceptional demands of the current Coronavirus pandemic is having, and will continue to have, some impact on response times.

The Scottish Government has ensured a strong focus on equality and human rights throughout the response to this pandemic, an approach set out in a letter to the Scottish Parliament’s Equality and Human Rights Committee on 12 May 2020
( https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Equal_Opps/12_
May_2020_Ms_McKelvie_Minister_OPE_to_EHRC.pdf ).

The work of a Minister is, of course, much wider than statements, comments, announcements and news releases, but those that have been made since lockdown began in the Minister’s sole name - as opposed to those she has been involved in but issued in another Minster’s name - include:

• Chairing a meeting of the Older People’s Strategic Action Forum on 21 May 2020, to hear updates on valuable work being carried out across communities and allow shared thinking to shape next steps;
• Funding a range of organisations working with older people, enabling them to provide greatly expanded advice and support for older people across Scotland ( A Balancing Act : https://blogs.gov.scot/fairer-scotland
  /2020/05/09/a-balancing-act/)
• Over £55,000 of additional funding directly to organisations supporting LGBT people, including older people, to increase services during the pandemic (
  https://blogs.gov.scot/fairer-scotland/2020/05/12/support
  -for-lgbt-during-coronavirus-minister-blog/)
• Building the capacity of race equality organisations to support minority ethnic communities during the pandemic, including supporting older people through the Ethnic Minority National Resilience Network
  ( https://twitter.com/ScotGovFairer
  /status/1250058580960698369 )
• Supporting local authorities to deal with increased levels of domestic abuse and gender-based violence during the pandemic
  ( https://news.gov.scot/news/tackling-violence
  -against-women-and-girls-during-covid-19)
• Highlighting the importance of safeguarding human rights and equality ( https://twitter.com/ScotGovFairer/status
  /1260569080337178624)

This list is not exhaustive. The Minister for Older People and Equalities, alongside Ministers across the Scottish Government, continue to focus on continued engagement with stakeholder groups as we put the intersectional experience of those most affected by the pandemic at the centre of the response.

The Scottish Government has received a report from John Scott QC Solicitor Advocate, chair of the independent review group, and is considering its response. The report along with the Scottish Government's response, when published, will be made available on the Scottish Government’s website at

https://www.gov.scot/groups/independent-review-policing-miners-strike/ .

The Scottish Government has significantly increased testing capacity in Scotland in response to this outbreak. NHS lab testing is now available in all 14 health board areas with a capacity of around 6,000 tests a day. Combined with capacity from the Glasgow Lighthouse laboratory, we have normal maximum weekday capacity of around 13,000 tests.

We are continuing to build capacity to enable the move to the next phase of testing: Test, Trace, Isolate, Support.

I refer the member to the answer to question SW-27947 on 4 May 2020. 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 .

As I confirmed at the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee (RECC) on 13 May 2020, passenger numbers did not yet require an increase in ScotRail services in Scotland on 18 May 2020, and therefore none took place.

Given the planning lead times involved in changing rail services, it was sensible that ScotRail had prepared prudent contingency plans for 18 May. I have asked ScotRail to continue to plan for future phased increases in rail services to be ready to align with wider Scottish Government plans, so the supply of trains may be kept in advance of passenger numbers to facilitate physical distancing for passengers and staff.

The Chief Medical Officer wrote to those people considered most at risk from COVID-19 on 26 March. The letter provided information and support on shielding themselves from Covid-19 and how they could access the care and treatment they might need. The letter also explained that their GP practice would contact them to discuss how best to ensure they still receive the medical care appropriate to them during this period.

As part of these discussions, the GP may ask about their health and care wishes to ensure that they are recorded should they become unwell with COVID-19. These conversations are known as Anticipatory Care Planning (ACP) and GPs and other health professionals are supported to have them in a sensitive manner. This discussion might also include conversation about Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions if raised by the person or their GP deems it necessary.

To support GPs in having these discussions in a way that is compassionate and respectful, on 10 April we issued a letter to GP practices to provide advice and support on having anticipatory care planning conversations. The letter makes clear that there is no requirement for health professionals to have a DNACPR discussion as part of this conversation, unless the patient wishes to discuss it or clinician feels strongly it is necessary to raise in conversation for the patient’s wellbeing.

Additionally, on 17 April, a further joint letter from the Scottish Government’s Chief Medical Office, BMA and RCGPs was sent to GPs to reinforce this message and set out how they could effectively support care homes during this difficult time.

To raise public awareness and support people to have these conversations we have added information about anticipatory care planning in the context of COVID-19 to the NHS Inform website. This includes a link to a video providing information and support about what to consider with those closest to you before having an ACP conversation with your GP or other health professional.

The Scottish Government continues to consider public feedback and work with stakeholders to consider how we can best promote awareness of anticipatory care planning and support people and those closest to them to have those conversations.