- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 3 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish data on waiting times for return appointments for chronic pain patients on a similar basis to data published for new treatment referrals; whether the 18-week Referral to Treatment Standard applies to (a) new treatment referrals for chronic patients and (b) return appointments for chronic pain patients, and what consideration it has given to ending the practice of no maximum time limit on waits for return appointments for chronic pain patients.
Answer
Chronic Pain services in Scotland are currently unable to gather electronic data on return appointments in a consistent manner and one that could support routine national data collection by Public Health Scotland (PHS).
The 18 Weeks Referral To Treatment (RTT) standard applies to the entire patient journey from the initial referral to the start of treatment and so repeat appointments after the start of treatment would not be included in this metric. Achieving the target depends on waiting times for diagnostic tests, new outpatient appointments, inpatient and day case treatment.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 3 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the role of the NHS Centre for Integrative Care in treating chronic pain patients, and which NHS boards do not fund referrals to the Centre.
Answer
The Centre for Integrative Care (CIC) is a facility run by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which offers a range of treatments and therapies for people with a range of long-term conditions, including chronic pain. All NHS Boards in Scotland retain the option of referring people to the CIC for treatment.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in (a) South Lanarkshire, (b) North Lanarkshire and (c) Falkirk have charging points for electric vehicles.
Answer
Over the past decade the Scottish Government has invested over £50 million in ChargePlace Scotland, investing ahead of need to create a publicly available network of EV charging infrastructure, which now consists of over 2000 charge points across Scotland.
It is for Local Authorities to determine local priorities and demand for charging infrastructure. Encompassing decisions such as required locations of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and the most appropriate charger type, when requesting funding support.
Through Transport Scotland funding initiatives, we have supported the following list of EV chargers for Falkirk Council.
- Bo’ness Academy (x1, commissioned)
- Denny High School (x1, commissioned)
- Falkirk High School (x1, commissioned)
- Grangemouth High School (x1, commissioned)
- Braes High School (x1, commissioned)
- Carron Grange High School (x2, commissioned)
- St Mungo’s High School (x1, commissioned)
Whilst Local Authorities have access to request funding from the Scottish Government to support the development of charging infrastructure; this is not a sole source of charge point provision, therefore other charge point installations could exist, which would be outside of our records.
To date North and South Lanarkshire have not requested funding from Transport Scotland for charging infrastructure to be installed at schools in their respective areas’.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 3 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of reports that NHS Lanarkshire has a backlog of chronic pain injections dating back to 2018, with some patients requiring these treatments every six months, and what action is being taken to improve treatment, care and outcomes for chronic pain patients in Lanarkshire, in light of the reported pre-pandemic delays and ongoing impacts of COVID-19.
Answer
I appreciate how difficult postponement of treatment has been for people with chronic pain, including those who may have had their normal treatment paused as a result of the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many factors determine the suitability and availability of specialist pain procedures, including clinical prioritisation and the availability of staffing, theatre capacity and the ongoing implications of COVID-related pathways.
In September 2020, the Scottish Government published the Framework for recovery of NHS pain management services to support the rapid and safe re-mobilisation of specialist pain management services. We remain committed to ensuring that Health Boards, including NHS Lanarkshire, resume specialist pain services as quickly as it is safe to do so.
We will shortly be launching a public consultation on a new Framework for Pain Management Service Delivery which includes an aim to deliver more timely access to care and improved health outcomes for people with chronic pain.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 3 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has awarded to Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland in each year since 2019 in connection with (a) chronic pain groups, (b) meetings of the National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain and (c) the involvement of contractors to arrange capacity-building meetings and the production of terms of reference.
Answer
The Scottish Government has awarded the following funding to the Health and Social Care Alliance for work related to the Chronic Pain Patient Reference Group since 2019 to cover all activities including support for representatives attending meetings of the National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain and capacity building activities. Funding has been provided since 2019 as follows:
2019-2020 | £6000 |
2020-2021 | £10,077 |
2021-2022 | £10,076 |
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to deliver Anne’s Law and other action it is taking to reduce isolation and loneliness in care homes.
Answer
We remain absolutely committed to strengthening residents’ rights in adult care homes through the introduction of ‘Anne’s Law’. This will give people who live in adult care homes the right to see and spend time with those who are important to them. Our public consultation on Anne’s Law closed on 5 November . We have received a considerable number of responses Scottish Government officials are currently working through the responses to consider the impact this may have on how we implement Anne’s Law. It is important that we carefully consider the views from the public and stakeholders that took the time to submit a response to our consultations. We intend to publish the responses in the coming weeks and results of the consultations on Anne’s Law and the strengthening of health and social care standards in the early part of the new year.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting schools to recycle waste, including plastic, aluminium, and food waste, and what steps it is taking to ensure that pupils and staff can access recycling bins on the school premises.
Answer
The Waste (Scotland) Regulations require all schools in Scotland to take all practicable steps to recycle as much of its waste as possible. Provision of recycling facilities within state schools is the responsibility of Scotland’s local authorities. The regulations require waste producers, including schools, to separate and present for collection the key dry recyclables (glass, metal, plastic, paper and card) and food at source.
To support schools, Zero Waste Scotland has produced a Resource Efficiency Guide for Schools , which includes advice on waste management and potential initiatives to reduce waste and improve recycling.
As part of the Curriculum for Excellence, under the theme of Learning for Sustainability, many schools are engaging with the Eco-Schools Scotland programme . This is a seven step curricular-relevant programme to support schools in considering and tackling environmental issues. Schools must evidence their work through a focus on litter and waste minimisation plus two other Eco-Schools topics. Those schools who successfully complete the programme are awarded a Green Flag.
On 17 November, I announced the first of our landmark investments from the £70m Recycling Improvement Fund. The Fund was launched to support local authorities improve recycling infrastructure and maximise the quality and quantity of recycling, including help with aligning recycling collections to Household Recycling Charter’s supporting Code of Practice, to help make it easier for householders to recycle the right things and encourage high levels of citizen participation in waste prevention, recycling and reuse.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the 2021 UN Production Gap Report, which concludes that governments plan to produce more than twice the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and what its position is on the proposed Cambo oil field, in light of the report's conclusion.
Answer
We are committed to ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change by 2045, and to ensuring we do it in a way that is just and leaves no-one behind.
The science is clear that the world cannot go on extracting fossil fuels indefinitely if the necessity of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees is to be achieved.
The presumption should be not to develop new oilfields unless there is rigorous assessment showing that it is both necessary and consistent with our obligation to limit warming to 1.5 degrees and in the overall interests of fast and just transition. We have consistently said that the Cambo field should not be given the green light, but should be subject to a rigorous climate compatibility assessment to ensure that it is consistent with emissions reductions targets, the Glasgow Climate Pact commitment to limit warming to 1.5 degrees and in the interests of a fast and just transition.
The challenge for all countries therefore is how quickly the transition from fossil fuels to renewable and low carbon alternatives can be achieved - and to ensure that the transition is a just one. We are undertaking a programme of work and analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero, ensuring an approach that supports and protects our energy security and our highly skilled workforce whilst meeting our climate obligations.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to add the COVID-19 booster vaccination to the vaccination status app, and whether proof of the booster vaccination will be required for (a) international travel and (b) domestic use.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04128 on 30 November 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
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2021
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to a SEPA investigation uncovering the single largest illegal export of household waste from Scotland, resulting in Saica Natur UK Limited being fined £20,000.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2021
