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: S5W-33302

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many obstetrics and gynaecology staff were redeployed to other areas of care during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic; whether this is happening in the second wave, and what steps it is taking to ensure that services continue as much as possible.

Scottish Ministers’ expectation remains that care for pregnant and postnatal women continues to be an essential service, and it is right that Health Boards should plan for these services to continue alongside other essential services during this unprecedented time. Their expectation is also that midwives, obstetricians and the wider maternity and neonatal workforce should not normally be redeployed out with these settings for the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any decisions taken about the deployment of obstetrics and gynaecology staff within NHS Scotland services are the responsibility of relevant Health Boards.

Question reference: S5W-33372

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many times local health protection teams implemented measures on whole household self-isolation that differs from the national guidance.

The decision on whether to impose whole-household isolation is taken by local Health Protection Teams if, in the handling of specific outbreaks, it is deemed proportionate in tackling the spread of the virus. This decision making process follows an individual risk assessment undertaken for each case at a local level by Test and Protect. The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many times risk assessments have come to this conclusion.

Question reference: S5W-33255

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS Scotland Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme is available to nursing and medical students who are completing clinical placements and, if not, whether it will reconsider its position on this matter.

The NHS Scotland and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme 2020 was introduced to ensure that no qualified person was discouraged or prevented from returning to service in NHS Scotland as a result of the pandemic, and ensure that all staff have peace of mind at this time. The scheme was subsequently extended to cover university students on health programmes who undertake clinical placements as part of their course – this includes nursing and medical students.

The Scottish Government has recently confirmed the life assurance scheme is being extended to also cover college students studying HNC Care and Administrative Practice and HNC Healthcare Practice, while undertaking placements in health and social care settings. This will ensure that clinical placements can progress as planned.

Question reference: S5O-04869

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the GMB Scotland campaign, Give Key Workers a Break.

Question reference: S5W-33534

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 7 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the mental health budget is spent on specialist services for (a) children aged (i) 2 to 5 and (ii) under 2 and (b) babies.

The Scottish Government does not hold information in this form.

The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board provides strategic leadership of a £50m investment in perinatal and infant mental health. Within this, services directly towards infants aged 0 to 3 years are being developed across Scotland. Over £800,000 has been invested in infant mental health this financial year.

NHS Boards draw funding for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) from the overall health and social care funds allocated to them by the Scottish Government. Boards work with the Integration Joint Boards in their area and other partners to ensure funding decisions reflect local and national priorities for the delivery of person-centred, safe and effective mental health services.

Detail on mental health spending and the NHS budget is made available each year as part of the annual NHS Costs Book publication and the Scottish Budget, this includes CAMHS expenditure data by NHS Board. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-26493, which details this expenditure from 2011 until 2019. The 2019-20 data is expected to be published on 19 January 2021. However, CAMHS expenditure data is not available broken down by age.

Question reference: S5W-33662

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 7 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that school staff are able to take up the opportunity to receive a flu vaccination, and whether it will consider implementing onsite vaccinations in schools.

The Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme helps to protect the most vulnerable and alleviate pressure on the NHS. This is more important than ever this year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those most at risk from the seasonal flu, who are already eligible to receive the vaccine are:

Those aged 65 and over,
Those who have an underlying health condition,
Pregnant women,
Health care workers,
Young and unpaid carers,
children aged 2-5 (not yet at school), and
primary school pupils.

This year the Scottish Government expanded free eligibility for the seasonal flu vaccine to include:

social care workers who provide direct personal care;
household members of individuals who are shielding; and
all those aged 60-64 (who are not already eligible) and with the intention to further expand to 59-55.

With the expansion some occupations, such as health and social care workers are entitled to the free seasonal flu vaccine, this is because they come into contact with a higher proportion of people who are vulnerable to the seasonal flu. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, there is pressure on the global supply of seasonal flu vaccine and those at the greatest clinical risk must continue to be prioritised. Therefore school staff who are at higher risk from flu will already be eligible to receive their flu vaccination and will be contacted by their Health Board letting them know where they will receive the vaccine and how to book their appointment.

Question reference: S5W-33301

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (a) access to routine dental services and (b) early diagnoses of mouth cancers.

Since 1 November dentists have been permitted to offer the full range of NHS care in surgeries. With the resumption, dentists providing NHS care are required to submit claims for items of treatment undertaken to National Services Scotland. This information will be used to monitor the impact on current service provision.

The diagnosis of oral cancer is monitored through hospital data. The patient pathway for oral cancer was maintained throughout the pandemic. Despite a reduction in dental services on account of the COVID-19 outbreak ensuring that people have access to cancer services has always remained a priority. Dental practices have continued to triage patients during the pandemic and, in accordance with the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) guidelines, refer patients with symptoms of oral cancer for urgent assessment.

Question reference: S5W-33299

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken in response to reports of an increase in nosocomial infections.

COVID-19 transmission is taking place in the community and – as is the case with any infectious disease – transmission is more likely where people are in closed settings, including within hospitals. As a result, we are seeing a rise of definite hospital onset cases.

Health Boards, supported by expert advice from the COVID-19 Nosocomial Review Group (CNRG) established by the Scottish Government in May, are implementing a range of measures to minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission in hospitals. Based on the latest infection prevention and control guidance from National Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland, these measures include:

- the appropriate use of PPE,

- extended use of face masks and coverings

- physical distancing,

- outbreak management,

- risk assessed patient care pathways to help guide the implementation of measures for safe and effective care, and

- staff and patient testing

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have and continue to work hard to ensure IPC measures in hospital and other care settings are robust.

Question reference: S5W-33369

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been treated at the NHS Louisa Jordan for COVID-19-related illness, also broken down by the number treated (a) during the first and (b) since the start of the second wave.

The NHS Louisa Jordan was established to help ensure NHS Scotland had extra capacity to treat patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and stood ready to do so since 20 April 2020. Building the NHS Louisa Jordan was a precautionary action and I was always clear that I hoped it would never be needed to treat a COVID patient. The NHS Louisa Jordan has not been required to treat COVID-19 patients because of efforts made to suppress the virus. If required, the hospital continues to remain ready to accept COVID-19 patients at a few days’ notice.

Question reference: S5W-33254

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have had their routine cervical screening test delayed due to the pause of the screening programmes in 2020, also broken down by how many have (a) now received a test and (b) yet to receive an invite for a screening appointment.

180,784 participants had their cervical screening test delayed due to the pause of the screening programmes in 2020 of which (a) 29,362 have attended for a test and (b) 99,716 have yet to receive their invitation for a screening appointment. These figures include women who receive more frequent screening appointments, who were first to receive their invitations to cervical screening following the restart.