Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government recognises the additional pressure that the pandemic and the resultant restrictions place upon individuals and families and is committed to providing clear, comprehensive and accessible support for mental health. We have invested significantly in support. This includes the provision of support to mitigate risks to health and wellbeing from the impact of isolation and loneliness.

The Scottish Government launched its Clear Your Head campaign in April 2020, alongside the NHS Inform website’s page on fostering positive wellbeing and reducing stress during the pandemic. These resources include signposting to support services and advice for individuals to maintain contact with family and friends while practising social distancing as appropriate. In addition, advice and support services were highlighted in a door drop leaflet issued to every household in Scotland.

Since the outbreak, the Scottish Government has invested over £6million in financial support to a range of mental health responses. These include:

• expanding NHS24’s Mental Health Hub to a 24/7 service;
• enhancing the Breathing Space helpline and developing and extending on-line and digital support services;
• rolling out the Distress Brief Intervention nation-wide; and
• extending digital therapies through computerised and internet-enabled Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

On the 8th of October we published Scotland’s Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan which outlines the Scottish Government’s full response to the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are now working with key stakeholders to focus on the Plan’s implementation, and will put in place comprehensive governance.

In our initial response to the pandemic, our £350 million Supporting Communities Fund directly assisted organisations providing immediate support to people and communities. This funding supported many organisations to increase the capacity of helplines, many of which offer friendship as well as advice. This includes over £870,000 invested in Age Scotland, as well as support for Hourglass and Befriending Networks Scotland.

Menstrual health and wellbeing education is a key part of relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education. RSHP education is an integral part of the health and wellbeing area of the Scottish curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence. Learning about RSHP education begins early on in primary school and continues right up to S4-S6. RSHP education is delivered in an age and stage appropriate manner and is intended to enable children and young people to build positive relationships as they grow older. Schools will equip young people with information on a wide range of issues, including menstrual health and wellbeing, depending on their age and stage of learning. Learning should present facts in an objective, balanced and sensitive manner within a framework of sound values and an awareness of the law.

An online RSHP teaching resource, ( www.rshp.scot) published last year, provides 133 age and stage appropriate learning activities on RSHP education for use in all education settings and is aligned to Curriculum for Excellence. This resource includes learning activities on menstruation from second level (P5 to P7) , with endometriosis introduced at third/fourth level (S1 to S3) .

Everyone should consider taking a daily 10 microgram supplement of vitamin D to protect bone and muscle health, particularly during the winter months. It is specifically recommended that groups at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency take a daily supplement all year round. This includes pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and children under 5, people who have low or no exposure to the sun, and people from minority ethnic groups with dark skin who require more sun exposure to make as much vitamin D.

Current advice on vitamin D is available at: www.gov.scot/publications/vitamin-d-advice-for-all-age-groups

Decisions on whether to prescribe vitamin D for people in care homes will be made on an individual basis taking account of residents’ needs. Where individuals are likely to benefit, it is recommended vitamin D should be prescribed.

Everyone on the shielding list has been offered a free four month supply of vitamin D from December 2020. Information outlining how to receive this offer has been sent to all those on the shielding list. Advice on the importance of vitamin D supplements has also been provided to those on the shielding list through Scottish Government websites and information updates attached to letters from the Chief Medical Officer.

As set out in the answer to question S5W-29950, the Scottish Government has provided a package of support to outdoor education centres impacted by the pandemic. We continue to be committed to supporting centres and we have been in regular contact with sector representatives since May 2020 to provide support during this challenging period.

Organisations whose activities include running outdoor centres have benefited from Scottish Government funding. Boys’ Brigade Scotland and Scouts Scotland both received £60,000 to support the outcomes of the Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention Fund and Adult Learning and Empowering Communities Fund (CYPFEI & ALEC Fund). The Boys’ Brigade and Scouts Scotland have also received approximately £30,000 of support through our Wellbeing Fund.

The £25m Third Sector Resilience Fund has also supported a wide range of third sector organisations, including:

• Scottish Outdoor Education Centres Limited - £98,465
• Adventure Centre for Education - £16,259
• Aerial Adventures, Livingston - £15,547
• Teen Ranch Scotland - £75,251

On 22 October 2020 the Scottish Government announced a new £2m fund to support residential outdoor education centres impacted by the pandemic.

The number of vaccines procured for five previous years is contained in the table:

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to make any changes to the contents of Scotland’s Baby Boxes. The Baby Box ensures that every family with a newborn has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life.

The Baby Box balances practical items, such as the clothing, changing mat, digital thermometer and bath & room thermometer, with items designed to have a positive impact on parent-child interaction such as books, a baby wrap and a play mat to support attachment, early learning and play.

We are continuing to monitor the feedback from families and health professionals and the latest research available. Both indicate very high levels of satisfaction with the Box and its contents. We have commissioned an independent evaluation of Scotland’s Baby Boxes and we expect the findings to be published on the Scottish Government’s website by spring 2021.

All new parents and families with young children have access to a health visitor or family nurse, who can provide them with any additional information or support they may require, either directly or through community based resources. These essential health services continued throughout the pandemic, prioritising early contacts in the health visiting pathway, along with maternity services.

The safety of all school users is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government.

Evidence suggests that adequate levels of ventilation can limit the spread of COVID-19. As winter approaches, we have issued updated guidance to local authorities that balances the need for ventilation in parts of the school estate with the requirement to maintain adequate temperatures. This has been published as part of the latest version of school reopening guidance.

NHS Test and Protect is a complex public health intervention and uses a whole system approach for delivery across NHS Boards, local authorities and other key delivery partners. As spend may be incurred centrally, rather than by individual partners, costs incurred by NHS Boards do not constitute total programme spend. Overall expected costs for this programme include expenditure on testing, contact tracing and support for those isolating.

On 29 September 2020 the Cabinet Secretary for Health announced £1.1 billion in additional funding for NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to meet COVID-19 related costs. A breakdown of the initial provision for Boards included for NHS Test and Protect – as included in this funded package – is set out below. Activities and costs remain under close review and funding to Boards will be revised through the year in line with agreed changes.

As set out in our strategic framework for the pandemic published on 23 October, our plans to develop the testing element of Test and Protect in the next three months are focussed on building capacity within NHS Scotland and deploying expansions in UK Government testing capacity and capability to its maximum effect in Scotland.

These increases in capacity will primarily be required to meet demand from people with symptoms of Covid, both those infected with Covid, and those with colds or flu, or other illness with similar symptoms and for clinical patient care. As testing capacity builds and in line with clinical and public health priorities identified though the review of our testing strategy, we will also extend routine weekly testing of asymptomatic groups in a way which focusses on protecting those most vulnerable to the most harm, including those at highest risk of mortality.

Further details on the Framework can be found here:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-scotlands-strategic-framework/

Regular testing of this type sits alongside other measures such as strong emphasis on symptomatic individuals immediately self-isolating and arranging testing, use of appropriate PPE, physical distancing, environmental optimisation and decontamination and good social hygiene.

The Clinical and Professional Advisory Group is a multi-disciplinary group of care home providers, clinicians, nursing, GP, social work and social care, scrutiny and third sector representatives which considers and advises on issues during the pandemic. Meeting weekly, all members including workforce representatives have the opportunity to shape the agenda and to inform guidance to the sector, including on visiting. Infection Prevention and Control and visiting focussed sub-groups also include the care home workforce.

The CPAG co-chair and representatives regularly attend a workforce surgery call/ webinars to discuss visiting and clinical and professional practice with Scottish Care members and will continue to engage in a range of ways with the sector.