Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has provided local authorities with £80 million of additional investment in education staff, sufficient for the recruitment of around 1,400 additional teachers, including supply teachers, and 200 support staff this year.

In addition, a package of £45 million of new funding was announced on 13 January to support the delivery of remote learning. This new funding can be used to recruit additional teachers and may offer further employment opportunities for supply teachers.

We recognise that this is an extremely difficult time for businesses of all kinds across Scotland, including the retail, hospitality and tourism supply chains. The local authority discretionary fund empowers local authorities to direct funding at businesses which are affected by COVID-19 restrictions but do not meet the criteria for other funds. The fund allows local authorities to allocate grants at their discretion to support businesses including supply chain businesses, and we have recently doubled this funding to £60 million.

The Scottish Government recognises and appreciates the real difficulties that are being faced as a result of COVID-19 and the challenging circumstances that businesses are facing. Work in other people’s homes is limited to essential services, so in most cases domestic cleaners are not allowed to continue with the exception of providing services in support of a clean and safe living environment for people in vulnerable circumstance, living with a disability and as a result of that vulnerable circumstance or disability are unable to clean their own home . The local authority discretionary fund, which was recently doubled to £60 million, empowers local authorities to direct funding at businesses which are affected by COVID-19 restrictions but do not meet the criteria for other funds.

Throughout our response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, where an essential or urgent clinical need has been present access to Speech and Language Therapy services has remained, though how this service is offered may have changed due to new ways of working introduced to support our response to the pandemic.

We ask that Speech and Language Therapists are considerate of their professional obligations around protecting the interests of service users and managing risk when determining which treatments and services they provide, and how they are provided, under Level 4 restrictions. Virtual appointments should be used whenever possible. We ask that face to face treatment, including treatment at home, focuses on essential or urgent treatment of clinically diagnosed conditions, where no provision of treatment would have a significant adverse impact on the wellbeing of the individual. Staff must continue to follow relevant guidance from Health Protection Scotland, the Health and Care Professions Council, the Scottish Government and their own Professional body.

All of our decision making in the approach to responding to Covid-19 is guided by the latest scientific evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) , advice from Health Protection Scotland and our Interim Chief Medical Officer. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides advice on immunisation to all UK Health Departments, including on the efficacy and safety of vaccines.

The JCVI has published advice on priority groups for the COVID-19 vaccinations based on the emerging evidence. This indicated that the first priority will be older people, those at additional risk from COVID-19 and health and social care workers.

All of our decision making in the approach to responding to Covid-19 is guided by the latest scientific evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) , advice from Health Protection Scotland and our Interim Chief Medical Officer. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides advice on immunisation to all UK Health Departments, including on the efficacy and safety of vaccines.

All Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) including Podiatrists, are part of the JCVI priority group which provide essential and patient facing services. This cohort group will be prioritised for the vaccination.

The responsibility for delivering the Covid-19 vaccine rests with Health Boards and Integration Authorities. NHS Scotland Boards will use the delivery model which is most suitable for their local circumstances.

It will be down to local health boards to identify and contact any private health care clinics for the vaccination roll out to suit the local and geographical needs.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on moving home ( www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-moving-home/ )

was last updated on 25 January 2021. It applies to home moves across all tenures, including those in the rented sector. It is kept under review and updated regularly.

Essential work in people’s homes to support home moves, including visits by letting agents and landlords, can continue where this is unavoidable and with appropriate safeguards. The occupiers of the home and any person visiting the home must be well and must not be showing coronavirus symptoms nor they nor any of their household be self-isolating.

The Strategic Framework Business Fund (SFBF) provides grants for NDR paying businesses required to close by law. We have established a bespoke fund for B&Bs paying council tax allowing them to receive equivalent support comprising £2,000 every 4 weeks.

This is also available to B&B business who do not have a business bank account. Our approach is in recognition that most B&B operations are small businesses. Other hospitality business support is focused on those who pay non-domestic rates to ensure that funds are targeted on genuine business for whom funds provide lifeline support.

The Scottish Government advises that all pregnant dentists should follow the advice of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. This advises that, subject to a pregnancy risk assessment dentists without underlying health problems and prior to 28 weeks pregnancy can continue with face to face patient care. Dentists may elect to withdraw from face to face patient care outside of these conditions and should be supported by employers in doing so.

The Scottish Government has implemented a package of financial measures to support all NHS dentists through this pandemic, which extends to pregnant dentists, to enable them to safely control their patient facing activity. This includes the supply of free basic and enhanced PPE where this is used in the treatment of NHS patients.

Pastoral support is available from a number of sources including, but not limited to NHS Education for Scotland. Additionally, Scottish Government extended free occupational health services for dental team members in independent contractor settings from 1st July 2018.