Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has confirmed the life assurance scheme is being extended to 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.

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.

The Scottish Government recognises the important role that colleges play in widening access for students to higher education and to the health professions.

As stated in the revised ‘COVID-19: visiting guidance for hospitals in Scotland’ a birth partner supporting a woman during hospital visits is ‘essential’. This includes a birth partner accompanying a women during active labour and birth.

In July we published our Maternity and Neonatal visiting guidance and this is currently being reviewed in light of the recently announced ‘ COVID-19 local protection levels’ within the Strategic Framework, however birth partners will remain essential in all levels.

The Scottish Government issued COVID-19 guidance on travel and transport states that anyone living in a Protection Level 3 or Level 4 local authority area should avoid unnecessary travel outwith their area, although we also recognise there may be a limited number of cases it may be necessary to do so.

This includes travel for work, or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where they cannot be done from home. Our guidance on travel and transport is available on the Scottish Government’s website through the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-travel-and-transport/

At the moment, face-to-face cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in communities has been put on hold due to Covid related restrictions. However, the Save A Life for Scotland Partnership - which also includes Police Scotland, the British Heart Foundation, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service - have a range of resources available on their website for both adults and children to safely learn how to perform CPR in the comfort of their own homes or offices during lockdown. These resources are available through the following link: https://www.savealife.scot/our-resources/

In the case of teaching first aid classes in schools, there is no statutory curriculum in Scottish schools. Therefore education authorities, and individual schools themselves, have the flexibility to decide whether they wish to offer first aid education at this point in time. Where they wish to do so, these decisions should be informed through individual risk assessments and following the protocols set out in the Scottish Government’s guidance on minimising the risk of COVID-19 in schools. This guidance is available on the Scottish Government’s website through the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-reducing-the-risks-in-schools/pages/protection-levels-3-and-4/

As outlined in my statement to Parliament on 7 October, due to the continuing disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we can no longer risk the running of a full Exam Diet in 2021.

In line with the recommendations made to me by Professor Mark Priestley in his independent review of the National Qualifications experience in 2020, I have asked SQA to take an alternative approach to National 5 accreditation in 2021 rather than the usual exams.

In taking this decision on National 5 exams, it means that we can build an exam diet for Highers and Advanced Highers that is as safe as it possibly can be. These exams will begin on 10 May, later than normal to give S5 and S6 pupils back approximately two weeks of the learning time they lost earlier this year. This additional time, in conjunction with the course assessment modifications that SQA have made following its consultation, give the greatest chances of these exams being implemented fairly.

The decision to go ahead with the 2021 Exam Diet for Highers and Advanced Highers is being kept under continual review. It remains vitally important that we continue to take due regard of the latest public health advice to safeguard the health of all learners, whilst ensuring that their hard work is recognised in the awarding of qualifications. Given the potential for further disruption, contingency plans for these courses are being developed, and a final decision will be made no later than mid-February.

The COVID-19 Strategic Framework sets out that while there are no mandatory travel restrictions from and into Level 3 areas, we are asking people to limit travel where possible and only leave the local authority in which they live for essential journeys. The exceptions include travel to school, college or university where teaching is not provided remotely, and the intention is that this includes for purposes of sitting exams or assessments.

Dance is usually assessed through visiting assessment but this would not be appropriate during the pandemic for public health reasons. SQA are conducting further investigations, including some engagement with centres offering these qualifications and this will inform a final decision.

The Scottish Government’s strategy for the management of wild deer is described in Scotland’s Wild Deer: a national approach (WDNA), which can be found at : https://www.nature.scot/scotlands-wild-deer-national-approach-2015-2020-priorities . The WDNA is updated every 5 years, with delivery by both land managers and public bodies directed through an Annual Action Plan. The current priority actions are focused on collaboration between land owners and effective deer management planning, to implement culls that deliver on a range of public interests.

Deer management on Scotland’s national forests and land is undertaken by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), who, do so through their Deer Management Strategy which involves collaborating with other deer managers, an integrated land use approach and following best practice in relation to deer welfare.

The Scottish Government is currently considering recommendations made by the independent Deer Working Group Report to improve Scotland's approach to sustainable deer management and will publish a response in due course.

There appears to be little evidence of adverse impact from true “wild camping” as defined by the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, in contrast to the widely-reported issues during the phased withdrawal from lockdown over the summer. We understand this has been largely associated with what might be termed roadside camping (such as tents pitched close to a parked vehicle away from established campsites) and “party” camping.

Most people follow the rules and behave responsibly but we are acutely aware of heightened impacts, particularly in rural areas and communities and in areas with high visitor concentrations. This has involved irresponsible and criminal activity from a small minority, including antisocial behaviour, littering, human waste, damage to property and the environment, fires and inconsiderate car parking.

As well as working closely with partner bodies over the summer to address these issues through improved coordination and stronger messaging, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism convened a meeting of the relevant public agencies (chaired by VisitScotland) on 14 September to look carefully at the range of problems experienced around problematic camping.

Enhanced enforcement, education, infrastructure and visitor management are central to this coordinated strategic approach and we are confident that it will play a significant role in delivering long term solutions ahead of next year’s tourist season.

Decisions on what sectors and activities to re-open on our route out of lockdown are guided by the principles set out in our Framework for Decision Making. Proposals are technically assessed using the best available evidence and analysis of their potential benefits and harms to health, the economy, and broader society to minimise overall harm and ensure transmission of the virus continues to be suppressed.

This assessment process includes oversight of the assessed health risks in different settings by the Chief Medical Officer and input from the other Chief Clinicians as appropriate. We have used scientific evidence on transmission coupled with the social and economic benefits which Ministers have used to make decisions. There are a number of relevant factors that would have been considered:

• Duration of contact.
• Ability to maintain distancing.
• Challenge of cleaning surfaces, spaces between and around users.
• Aerosol transmission risk since such activities could give rise to heavier breathing, panting, shouting etc which would all increase the chance of transmission particularly as masks cannot be worn.

The Scottish Government is currently preparing to publish this information in due course.

Necessary repairs to holiday homes can proceed as required in level 3 local authority areas. Although there is no specific reference in the guidance for conducting maintenance in a holiday or second home, contractors are still able to enter for maintenance purposes. In level 4 however contractors can only carry out essential maintenance. In this level, a person should only travel to a holiday or second home where essential repairs or maintenance are required. The guidelines are clear that for safety, people should avoid all unnecessary travel in level 3 and 4 and exemptions should not be used as loopholes.