Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-30834 on 12 August 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Health Boards and Local Authorities are using established multi agency relationships and systems to continue and adapt GIRFEC approaches to support children and families including maintaining contact, assessing and planning for individual children.

We published our Digital Health and Care Strategy in 2018, this provided a strong foundation for us to scale up our digital response to Covid-19, building on initiatives that were already underway, using tried and tested, and readily available technologies.

Our digital response to Covid-19 has included the roll-out of Microsoft Teams across our entire NHS estate which has allowed for greater collaboration across organisations including Local Authorities by providing a platform for secure communication where required across multi-disciplinary teams.

The Scottish Government are working to ensure that high quality care is available for Trauma and Orthopaedic patients, and discussions on the resumption of Orthopaedic services have taken place with Mr Alastair Murray, Chair of the Scottish Committee of Orthopaedic and Trauma.

In relation to best practice guidance for joint replacement surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedic services across Scotland are ensuring they adhere to the existing standards for pre-assessment, admission and surgery that were in place before the Covid pandemic. Care is being taken to ensure that patients are segregated to minimise risk of nosocomial wound and prosthetic infection.

Follow up post-surgery will be in line with the current standard practice and will often be carried out via the telephone or through the use of “Near Me”, with patient initiated reviews being offered so that individuals can contact the service for advice if any problems/concerns arise. In addition the Scottish Arthroplasty Project continues to collect data on this patient group to monitor clinical outcomes.

Mr Murray and the Scottish Government Muscular Skeletal (MSK) Access Team and the Quality Improvement Team are keen to work with patient groups to help inform any proposed changes to waiting list priority in MSK and have already been involved with the cross party group on MSK chaired by Brian Whittle MSP, as well as Versus Arthritis.

The financial sector is designated as a Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sector, providing essential services for businesses and society. As such, the sector has continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 crisis, adjusting its operating practices to ensure continuity of service while protecting its staff and customers.

The financial sector has already made significant adjustments, for example allowing bank branches to remain open, while maintaining physical distancing and enabling large numbers of staff to work from home, ensuring the continued provision of services across banking, insurance and investment.

I convened a short life working group comprising representatives from the sector, unions, government and regulators to develop guidance for the sector. This guidance was published on 7 August 2020 and is available on the Scottish Government website.

Following the First Minister’s statement on 30 July 2020, from 3 August coaches are permitted to work with more than four households outdoors in a day, subject to sport scotland guidance. We will also be looking to make changes to allow coaches to work with larger groups outdoors and will provide further details on when this can resume in due course.

The indicative date for the reopening of indoor leisure facilities is 14 September with physical distancing and enhanced hygiene measures are in place. The Scottish Government will keep this under review to consider whether an earlier re-opening date is feasible.

With effect from 15 July, Scottish Ministers removed the restrictions in the Health Protection (Coronavirus)(Scotland) Regulations 2020 affecting attendance at marriage ceremonies and civil partnership registrations, subject to the need to maintain physical distancing within the couple’s chosen venue.

This means that it is now possible for a marriage ceremony or civil partnership registration to take place in any venue permitted to open under the Health Protection Regulations, such as hospitality venues, places of worship and registration offices.

The Scottish Government has published guidance for couples and celebrants to coincide with this change. At present, we are advising that no more than 20 people should attend a marriage ceremony or civil partnership registration, provided they can be accommodated safely with the necessary physical distancing in the couple's chosen venue. This limit will be reviewed again on 20 August.

The Scottish Government did not make an announcement at the end of 2019 regarding a launch of a ‘Doctor’s Health Service’. The Scottish Government is working with partners to ensure that all health and social care workers, including doctors, have the support they need when they need it, including access to specialist psychological services.

At present, the indicative date for the reopening of indoor sport and leisure facilities including ice rinks is 14 September. However the Scottish Government will continue to review the situation to see if earlier reopening is possible, with the intention to provide a further update on 20 August.

We have been working with the sector to develop robust guidance and protocols that will allow necessary preparation for reopening indoor facilities and swimming pools and provide confidence for the public and members and staff to return with physical distancing and enhanced hygiene measures.

The Scottish Government is grateful for the cooperation of the people of Scotland in supporting our national response to the coronavirus pandemic, and we are very conscious of the considerable personal and professional sacrifices arising from the restrictions we have had to put in place. We do not want to keep any restrictions in place a moment longer than we have to but we remains conscious that moving too fast at any point increases the danger of increased infection and the very real possibility of a return to lockdown.

Following our review on 9 July we have now confirmed that from 22 July massage therapists can resume services, provided they use their own premises only. When reopening they should follow the hygiene and safety measures outlined in our published guidance on close contact retail.

As to the resumption of baby yoga classes, we recognise the importance of physical activity for people of all ages particularly at this point in time. We would like to see indoor facilities, including yoga studios, reopen as soon as it is safe to do so and we are working towards making that happen. However, we can only do so when we are satisfied that reopening such facilities will not increase the risk of transmission. We are thinking carefully about these matters on an ongoing basis and how to address the particular challenges for indoor leisure facilities in particular, for example, respiratory and hand hygiene and ventilation. We have been developing with the sector robust guidance and protocols that will allow necessary preparation for indoor facilities and swimming pools to provide confidence for members and staff to return with physical distancing and enhanced hygiene measures.

The indicative date for the reopening of indoor sport and leisure facilities is 14 September. However, we will continue to review the situation to see if earlier reopening is possible, with the intention to provide a further update on 20 August.

It is worth noting that since 10 July people are able to meet in larger groups outdoors – a maximum of 15 people from up to five different households, provided 2 metres physical distancing is maintained from people outside your own household. Therefore, if the circumstances would allow, people could conduct baby yoga sessions outdoors if they wished.

The indicative date for the reopening of indoor sport and leisure facilities including swimming pools is 14 September. However the Scottish Government will continue to review the situation to see if earlier reopening is possible, with the intention to provide a further update on 20 August.

We have been working with the sector to develop robust guidance and protocols that will allow necessary preparation for reopening indoor facilities and swimming pools and provide confidence for the public and members and staff to return with physical distancing and enhanced hygiene measures.