Chamber and committees

No assessment has been made by the Scottish Government on the likely growth in demand for supported accommodation. The UK Government has undertaken a substantial body of research on the provision of supported accommodation across Great Britain which we understand will shortly be published along with a consultation paper. When it is published we will consider this research carefully, and consider whether the Scottish Government needs to undertake further research or analysis.

Local authorities are required by law to prepare a local housing strategy (LHS) supported by an assessment of housing need and demand. SG guidance on the LHS http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0045/00458185.pdf notes that the strategy has to clearly set out: the current need for specialist provision (accommodation and care/support services) that will help to support people to live independently; the likely requirement for this provision over the next 5 years; how current needs are being met using a range of accommodation types and what more is planned to meet future need.

Rents in supported accommodation generally exceed rents in other accommodation types, due to high management and other associated costs.

No assessment has been made on the extent to which rents in supported accommodation may be higher compared to rents for other accommodation. The Scottish Government does not currently collect data on people in supported accommodation, however Scottish Government are currently in the process of implementing a data collection which will provide some data on this.

The UK Government has undertaken a substantial body of research on the provision of supported accommodation across Great Britain which we understand will shortly be published along with a consultation paper. When it is published we will consider this research carefully, and consider whether the Scottish Government needs to undertake further research or analysis.

The Scottish Government does not currently collect data on people in supported accommodation, however Scottish Government are currently in the process of implementing a data collection which will provide some data on this. As rents in supported accommodation generally exceed local housing allowance rates we would expect a significant number of those in supported accommodation receiving support for housing costs to be affected.

The Equalities Action Plan (EAP) for Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland, published in December 2015, outlines the challenges to be addressed and the actions Skills Development Skills (SDS) will undertake with partners to improve the participation of under-represented groups within the MA programme. The plan can be found at: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/40691/2869_sds_equalities_action_plan_digital_v7.pdf

SDS will publish the first annual report on the EAP progress shortly. The report will identify the activity that SDS has been undertaking to attract disabled people to MAs; to support them in applying for MA vacancies; and to support Training Providers in optimising success for young disabled MAs. Specifically in relation to young people with hearing impairments, SDS has:-

• delivered deaf awareness training to Training Providers in partnership with the Academy of British Sign Language (BSL);

• created a number of support resources, including the Equalities Toolkit, which identify how an employer / Training Provider can take positive action in recruiting young deaf people;

• raised awareness of the additional funding that is available to young people taking up an MA opportunity through Access to Work Funds and the MA Access Fund. These can be used, for example, to pay for a BSL interpreter for an apprentice.

Additionally, SDS has developed Regional Resource Guides which signpost where training providers, employers and partners can access support for young deaf people locally (deaf organisations such as NDCS, Action on Hearing Loss and Deaf Action are listed).

No assessment has been made on the impact of local housing allowance changes to investment. The Scottish Government made clear it was concerned about the potential impact, and welcomed the announcement that funding for supported accommodation would be maintained at current levels.

The Scottish Government intends to use devolved funding to ensure that the supported accommodation sector is put onto a secure and sustainable footing. We will work with a broad range of stakeholders to achieve this.

We expect that mental health care and treatment will be delivered in a person-centred manner to meet each individual’s needs. That includes cases where the individual has a terminal illness.

On 18 December 2015, the Scottish Government published our Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care. One of the main aims in the Strategic Framework is to ensure that people with palliative and end of life care needs are supported by health professionals who are appropriately skilled to do so.

We are working with NHS Education for Scotland and the Scottish Social Services Council to develop a new palliative and end of life care Educational Framework. This Framework will address the needs of the health and social care workforce, and will be focused on fostering an integrated and collaborative approach to educational provision.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the services, support and care available to people with hearing loss through its national strategy ‘See Hear’. A Lip Reading Strategy Group is in place and is chaired by Action on Hearing Loss Scotland. The Group will next meet on the 6 February 2017.

We expect that mental health care and treatment will be delivered in a person-centred manner to meet each individual’s needs. That includes cases where the individual is a carer for someone who has a terminal illness.

On 18 December 2015, the Scottish Government published our Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care. One of the main aims in the Strategic Framework is to ensure that people with palliative and end of life care needs are supported by health professionals who are appropriately skilled to do so.

We are working with NHS Education for Scotland and the Scottish Social Services Council to develop a new palliative and end of life care Educational Framework. This Framework will address the needs of the health and social care workforce, and will be focused on fostering an integrated and collaborative approach to educational provision.

On screening issues we are advised by the UK National Screening Committee (NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises Ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening.

In January 2016, following a review of the evidence against strict criteria, the Committee concluded that a screening programme for hearing loss in older adults should not be introduced.

More information about the Committee's recommendation can be found at: http://legacy.screening.nhs.uk/hearing-adult

The UK NSC regularly reviews its recommendations on screening in light of new research evidence becoming available and we will give careful consideration to any change to the recommendation.

The Audiology Services Advisory Group (ASAG) was established by the Scottish Government in 2003 to take forward the audiology modernisation programme. Following the successful completion of the work in December 2011, it was agreed that the Group’s functions would be best served operationally at NHS board level through the Heads of Audiology Services Group, which meets quarterly and is due to next meet in February 2017. The Scottish Government is currently considering the recommendation from Action on Hearing Loss Scotland’s report, 'Time to raise the standards', on reconvening ASAG - see the answer to question S5W-04433 on 9 November 2016.

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