Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26312 on 8 April 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

There are no plans at present for any additional funding of additional Auditory Verbal therapists.

Auditory Verbal therapy is one of a number of methods used to provide support for deaf children. NHS Boards and local authorities are responsible for ensuring the services they deliver best meet the needs of their local population.

As such, any decisions around provisions of training for staff in any of the professions described should be made locally following a thorough assessment of needs.

We are supporting NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to improve existing service capacity in both the adult and young people’s services and recruit to their multidisciplinary teams.

All gender identity clinics in Scotland are, however, working hard to reduce waiting times and provide support for those on their waiting lists, including through new clinical delivery approaches based on local need. The Scottish Government is working closely with NHS Boards and plans further investment in 2024-25, to help improve services and reduce gender identity clinic waiting times.

As at 25 March 2024, the NHS Inform Lyme Disease page has had 264,020 views since 1 April 2022. An additional page, 'Avoiding bugs and germs outdoors', which also contains information relating to Lyme Disease, has had 8,741 views in the same time.

Additionally, the NHS Inform Tick Bites web page has had 827,956 views since 1 April 2022.

Due to NHS Inform moving to a new analytical site in April 2022, data prior to this date is trend indicative rather than exact amounts.

From 1 January 2017 to 21 March 2022, the Lyme Disease page had 492,814 views, ‘Avoiding bugs and germs outdoors’ had 19,734 views and the Tick Bites page had 54,779 views.

The M8 Woodside Viaduct is a vital element of Scotland’s motorway network, carrying approximately 150,000 vehicles daily. Installation of the temporary propping system, required to enable permanent repairs, will continue through the 2024-25 financial year. It is anticipated that the project will be Transport Scotland’s largest capital-funded transport project in Glasgow during this period.

Other significant Government-led transport projects in Glasgow in 2024-25 include the East Kilbride rail enhancement project (£54.1m for 2024-25), active travel infrastructure projects and investing in Glasgow’s City Region Deal. This response does not consider projects by other authorities e.g. Glasgow City Council.

Ministers are aware of the circumstances under which the previous Chief Executive departed and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland is writing to the Public Audit Committee on this very point.

Scottish Government policy for design quality in healthcare (DL(2010)19) looks to ensure that these elements are considered by designers and NHS Boards. This is assessed by the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) provided by NHSScotland Assure in conjunction with Architecture and Design Scotland (A&DS) is the vehicle for assessing design quality in NHSScotland Capital funded healthcare facilities developments and is an integral part of the Business Case process. The NDAP, along with the Sustainable Design and Construction (SDaC) requirements, ensures that a well rounded and measured assessment is made of the requirements of the objectives of each project they review.

This Wolfson Economics Prize competition of 2021 provided numerous innovative submissions in response to the problem question. Each of the runners up and the winner of the prize provided interesting responses to specific strands of healthcare design. The main themes featured in the Wolfson Economic Prize finalists are embeded in the NDAP and SDaC process to ensure sustainable, Person Centred Care.

At present, no consideration has been given for patients to self-refer to a Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service. The focus remains on working towards population based coverage to an RCDS for eligible patients by Spring 2026. While we will continue to monitor emerging evidence from UK and international counterparts who have established similar Rapid Diagnostic Centre models, primary care currently play an integral role at the point of referral for RCDS patients. As well as undertaking key initial tests to support triage in secondary care, patients are informed of the process ahead so they can make informed decisions about their care.

Officials met with every Health Board’s Cancer Management Team in Scotland, including the Island Boards, in March 2024 to discuss their plans for establishing a Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service (RCDS). The commitment remains, as reflected in Scotland’s Cancer Strategy, to achieve population coverage of an RCDS for eligible patients by Spring 2026.

The recent University of Strathclyde evaluation report https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/88280/7/Maguire-etal-2024-Final-report-of-the-evaluation-of-rapid-cancer-diagnostic-services.pdf showed that a virtual model is well accepted by patients and will be considered by Boards in the North of Scotland.