Chamber and committees

There are 111.9 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) Gastroenterology consultants in post in Scotland, with 10.1 WTE vacancies. This data is accurate as of December 2022.

There are 47 training posts across all years of the Gastroenterology training programme, all of which are filled. There are no vacant training posts. This data is accurate as of December 2022.

The following table shows the number of people killed in injury road collisions in the Mid Scotland and Fife region by year, month and road between May 2016 and December 2021. The statistics cover Clackmannanshire, Fife, Perth and Kinross and Stirling local authority areas. Road casualty figures for 2022 will be published on 24 May 2023.

We continue to invest in our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme, of which public education and empowerment is a key work-stream. We launched a new campaign – Be the Early Bird – in March 2023 to empower those with possible symptoms to act early. This included sharing stories of those that have been diagnosed and successfully treated with ovarian cancer via press and digital channels, to prompt others to take early action.

We will continue to work with the Scottish Cancer Coalition – which Target Ovarian is a member of - as well as the primary care community across NHS Scotland, to raise awareness of possible symptoms. Work is also underway to redesign DCE’s website (getcheckedearly.org) – this will reflect ovarian cancer content, including additional survivor stories and signposting to Target Ovarian for more information.

A total of 56 homes have been completed through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund since November 2021. The following table provides a breakdown by local authority area.

We have made significant investment to introduce more than 80 extra counsellors across institutions and have committed funding to maintain support through to the end of this academic year.

No decision has yet been taken with regard to funding beyond the current academic year.

A high level of CA-125 in the blood can be a sign of cancer, particularly ovarian cancer, the 5 th most common cancer in the UK.

The Royal College of General Practitioner’s curriculum provides detailed sections on the management of gynaecological cancers and management of patients with cancer. All GPs are expected to have competences in the presentation and management of such conditions.

For doctors training to be GPs in Scotland, the current training programme involves 18 months in various hospital posts and 18 months in a GP Practice. During the 18 months in hospital, they may rotate through Obstetrics and Gynaecology where under supervision, trainee doctors will be able to manage, such conditions. In the 18 months they spend in General Practice, the doctors will see and manage patients at all stages of the disease including early presentation.

All GP practices receive funding for protected time consisting of one session a month, (usually within practice time), to allow GPs to maintain and develop their training and skills.

There is no reliable data held or published which we can refer to answer this question: Whilst Public Health Scotland publish the total number of patients waiting for specialist mental health services, detail of the individual types of assessment or diagnosis is not held.

The publications for both CAMHS and Psychological Therapies waiting times for the quarter ending December 2022 can be found at Publications - Public Health Scotland .

The Scottish Government’s National Neurodevelopmental Specification for Children and Young People sets out seven standards for service providers to ensure that children and young people who have neurodevelopmental profiles with support needs receive the support that they require. The Specification is purposefully inclusive and includes support for those who may be identified with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Transport Scotland officials have not met the leader of Glasgow City Council regarding the Low Emission Zone (LEZ), however officials continue to meet with councillors and officials on a regular basis. As part of the LEZ governance structure, Transport Scotland convenes several LEZ working groups, including the LEZ Leadership Group.

The LEZ Leadership Group is chaired by Scottish Ministers and held every six months. The group is made up of convenors/councillors and senior officials from the four local authorities implementing LEZs. Topics raised at the Leadership Group include (but are not limited to), LEZ support funding, city specific topics, operational matters and risk.

Throughout the LEZ consultation process both Transport Scotland and the four local authorities have listened to the views of businesses. The minimum and maximum grace periods reflect feedback from stakeholders, including the Federation for Small Businesses.

Whilst the Scottish Government has set the national framework for LEZs, it is for local authorities to design their LEZs as they see fit, which includes choosing an enforcement timeline (and associated grace period) which best fits their city.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to supporting carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and we have set out a positive vision for this in our Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. Since taking up office, I have held a roundtable with the Scottish Cluster to seek industry’s view on how best we can support, accelerate and scale up CCUS following recent UK Government announcements. I have also met with the UK Government Minister Andrew Bowie to discuss the Energy Bill, to ensure this vital piece of enabling legislation best reflects Scotland’s interests. Yesterday I also met with the Carbon Capture and Storage Association to discuss the opportunities around Track-2 and the development of the sector.

We remain wholly committed to supporting the advancement of the Scottish Cluster and CCUS, and also stand firmly behind our commitment to make available £80 million of financial support. We continue to urge the UK Government to provide a clear timetable for when the Scottish Cluster will be awarded.

The Scottish Government engages closely with NHS Highland on dental service delivery matters and has put in place a framework of support to facilitate local solutions.

This includes Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) grant support, which pays out a potential £100,000 for the first surgery, and £25,000 per additional surgery to practices setting up a new practice, or extending an existing practice; and making available recruitment and retention allowances with payments of up to £37,500 over a three year period. Both mitigations apply across the whole of the Highland Health Board area.

In this particular case the Board is working with the practice to facilitate recruitment resting on the incentives available. In the meantime a locum dentist will provide cover at the practice, pending recruitment.

Unregistered patients can access emergency and urgent dental care via the Public Dental Service, Argyll & Bute Dental Helpline.