The information requested is not held by Scottish Government.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) have also informed SG that they do not hold the requested data. PHS have explained that they collect episodic data on both the waits that patients experience for treatment being provided by NHSScotland and the episodes of care that arise when these patients are treated within Scotland. However, data are not available on patients who personally choose to seek treatment that is not provided or funded by NHSScotland, whether this be NHS-funded treatment elsewhere in the UK or non-NHS funded healthcare within the UK or abroad.

Furthermore, the National Waiting Times Datamart, which captures some information related to the removal of patients from an NHSScotland waiting list, does not identify when a patient has been asked to be removed because they are seeking alternative arrangements for their treatment due to waiting times.

An underlying principle of the new National Strategy for Palliative and End of Life Care for Scotland will be equitable and timely access to palliative care as needed by each person of any age, living with any illness, in all places.

As part of this work we are reviewing the information and evidence we have, and need, to develop the strategy. This includes gathering data on current and projected needs for palliative care at a population level, mapping services and support across Scotland, and building on our understanding of people’s experiences of palliative and end of life care.

The outputs of this work will give us a clearer picture of the delivery and accessibility of palliative care across Scotland, including in remote and rural areas, and will allow us to develop evidence-based actions to ensure that people have equitable access to general and specialist palliative care if and when they need it, regardless of where they live.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium ( SMC) has collaborated with The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on a multiple technology appraisal (MTA) of all COVID-19 treatments (known as TA878). NICE guidance for technology appraisal TA878 was published on 29 March 2023. The SMC published equivalent guidance in Scotland, recommending nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid ® ) for restricted use within NHS Scotland, for the treatment of patients with increased risk for progression to severe COVID-19 as defined in the independent advisory group report commissioned by the UK Department of Health and Social Care .

The NICE and the SMC are currently collaborating on a partial rapid review of TA878 , and considering whether to recommend nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid ® ) for the treatment of additional risk groups. The draft guidance from this partial rapid review, published on 17 August 2023, recommends that access to nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid ® ) is extended beyond the current cohort, to individuals aged 70 years and over, and those with diabetes, obesity (BMI of 35 kg/m 2 or more), or heart failure. If there are no appeals from key stakeholders, the final NICE guidance is expected to be published on 13 September 2023, and will be incorporated into the original NICE technology appraisal guidance TA878. Following this, the SMC will publish equivalent guidance for NHS Scotland.

This advice is based on an assessment of the clinical and cost effectiveness of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid ® ) at a population level based on the best available evidence. The Scottish Government continues to closely monitor the outcomes of any further research to ensure that any decisions to make nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid ® ) available to eligible individuals in Scotland in the future are based on the best available evidence.

The Scottish Government provides funding annually to Health Boards for smoking cessation and prevention services. The funding is provided as part of a wider Outcomes Framework allocation, whereby budget is provided to Health Boards to cover a range of outcomes. It is up to Health Boards to decide how much of this funding to allocate to each outcome. The published Scottish Budget for 2023-2024 includes £74.1 million for the Outcomes Framework.

We have a clear message on vaping – that it is one possible smoking cessation method and not a lifestyle accessory. Vapes should not be used by children and young people or adult non-smokers.

Our 2022 consultation on Tightening Rules on Advertising and Promoting Vaping Products proposed restrictions on vaping products that strike a balance between protecting non-smokers from the potential harms of vaping, whilst providing existing adult smokers with the information they need to make an informed choice on cessation.

Officials are working to develop further action in this area, which will form part of our refreshed Tobacco Action Plan when it is published in autumn 2023.

Any action that we seek to take will build on the regulations that are already in place to restrict the marketing, promotion and sale of vaping products to under-18s.

We are also supporting work with young people to help them understand the risks related to vaping.

We continue to work with the UK Government, alongside Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly, over joint approaches where appropriate and welcome their commitment to help address underage vaping.

The Zero Waste Scotland report on the environmental impacts of single use vapes highlighted an increase in the number of people using vapes in Scotland. The Scottish Government is committed to taking action on single use vapes, which includes our Programme for Government commitment to consult on a proposal to ban their sale and other appropriate measures. Our approach will be subject to further engagement, policy development and consultation, and informed by a stakeholder roundtable and engagement with the UK Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive.

There are two standing groups which support the implementation of the Women’s Health Plan .

The Women’s Health Plan Implementation Programme Board provides strategic oversight for the implementation of the Women’s Health Plan programme and reports to the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health. An officials’ working group referred to as a Delivery Group supports the Programme Board.

There are a number of networks and short-term sub-groups which are taking forward particular priorities identified in the Plan. More information about some of this work can be found in our recent interim progress update .

The Scottish Government do not currently have plans to add a section on chronic UTIs to NHS inform at this time. The NHS 24 Clinical Change Governance Group (CCGG) routinely assess new and updated clinical guidelines to ensure the clinical content on NHS inform is underpinned as far as possible with current clinical evidence. The group will continue to consider what improvements are required regarding information on UTIs based on any new evidence or changes to clinical guidelines or pathways that arise.

NHS inform does advise that if acute symptoms do not improve, get worse, or come back after initial treatment, the patient should return to their GP for further advice. Thereafter the GP should follow relevant clinical guidelines that outline how to treat and manage chronic UTIs for individual patients.

We are currently developing a new Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy with an overarching aim that everyone in Scotland receives well-coordinated, timely and high-quality palliative care around death and bereavement support based on their needs and preferences.

We are currently reviewing what we know about people’s understanding and experience of palliative care, including in rural and remote communities, which will inform a public health approach to improving understanding of, and access to, palliative care. A Public Health Palliative Care Working Group has been set up to develop and take forward key actions in relation to this.

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) who operate independently of the Scottish Government, Health Boards and Integration Authorities with responsibility for updating SIGN guidelines.

Guidelines on management of suspected UTIs were developed by (SIGN) in September 2020 and the Scottish Government expects all NHS healthcare workers in Scotland to follow best practice when providing care for people with UTIs.

These support clinicians to provide advice to patients and carers on appropriate treatment, risks and lifestyle and behaviour issues which can support management and prevention of UTIs. The guideline also includes the diagnosis and management of recurrent UTIs in these groups.

SIGN guidance is bespoke to Scotland. In NHSScotland, where there is no SIGN guideline on a particular topic, healthcare professionals would be expected to look for another high quality, evidence-based guideline e.g from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The Scottish Government’s universal Baby Box programme, the only one in the UK, opened for registration on 15 June 2017. Nationwide delivery of Baby Boxes began on 15 August 2017 for all babies born and resident in Scotland.

Where a parent has registered for a Baby Box these are dispatched by our Baby Box Managing Agent APS Group (Scotland) approximately 6 weeks prior to due date. If APS receive a late request, the Baby Box is prioritised by their system and dispatched as urgent, this would usually be the next working day. Where APS are made aware of a hidden pregnancy, premature birth or a parent has not registered, these requests are also treated as urgent and usually dispatched the next working day.

APS do not keep a record of any late issued boxes, which can happen for a number of reasons, but once confirmation of a birth and request for a box is received, a Baby Box will be dispatched the following day.