Chamber and committees

To date, the NHSScotland ‘Once for Scotland’ Workforce Policies Programme has refreshed the following PIN policies and process:

• Attendance
• Bullying and Harassment
• Capability
• Conduct
• Grievance
• Workforce Policies Investigation Process

These were launched on 1 March 2020.

In addition, the NHSScotland Whistleblowing Policy that includes the National Whistleblowing Standards was published in April 2021.

Following a pause due to the pandemic, the ‘Once for Scotland’ Workforce Policies programme of work has formally restarted.

The objective of the Once for Scotland Workforce Policies Programme is to produce refreshed, simple, standardised and person centred policies that are:

• accessible on an innovative digital solution;
• dynamic and interactive with staff and managers at the centre of policy and digital development;
• national standard for employment practice in NHSScotland.

This programme of work has and will continue to be progressed in partnership with representation from NHSScotland employers, trade unions and the Scottish Government using a dynamic and interactive engagement process involving all key stakeholders.

The Programme Board, that also has representation from the Scottish Government, Employers and trade unions, oversee and drive this work, supported by policy and digital development groups. The Programme Board reports to the Scottish Workforce and Governance Committee.

I refer the member to the Scottish Governments National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care, where we committed to developing a Remote and Rural Workforce Recruitment Strategy for Health and Social Care by the end of 2024. An update on the National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care will be published later this year.

People engaged in sexual abuse of children outside the United Kingdom can be prosecuted in Scotland under either Sections 54 and 55 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 or Section 16(b) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995. Section 16(b) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 and Section 55 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 cover people who engage in child sex tourism, whilst Section 54 of the 2009 Act covers incitement to commit such offences.

Within the span of the financial years 1995-1996 to 2020-21 a total of eight people have been convicted in Scotland for sexual abuse of children outside the United Kingdom related charges. Specifically:

• Two people in 2007-08 (under Section 16(b) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995);
• One person in 2009-10 (under Section 16(b) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995);
• One person in 2010-11 (under Section 16(b) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995);
• One person in 2018-19 (under Section 54 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009);
• Two people in 2019-20 (one under Section 54 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 and one under Section 55 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009); and
• One person in 2020-21 (under Section 55 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009).

63% of respondents for whom health was a relevant concern told us that their ability to access health services was much better or a little better after receiving support from Connecting Scotland. 36% of respondents told us that their ability to access health services hadn’t changed and 1.4% said that access was worse or much worse.

If this result was reflected across the entire Connecting Scotland cohort of over 60000 people receiving devices, we could estimate that around 38,000 of those would have experienced some improvement in accessing healthcare services.

Overall this result indicates a positive impact of Connecting Scotland support on people’s ability to access the health services they need. It may be that respondents who felt there had been ‘no change’ in this respect already had a routine means of accessing the healthcare services non-digital channels (e.g. ordering repeat prescriptions over the phone). With more and more digitisation of healthcare service touchpoints being implemented in order to create efficiencies and save money it is likely that the numbers of people using their Connecting Scotland device and internet connection for this purpose will show an increase with time.

Here are some of the things that Connecting Scotland users have told us about how it has benefited them to use their device and internet connection to access health services:

“Allowing very important near me medical calls”

“Being able to access health services much easier, including managing appointments and medicines.”

“It has allowed us to do more things and stayed connected to appointments within the NHS, so I've been able to attend my hospital appointments via the tablet and it allows me to see things on a bigger screen than a small mobile phone (I have bad vision).”

(Aggregated survey data for phases 1 and 2 of Connecting Scotland. There were 1174 responses overall for whom access to health services was relevant.)

The Scottish Government wants to encourage more women into crofting, ensuring they are empowered to develop skills and access opportunities, creating equality of opportunity and prosperity, as well as supporting business innovation. That is why we are increasing the support provided to women in agriculture to £600,000 per year, during this Parliament, to deliver practical solutions to improve the lives of women living or working in Scottish agriculture.

The recent Economic Condition of Crofting Report states that the number of female crofters has more than doubled from 13% in 2014 to 30% in 2022 and since 2020, just under half of the new entrants recorded by the Crofting Commission were female.

That decision is still under review by the Risk Management Committee; however they are examining a range of other options to accommodate public and third sector bodies who do not currently use the energy frameworks.

As set out in our recent draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan the Scottish Government’s position on traditional nuclear energy has not and will not change.

Given our long-standing position on nuclear, any such analysis would not be value for money and has not been pursued. Recent examples of Hinkley Point C and Sizewell clearly demonstrate that nuclear is considerably more expensive than renewables, which is why our position is to focus on renewables, coupled with storage and flexibility options.

The Scottish Government’s Directorate for International Trade and Investment directly manages the Trade and Investment Envoy Network.

We also work closely with the GlobalScot Network managed by the Scottish Enterprise to advance our trade and investment ambitions. Through GlobalScots, we engage with individual Scottish University alumni overseas to maintain good relations with Scotland and also offer a route for appropriate alumni to join the network, thereby adding to its diversity and reach.

The Directorate of International Trade and Investment has also worked with Scottish Government colleagues to develop the Scottish Government connections strategy, which is focused on developing stronger links with diaspora groups.

Scotland has some of the strongest homelessness legislation in the world and all local authorities have a legal duty to provide support to anyone at risk of homelessness, including veterans.

Preventing homelessness from happening in the first place is the best and most effective way to end homelessness. That is why, we commissioned the Veterans Scotland Housing Group to develop specific strategies to prevent homelessness for veterans. Their report was published in January 2022. We have accepted the 24 recommendations in principle and are engaging with partners on next steps.

Additionally, we continue to support the charity Housing Options Scotland to provide its Military Matters project, helping veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces to find the right home in the right place. The Scottish Government website also hosts a guide containing housing in Scotland information and contacts of organisations who may be able to help veterans obtain housing suitable for their needs.

The Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Prison Service and last year attended the Veterans in Custody Support Officer (VICSO) gathering at HMP Castle Huntly to discuss how we can better support their work, including future attendance at a Breakfast Club event. Officials will again attend a VICSO gathering in February. Furthermore, the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey now includes a question on former Service in the Armed Forces. We are considering analysis proposals from this survey and findings will be available at varying points during mid-to late-2023. Having a veterans question in this national survey will improve our understanding of the profile, circumstances and needs of veterans in Scotland which in turn will help inform policy and services.

We also support Police Scotland’s pledges under the Armed Forces Covenant to support the Armed Forces and veterans community, including pledges to review and refresh the Veterans Champion role across local policing divisions and to introduce Veterans Champions within its custody and criminal justice environment.