Chamber and committees

The target intake for funded places on nursing and midwifery undergraduate programmes has increased for 10 consecutive years. Recognising that undergraduate programmes are not the single solution to developing and increasing the workforce, the Scottish Government has agreed with Higher Education Institutions, NHS Boards and other key partners, to maintain the target intake of 4,837 (4536 nursing and 301 midwifery) for 3 years. Funded places will continue to be monitored annually whilst we work collaboratively with those partners to maximise the places that are filled and explore alternative pipelines into these critical professions such as earn as you learn routes and apprenticeships.

Given the small numbers of highly specialised trainees in paediatric palliative medicine, training is currently delivered at the UK centre of excellence at Great Ormond Street.

With regards to studying for a community children’s nursing (CCN) qualification in Scotland, the Scottish Government has commissioned education specific to the needs of nurses delivering care in the community in the form of the Integrated Community Nursing Graduate Diploma.

This education provides opportunities to select an optional module, one of which is focused on integrated care of children and young people. In tandem with this, the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland, alongside other colleagues and stakeholders, contributed to the revision of the NMC post-registration education standards, available online here Standards of proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk) .

These standards continue to include provision for the development of community children’s nurses education programmes and higher education institutions in Scotland, and across the UK. We are now considering how best to develop programmes in alignment with the revised standards.

The Scottish Government alongside a wide range of stakeholders including health and social care partners, NHS Education for Scotland, Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and Skills Development Scotland, is taking forward work to develop alternative career pathways into nursing including potential apprenticeship models and other ‘earn as you learn’ routes. These pathways have the potential to widen access into the profession to those individuals wishing to pursue a career in nursing but may not choose the undergraduate route and to those individuals already employed in NHS Boards or the care home sector, allowing people to study and work at the same time whilst accessing education to progress their career. We already know that many Healthcare Support Workers are seeking career progression and some have entered the second year of an undergraduate programme after being supported by their employer and the Scottish Government to complete an HNC whilst working. We are exploring what more can be done to showcase these routes for existing staff whilst also attracting new employees to our NHS by enabling them to understand the opportunities available to develop and progress towards registered roles.

NHS Lothian are currently piloting a traineeship approach with HEI partners for new staff and early indications show high levels of interest and staff retention.

The Scottish Government values the skill and dedication of our nurses and midwives, particularly in recent difficult circumstances. This is reflected in a pay deal worth more than £1 billion over the last two years, ensuring that nurses and midwives in Scotland continue to be the best paid in the UK.

We continue to strive towards developing and retaining a sustainable healthcare workforce in NHS Scotland and work is already underway supporting the Work-life Balance polices, that include flexible working, retirement and leave policies. As well as, the development of the NHS Scotland Interim National Arrangement on Retire and Return that supports retiring employees to return to employment in their health board.

In addition, we have also established a Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce, to build on efforts to make Scotland the best place for nurses and midwives to come and work by developing plans to bolster retention and recruitment of the existing workforce, and aim for our people to have the best conditions and career opportunities.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) works with the sector to ensure provision is delivered sustainably and to support learner and economic need. To support the sector in achieving this, SFC have provided a range of financial flexibilities and we continue to consider further flexibilities in consultation with the sector.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and I have engaged frequently with the college sector and its key stakeholders since 1 April 2023. This has been done through in-person meetings, visits, online meetings and written communication.

Ministerial Engagements

24 April – Visit to Sabhal Mór Ostaig

2 May – Letter to Ronnie Smith, Chair of New College Lanarkshire

3 May – Meeting with Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland

3 May – Visit to Borders College

4 May – Letter from Cabinet Secretary to Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland

9 May – Meeting with a number of senior leaders from the college sector including college chairs and principals

9 May – Meeting with Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland; Angus Campbell, Chair of College Sector Finances; and Audrey Cumberford, Vice-Chair of Colleges Scotland Board and Chair of the College Principals’ Group

9 May – Meeting with Audrey Cumberford, Principal of Edinburgh College

10 May – Meeting with representatives from EIS FELA

17 May – Visit to West Lothian College

Additionally, a number of Scottish Government officials have engaged with stakeholders within the college sector through college visits and stakeholder meetings both in person and online.

The Scottish Government has been working with the college sector and other stakeholders to develop a Purpose and Principles for post-school education, research and skills. On publication this will provide a framework for the system, including Scotland’s vital college sector.

Invasive non-native species (INNS) are one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. They require a strong partnership approach over the long term to ensure their effective control.

The draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy contains a Priority Action to ‘Implement a Scottish Plan for invasive non-native species surveillance, prevention and control’. This Plan will be produced in collaboration with public bodies and other stakeholders, and will identify detailed actions and targets.

Public bodies will continue to produce operational business plans which set out their priorities and plans to address invasive species. The Scottish Government will continue to provide support to tackling invasive species. The Nature restoration Fund recently provided £2 million to the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative . In 2022-23 Forestry and Land Scotland received £1.3 m for rhododendron control. This is targeted at long-term control at landscape scale in collaboration with the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest and other land managers.

In the new draft Biodiversity Strategy, we are committed to developing a Biodiversity Investment Plan to mobilise public, private and philanthropic funds to close the estimated £8 billion finance gap over the coming decade identified by the Green Finance Institute as required for biodiversity restoration in Scotland. This is in line with the Global Biodiversity Framework Target 19, which recognises the need for ongoing blended funding to restore biodiversity from a range of sources, including green investment.

• Our Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital set out our aim to develop markets that also deliver benefits for local communities and wider society, in line with Scotland’s Just Transition principles and land reform objectives.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18143 on 31 May 23. 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

The Scottish Government has a robust process in place for creating, updating and removing COVID-19 guidance.