Chamber and committees

The Softer Landing, Safe Care initiative was introduced in 2021. The programme is part of a coordinated offer that sits alongside the training pathway and is devolved for implementation at local board level. International Medical Graduates (IMGs), like other trainees, feedback their experience through established quality assurance processes such as the Scottish Training Survey. As such, the Scottish Government does not formally assess the initiative, and there are no plans in place at the moment for an evaluation.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34124 on 12 February 2025. 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 retains logs of internet access by staff connected to the Scottish Government network for a period of 6 months only. There were zero connections made to websites categorised as "pornography" recorded in the last 6 months from any device connected to the Scottish Government network.

The Scottish Government does not collate information on medical boarders centrally.

Health Boards operate their own policies for the management of inpatient capacity. Therefore, the member may wish to contact NHS Boards directly for information.

I can confirm in the 12 months to December 2024, 8.7% of planned operations were cancelled, however only 2.3% were cancelled due to capacity or non-clinical reasons.

Cancellation based on capacity or non-clinical reason by hospital includes:

• no beds available
• staff not available
• equipment not available
• theatre session overran

As discussed in answer to question S6W-34114 on 12 February 2025, the standard definitions of delayed discharge in use across NHS Scotland since 2016 do not identify patients as surgically fit for discharge, and the reasons for delayed discharge (when patients remain in hospital after being declared clinically ready for discharge) do not allow a direct count of patients who have refused to leave hospital.

As such, using the data we have at a national level it is not possible to analyse the impact of refusal to leave hospital on hospital capacity, and no such analysis has been undertaken.

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

Scottish Government has robust controls in place to identify any inappropriate use of devices. Sanctions for device misuse can range from warnings to loss of access and dismissal.

This is a matter for NHS boards and Police Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.

The 2025-26 draft budget provides increased investment of £139 million across the NHS estate. This allows plans for Monklands and Belford hospital replacements and a new eye pavilion to be progressed, supports a new radiopharmacy facility and provides increased core capital allocations to NHS Boards, as well as additional support for Boards’ priority maintenance and improvements.

The budget also provides continued support for NHS projects already in construction and for the national replacement programmes for ambulances and radiotherapy equipment.

Beyond this, further NHS projects cannot be supported at this time, as there remains challenge and uncertainty in the capital budget position. All due consideration will be given as to which projects are affordable and deliverable, following the outcome of the UK Government’s spending review.

This will be supported by our work with Health Boards to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan which will consider health infrastructure needs for the whole of Scotland, supporting the continued safe operation of existing facilities, as well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34097 on 12 February 2025. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34097 on 12 February 2025. 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