Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government recognises how important free bus travel will be to those young people under the age of 22 who need to make essential journeys during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme remains set to come into operation on 31 January 2022. Details on how to apply are available on the Transport Scotland website ( https://www.transport.gov.scot/concessionary-travel/young-persons-free-bus-travel-scheme/#69510 ). At this time, given the high levels of transmission associated with the Omicron variant, we are asking that only those with an essential need to travel by bus apply and that anyone travelling should follow the latest advice to keep themselves and others safe. The high profile marketing campaign which was planned to accompany the opening of the application process has been delayed until a time when it better aligns with wider public messaging, once current guidance on staying at home as much as possible and avoiding mixing in larger groups has been eased. As a result, initial usage of the scheme is expected to be less than it would otherwise have been.

The Scottish Government has enough testing stock to meet demand into next year and we are working with the UK Government on procuring additional stocks.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05156 on 10 January 2022. 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

On 24 March 2021, we published our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland that sets out our vision for driving improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with Asthma, Bronchiectasis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), and Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSA).

A link to the Plan can be found by following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/respiratory-care-action-plan-scotland-2021-2026/documents/.

The Scottish Government notes the updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on sapropterin published September 2021 following a resubmission by its manufacturer Biomarin. The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) previously considered sapropterin (Kuvan) in August 2018 and the medicine was not recommended for use in NHSScotland because the submitting company’s justification of the treatment’s cost in relation to its health benefits was not sufficient and in addition the company did not present a sufficiently robust clinical and economic analysis to gain acceptance by SMC. The submitting company (BioMarin) has not been in contact with SMC regarding a resubmission for this medicine.

The first generic version of sapropterin has received a Marketing Authorisation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). To support ensuring best value for NHSScotland, NSS National Procurement will shortly be tendering for the future supply of sapropterin to NHS Scotland.

Given the launch of the first generic, we are currently considering how best to provide advice to Health Boards on whether sapropterin should be made available for routine use in NHSScotland, based on the latest available evidence.

The Scottish Government would expect all employers to ensure that all staff have the necessary rest breaks and support; and this was re-emphasised by the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer in her joint letter with the leaders from the pharmacy sector, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, to the service on 8 December outlining the importance of wellbeing to all pharmacy staff and detailing support available.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown to us all the value which the pharmacy profession bring to the NHS in Scotland be that hospital, community pharmacy or general practice settings. In particular the pharmacy network has been pivotal in the NHS response to the current pandemic in ensuring people across the country have continued access to their medicines and professional healthcare advice. We take the wellbeing of pharmacy teams very seriously and that is why we have made £12m available to support the wellbeing of the pharmacist workforce. That includes £8m from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce – alongside an extra £4m to provide further support to address winter pressures.

The funding supports the 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, our National Wellbeing Hub, Coaching for Wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service, alongside tailored psychological interventions for staff, providing individualised wellbeing support focusing on people’s physical and emotional needs.

Wider workforce issues and challenges will be discussed at the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Workforce Forum, which will bring together stakeholders from pharmacy education and pharmacy service provision to set a strategic workforce plan for the profession.

This year the Scottish Government has made £12m available to support the wellbeing of the pharmacist workforce. That includes £8m from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce – alongside an extra £4m to provide further support to address winter pressures.

The funding supports the 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, our National Wellbeing Hub, Coaching for Wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service, alongside tailored psychological interventions for staff, providing individualised wellbeing support focusing on people’s physical and emotional needs.

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland in a joint letter, issued 8 December, with the leaders from the pharmacy sector, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Scotland), has written to all pharmacy teams outlining the range of wellbeing support available to pharmacy teams and encouraging them to access these resources for support when needed.

The refreshed Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) Strategy 2021 to 2026, published in March recognises the importance of defibrillation registration. We are key partners within the Save a Life for Scotland Partnership (SALFS).

We would urge all defibrillator guardians to register their defibrillator so that the Scottish Ambulance Service call handlers can direct people to them in incidents of cardiac arrest. Registration of defibrillators in Scotland will build the evidence to support people and organisations in making informed decisions about where to place their life saving device.

An aim of the refreshed Out-of-Hospital Strategy 2021 to 2026 is to ensure that 20% of all OHCAs will have a defibrillator applied before the arrival of ambulance service. We want to improve bystander confidence in the use of these devices and the Strategy includes an aim for the Save a Life for Scotland partnership to increase familiarisation with defibrillator usage across Scotland, through embedding defibrillator usage in awareness raising campaigns and CPR training.

The Homeless Death report used classifications (known as ICD-10) for cause of death and the established National Records of Scotland definition of a drug-related death (see Drug-related Deaths in Scotland in 2020 ). Therefore, all drug-related deaths reported within the NRS Homeless Death Report will also be included in the National Records of Scotland drug-related death report.