Chamber and committees

Through our Programme for Government commitments we are already reflecting the aims of the European Stroke Organisation’s Stroke Action Plan for Europe.

In particular the ESO’s target that 90% of all patients with stroke in Europe should be treated in a stroke unit as the first level of care is already reflected within the Scottish Stroke Care Standards (Access to Stroke Unit - 90% within 1 day of admission).

The ESO also recommends ‘national plans for stroke encompassing the entire chain of care’. We already have a national plan on stroke - the Stroke Improvement Plan - which we are in the process of refreshing. To do so, we are developing a progressive stroke pathway document which will set out our vision for what stroke services across Scotland should deliver across the entire patient pathway. Following this, a refreshed improvement plan will support its delivery.

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines on stroke have been withdrawn due to being over 10 years old. SIGN therefore recommend that healthcare professionals look to other up-to-date evidence-based guidelines to inform practice. A good source is the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evidence search that includes trusted sources from a wide range of organisations: https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/

It has been agreed that a four nations approach will be taken to update the Royal College of Physicians Guidelines for Stroke (2016). SIGN is involved in the development process so that the revised guideline will be a collaborative national guideline which will be applicable for use in Scotland.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) already measures quality of care of Stroke Services in Scotland against the Scottish Stroke Care Standards. Health Boards are provided with reports on a monthly basis. Performance is monitored locally and nationally and actions agreed to improve delivery of stroke care in Scotland. The most recent annual report can be found here: Scottish stroke improvement programme 2021 national report - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - Public Health Scotland

This is similar to the aims of the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) which measures the quality and organisation of stroke care in the NHS across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Further to the answer given to question S6W-04701 I can confirm that the Case Note review carried out by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde along with the report of the peer review undertaken by NHS Lothian have both now been shared with Mrs Slorance.

Information on hospital admissions for all causes for this date range is not held by the Scottish Government. Information on hospital admissions is published daily by Public Health Scotland (PHS), however, this is only available on a quarterly basis.

Between 23 December 2021 and 16 January 2022 there were 3,360 COVID-19 related hospital admissions.

A breakdown of this figure by primary condition is not available.

However, a recent clinical audit performed by Public Health Scotland has shown that as of 4 January 2022 in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 9 January 2022 in NHS Dumfries and Galloway and 11 January 2022 in NHS Grampian, 63% of acute hospital admissions were determined to be ‘because of’ COVID-19 (assuming either a definite or probable attribution) as opposed to coincidental ‘with’ COVID-19. These findings relate to analyses by PHS in their COVID-19 and Winter Statistical Report published on 19 January 2022.

Digital stethoscopes can be purchased by any clinician.

Where it is clinically appropriate to do so, patients of all ages will be examined with a stethoscope to listen for breathing and heart sounds. They may also have ECG electrical recordings of their heart rate, blood tests and have access to other investigations such as Echocardiograms, rhythm monitors and blood pressure recordings, should these be required.

The Heart Disease Action Plan recognises the need to ensure timely and equitable access to diagnostics, including echocardiography.

As set out within the plan, we are working to address key workforce issues relating to cardiac physiology. Cardiac Physiologists are healthcare professionals who are vital to the delivery of many aspects of cardiac care, including the provision of echocardiography.

Furthermore, we have also recently provided funding for the delivery of a pilot project to improve access to echocardiography. The learning from this will support us in understanding how best to further support improvement across Scotland.

Those who experience difficulties carrying out a LFD test can ask someone they trust to assist them with the swabbing and testing process. Walk-in asymptomatic test sites (ATS) can also advise people how to use a LFD test. After self-swabbing, the person hands their used swab to a site operative for it to be analysed.

People identified as contacts of a case who are unable or do not have the support to carry out LFD testing can call the National Contact Tracing Centre on 0800 030 8012, for advice.

Additionally, for people with access to a smart phone, an expansion to the existing 119 Be My Eyes service was launched on 27 January to assist asymptomatic visually impaired people and anyone else who needs support, to conduct a rapid lateral flow self-test independently.

Instructions for use for LFD self-tests used in the National Testing Programme are also available in large print and easy read and can be accessed here: Acon Flowflex , Innova and Orient Gene .

Regular testing for people without symptoms is voluntary and for some people it may not be appropriate for testing to take place at all. Those who work most closely with the individual will be best placed to decide whether testing will be appropriate, taking into consideration the needs of the individual.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05521 on 24 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