Chamber and committees

The renewables sector has a vital role to play in meeting our climate ambitions, as well as creating jobs and contributing to our recovery from Covid-19.

I and fellow Scottish Government ministers have been engaging with the energy industry on a regular basis throughout the pandemic, both via one-to-one meetings with an extensive range of representatives from organisations such as Scottish Renewables, Ofgem, National Grid ESO, SSE, Scottish Power, EDF, EDPR, ADE, Red Rock and with our agencies, Marine Scotland, Crown Estate Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The work of the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council, which I co-chair, has continued to discuss progression of renewable energy in the context of both floating and bottom-fixed offshore wind. We have continued to progress work around tackling barriers to deployment represented by military and civilian radar matters. In addition, we have discussed renewable energy opportunities through forums such as the Strategic Leadership Groups that sit as sub groups of the Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB), upon which I sit, with SEAB being co-chaired by the First Minister and Professor Sir Jim MacDonald of Strathclyde University.

The most recent, virtual meeting of SEAB took place on 16 July where discussion focused on delivery of a green recovery, and steps towards publication of the Climate Change Plan and subsequent update to Scotland’s Energy Strategy. At the meeting, as the Ministerial co-chair of three of the four SLGs, I set out the work of the four Strategic Leadership Groups underpinning SEAB, i.e. those on: Renewable Energy, Networks, Oil and Gas and Energy Transition and the newly established SLG for Consumers. In particular, the Renewable Energy Strategic Leadership group provides advice and recommendations on: the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector; the options for addressing them, and how the sector may go further to support the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy priorities.

We will continue to engage with a wide range of renewable energy stakeholders in the months ahead.

Recruitment and retention is an on-going issue faced by care providers who take action locally where required. The Care Inspectorate and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) publish annual reports on sector vacancies with the latest report published in January [1] . These provide overview data from around 8,000 services. From our regular engagement with the sector we know that there have been increasing recruitment challenges in adult social care and rural settings in particular.

Supporting overall capacity in the sector remains a key and ongoing priority for Scottish Government, as well as an urgent priority given COVID-19. Good existing partnerships with the sector and national and local partners have enabled us all to plan and act effectively during the pandemic to support capacity. For example, extensive work on the ground allowed active deployment of local health and social care staff to support care homes. Also a SSSC Recruitment Portal went live on 29 March, enabling care workers who had recently left the sector to come back. As of 2 July 2020, 965 individuals are available in the Portal, 175 of which are matched with employers and 38 are currently employed with 7 previously being employed. This means 45 people have been employed through the Portal to date.

Outwith COVID-19 we continue to progress commitments in Scottish Government and COSLA’s Integrated Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, the main driver for strengthening future capacity, through improved workforce data and planning and action to support staff recruitment and retention. A commitment to support recruitment in adult social care was met when we launched a national campaign ‘There’s more to care than caring’ on 27 January. We are currently considering a second phase of this campaign.

Scottish Government has invested around £50 million in SSSC over the last three years to deliver a skilled social care workforce. SSSC specifically supports recruitment and retention by promoting care as a positive career, developing career and qualification pathways, and creating materials for schools, colleges, employment services and employers; as well as promoting routes into careers through Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships and a network of Ambassadors for Careers in Care. We will continue to support and sponsor SSSC in its role and to work closely with the sector as we now plan ahead for the winter.

[1] https://data.sssc.uk.com/images/StaffVacancies/Staff_vacancies_in_care_services_2018.pdf

The Scottish Government expects Health Boards in Scotland to consider all of the recommendations made in the Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care reports. The 2019 report was the 5 th MBRRACE audit report, and the reports have highlighted key actions for Health Boards. The report assists Boards in identifying areas for further action, building on any work undertaken following publication of the 2018 Report.

Following the findings of the 2018 report regarding poorer maternal mortality rates for black and Asian women the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit in Oxford University, who lead on the MBRRACE-UK reports, commissioned further research to explore in depth the underlying reasons for this inequality. Scottish data is included in this research and we expect that this will give further insight into specific actions that can be taken to reduce this disparity.

Maternity care across Scotland is provided by multi-professional teams with quality and safety for all mothers and babies central to decision making. Clinical teams work in partnership with women to design individualised, person centred care, taking account of all relevant factors, including ethnicity, social complexity, and mental and physical health. The introduction of the continuity of midwifery and obstetric care under our Best Start programme will enable further improvements in person centred care for every pregnant woman, and particularly for those at risk of poorer outcomes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-30230 on 8 July 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government cannot comment on individual cases but in general terms NHS Scotland does not pay for or subsidise private health care arranged independently by a patient. This matter was discussed in the Chamber on 25 June 2020 in response to oral question S5O-04436, the full transcript can be found here: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12720&i=115044 .

Key workers are those in posts which ensure essential services can be delivered and cover tasks within the local community which support the vulnerable and aid community. We cannot designate whole workforces or entire groups of staff as key workers and there is no national list of who is considered to be a key worker.

Decisions around eligibility for key worker childcare are being taken locally, in line with guidance published on the Scottish Government website. Both parents are required to be key workers before being able to access childcare and in general, councils have not been making critical childcare available to families where one parent is a key worker but the other is not. We recognise that this is causing difficulties for key worker families. Such families can access informal care, although where possible this should be the same person, such as a non-vulnerable relative or friend, a nanny or babysitter. From 15 th July, subject to scientific evidence, there will be the full reopening of early years provision, including educational provision, childminders and local areas will also be resourcing additional activities.

More information on the advice and guidance in relation to key workers and the closure of schools can be found here:

http://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-guide-schools-early-learning-closures/pages/key-workers/

Estimated numbers of people affected by the pause to bowel screening were published when the pause to the programme was announced on 30 March. The figures, which are based on the most recent information available to Information Services Division at the time of the pause, indicate that 248,177 people may have had a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) delayed as a result of the pause to the bowel screening programme over the past three months.

The resumption of screening services is taking place safely, carefully and in a series of stages, as part of the remobilisation of the NHS in Scotland. Bowel screening colonoscopies are now resuming in all Boards, including for bowel screening participants who returned a positive FIT test before or during the pause.

Local boards will be provided with numerical FIT values, to help them prioritise bowel screening participants alongside symptomatic patients.

During the pause to the screening programmes we have continued to emphasise that anyone who is concerned about any signs or symptoms of cancer should not wait for their next screening test and should seek medical advice.

Estimated numbers of people affected by the pause to breast screening were published when the pause to the programme was announced on 30 March. The figures, which are based on the most recent information available to Information Services Division at the time of the pause, indicate that 46,596 people may have had their breast screening appointment delayed as a result of the pause to the breast screening programme over the past three months.

The resumption of screening services is taking place safely, carefully and in a series of stages, as part of the remobilisation of the NHS in Scotland. The breast screening service is currently assisting acute services to prioritise high-risk familial clinics and post-treatment surveillance screening, while preparing for the resumption of the national programme.

In the meantime, it is absolutely vital for those in between screening appointments or awaiting a rescheduled appointment to be aware of any symptoms or signs of the conditions screened for. Anyone having these symptoms should contact their GP practice.

Estimated numbers affected by the pause to the screening programmes are based on the most recent information available to Information Services Division at the time of the pause. This indicates the following numbers of people may have had their appointment delayed in the three month period since the programmes were paused on 30 March:

• 248,177 bowel screening participants.
• 46,596 breast screening participants.
• 101,963 cervical screening participants.

The cancer screening programmes that were paused on 30 March (breast, bowel and cervical) are now beginning to restart – safely, carefully and in a series of stages.

The Scottish Government were concerned to read the findings of this tragic incident. NHS Lothian have accepted the findings of the Fatal Accident Inquiry and have confirmed that a number of actions have taken place since 2014 to improve the number of staff incorporated within ward establishment figures. Firstly, the Royal Edinburgh Hospital was given an uplift in budget of £3 million which allowed it to review establishment levels. In addition, when the new Royal Edinburgh Building was built, it allowed for an improved number of nursing staff per bed ratio.

NHS Lothian has produced a draft action plan in response to the FAI which includes implementation of the standards within Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) "From Observation to Intervention" 2019 guidance. This is being taken to the NHS Lothian Health Care Governance Committee for discussion on 24 th July 2020.

On December 16 2019, the Scottish Government published the first Integrated National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan in the UK. Developed in partnership with COSLA, the Integrated Plan sets out how health and social care services will meet growing demand to ensure the right numbers of staff, with the right skills, across health and social care services. Covid-19 has led to widespread disruption to Health Boards' models of service delivery and we are carefully considering the Integrated Plan to ensure its content and associated guidance are, going forward, reflective of the full range of current and developing planning requirements on Boards and the changing circumstances regarding Covid-19.

In addition, implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act, which is the first multi-disciplinary workload and workforce planning legislation in the UK, will support the wider workforce planning process by enabling a rigorous evidence based approach to staffing decisions. Health Boards have also been supported in planning their nurse staffing in response to the pandemic by the development of a professional judgement decision making template, including for mental health.

The Scottish Government will also shortly reconvene the National Mental Health Quality and Safety Board. This Board will be considering all issues that impact upon the quality and delivery of safe and effective services, including inpatient and community settings.