Chamber and committees

All of our decision making in the approach to responding to Covid-19 is guided by the latest scientific evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) , advice from Health Protection Scotland and our Interim Chief Medical Officer. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides advice on immunisation to all UK Health Departments, including on the efficacy and safety of vaccines.

All Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) including Podiatrists, are part of the JCVI priority group which provide essential and patient facing services. This cohort group will be prioritised for the vaccination.

The Strategic Framework Business Fund (SFBF) provides grants for NDR paying businesses required to close by law. We have established a bespoke fund for B&Bs paying council tax allowing them to receive equivalent support comprising £2,000 every 4 weeks.

This is also available to B&B business who do not have a business bank account. Our approach is in recognition that most B&B operations are small businesses. Other hospitality business support is focused on those who pay non-domestic rates to ensure that funds are targeted on genuine business for whom funds provide lifeline support.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on moving home ( www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-moving-home/ )

was last updated on 25 January 2021. It applies to home moves across all tenures, including those in the rented sector. It is kept under review and updated regularly.

Essential work in people’s homes to support home moves, including visits by letting agents and landlords, can continue where this is unavoidable and with appropriate safeguards. The occupiers of the home and any person visiting the home must be well and must not be showing coronavirus symptoms nor they nor any of their household be self-isolating.

RT-PCR Testing

Each laboratory that carries out RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 validates and verifies the tests that are used. This includes External Quality Assessment participation, which independently reviews the tests used in each laboratory. The initial laboratory verifications are held by NHS Scotland’s National Laboratories Programme Quality Group and the laboratories themselves. Ongoing review data is held by the individual laboratory and the Lighthouse Laboratory Network.

Testing using lateral flow devices

The Lateral Flow Antigen Tests, also referred to as Lateral Flow Devices, have been validated by Public Health England Porton Down and the University of Oxford as having a sensitivity rate of 76.8%, which means they will identify 7 in 10 positive cases. This rises to over 95% of individuals with high viral loads, who are the most likely to be most infectious. The Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Assay Diagnostic Innovations Group has reviewed the Porton Down validation data. All positive results from Lateral Flow Tests are also offered a confirmatory PCR test. We are aware that sensitivity of Lateral Flow Tests can vary in different settings. However, the lateral flow test continues to be a valuable to tool increase the capacity and accessibility to testing, identify positive cases and break chains of transmission.

The Scottish Government advises that all pregnant dentists should follow the advice of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. This advises that, subject to a pregnancy risk assessment dentists without underlying health problems and prior to 28 weeks pregnancy can continue with face to face patient care. Dentists may elect to withdraw from face to face patient care outside of these conditions and should be supported by employers in doing so.

The Scottish Government has implemented a package of financial measures to support all NHS dentists through this pandemic, which extends to pregnant dentists, to enable them to safely control their patient facing activity. This includes the supply of free basic and enhanced PPE where this is used in the treatment of NHS patients.

Pastoral support is available from a number of sources including, but not limited to NHS Education for Scotland. Additionally, Scottish Government extended free occupational health services for dental team members in independent contractor settings from 1st July 2018.

The Scottish Government has participated in the UK Civil Service People Survey each year since 2009, and prior to that held its own local survey. These surveys include figures regarding bullying, and have been published each year since 2005. These can be accessed at Scottish Government People Survey - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling bullying and harassment, and ensuring that the Scottish Government is a more diverse and inclusive organisation, sits at the heart of the Scottish Government’s organisational strategy. Since the introduction of the UK Civil Service People Survey in 2009, the SG has never had a higher than average result for bullying and harassment across the UK Civil Service and is currently below the civil service median. Our analysis of bullying and harassment responses – which have risen since 2009 from 8% to 11% in 2019 - finds that staff in particular demographic groups are more likely to report that they have experienced Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination 1 . This is influencing how we think about testing procedures and routes to raising a complaint to ensure our policies are sensitive to the diverse needs of employees. Whilst the 2020 survey results are still to be published, they will demonstrate we are making headway in our organisational efforts, with our highest-ever score on inclusion and fair treatment, and the lowest-ever proportion of colleagues responding that they had been bullied or harassed at work.

The Scottish Government will continue to work in close partnership with our Trades Unions to take action on the findings of the People Survey to reduce bullying and harassment, and improve the experience of working in the Scottish Government towards its aim of a more diverse and inclusive organisation.

1 Equality outcomes and mainstreaming report 2019 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The relevant regulations and guidance are applicable to all car dealerships and it is up to those businesses to ensure that they adhere to them. Indoor car showrooms must close and outdoor vehicle lots must ensure that car sales are operated lawfully and safely and in line with the relevant guidance. In addition, the current stay at home regulations state that people should only leave their homes for an essential purpose.

All nurseries and out of school care settings can currently remain open but should only accept children of keyworker families or vulnerable children.

All 3 and 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds can access at least 600 hours of funded early learning and childcare each year. We are investing £2 billion over five years to almost double that funded entitlement to 1140 hours, and many local authorities are already delivering that offer.

Essential informal childcare is allowed under the restrictions currently in place in Scotland. On 5th January, the Chief Medical Officer wrote to all individuals on the shielding list, and parents and carers of children who are advised to shield.

We have made £15 million of funding available to local authorities at protection level 4 to strengthen their local response and support the needs of people in their communities who don’t have support networks and are struggling with the restrictions or guidance at protection level 4, particularly those most at risk through health or social inequalities. This could include people at higher clinical risk such as those shielding, older people or people with disabilities who encounter barriers that emerge at level 4, for example in accessing food.

Anyone requiring support as a result of these restrictions, who cannot get the help they need from family or friends, should contact the free-phone national helpline on 0800 111 4000 which continues to provide a free-phone connection to local authorities. Local officers will assess need and can provide a range of support.

Currently drivers are advised not to take the groceries inside the customers house to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. The driver delivers the groceries to the door and it is for the customer to take the crate, the bags or items inside the home to unpack. If this causes difficulties to the customer they are advised to contact the supermarket for assistance.

Public health measures have been implemented at borders to minimise the risk of importation of the virus from foreign travel. This includes the requirement for travellers to self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival in Scotland. This applies to all arrivals with a few limited sectoral exemptions provided for. Travellers are permitted to leave their self-isolation accommodation in limited circumstance, including on compassionate grounds such as making an end of life visit to a relative.