Chamber and committees

We continue to work with key partners across Scotland to ensure that information is available to all staff when and where they need. This includes work to develop Regional Clinical Portals and the roll out of HEPMA ( Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration ) systems across Scotland, with NHS Lothian starting their implementation of HEPMA during July. These projects support interoperability of data sharing between existing electronic systems, and improvement in the quality of electronic information shared amongst clinicians.

For the longer term, and as part of the Digital Health & Care strategy, a National Digital Platform is being developed and has started to bring together service data that is appropriately accessible to the workforce regardless of where they are based. This includes an open source electronic patient record called ‘Openeyes’ for ophthalmology that enables asynchronous (non-real time) consultations with patients, supports Emergency Eyecare Treatment Centres and shares the information needed to treat patients between optometrists and ophthalmologists. This is currently being implemented within the National Digital Platform for use in NHS Forth Valley and NHS Grampian prior to further expansion across Scotland.

The regulation of medicine pricing is reserved to the UK Government The Scottish Government continues to keep open all lawful options, including the use of Crown Use Licensing, to ensure the Scottish population can access the treatments they need.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-30838 on 31 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

I recognise that children and young people with additional support needs, including those with complex needs, will require support to return to school. Schools and local authorities are best placed to identify how to meet the individual needs of their pupils and have been working hard to develop plans to do so for the reopening of schools.

In June, we published continuity in learning guidance, which sets out what education authorities and schools should consider for pupils with additional support needs, including those with complex support needs. This focuses on reviewing individualised plans in discussion with parents, carers, children and young people, with support from partner services. It also recognises that some children and young people will have new needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the guidance outlines, individual provisions and interventions will require constant review to ensure they continue to meet children and young peoples’ learning and wellbeing needs as schools reopen.

The Scottish Government has been working with partners to publish expert advice and good practice in supporting children and young peoples’ learning throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. My answer of 24 June outlined the ways in which this information has been made available.

Schools and local authorities are best placed to identify how to meet the individual needs of their pupils and have been working hard to develop plans to do so for the reopening of schools.

The supply of medicines is reserved to the UK Government, and is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The DHSC has advised Scottish Government officials that is confident there is sufficient supply of remdesivir in the NHS to support current demand.

The Scottish Government will continue to take every available option to ensure that patients in Scotland can access the medicines they need.

The First Minister has indicated that an update on the timescales for the resumption of driving lessons would be made on 30 July. Until the resumption of driving lessons has been confirmed, there will be no resumption of car driving tests in Scotland, except in the limited circumstances where they are available to critical workers.

People who are exempt from wearing a face covering are not required to carry proof on either public transport or when shopping or working in a retail setting.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28900 on 15 May 2020 and also S5W-29660 on 10 July 2020. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Starting from 3 August 2020, a week before schools in Scotland are due to return, it is expected that rail passenger services will return from approximately 60% to approximately 91% of pre COVID-19 levels, with peak services across Scotland running at almost 100%.

Further service changes will be kept under consideration as conditions require.