The aims contained in the document Neurological Care and Support in Scotland: A Framework for Action 2020 – 2025 are applicable to healthcare delivery across Scotland. Through this we have supported a number of national initiatives to improve care and reduce variation, including:

• Self-evaluation by all NHS boards against the General Standards for Neurological Care and Support 2019. Development of national care pathways for headache and Functional Neurological Disorder, with care pathways for further conditions in development
• Agreement of a Business Case and funding to adopt the Scottish Epilepsy Register across Scotland, improving the safety and quality of care for people with epilepsy
• Development of a neurology nurse specialist competency framework
• Formation of collaborative improvement networks which include NHS boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships, third sector organisations and people with lived experience to encourage consistent adoption of the successful approaches funded through the Framework
• Development, by third sector partners, of a toolkit for the consistent commissioning of social support for people with epilepsy
• Improved provision of public information on individual neurological conditions through the development and/or revision of 23 NHS inform webpages
• Through national charities, development of nationally-accessible sources of self-management support for people with MS, spina bifida hydrocephalus, progressive supranuclear palsy, cerebral palsy and non-epileptic seizures
• Re-development of the internationally recognised neurosymptoms.org web resource to support people with Functional Neurological Disorder
• Dissemination of nationally-accessible clinician education resource for ME/CFS

The Digitisation of records is an operational responsibility of individual Health Boards and GP practices.

There are no plans to expand eligibility of The Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) at this time.

In addition to support available under the YPFF, financial support for travel to hospital is available via the patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes. Under those schemes, patients and authorised escorts can reclaim reasonable costs of travel associated with attending a hospital appointment, in line with eligibility criteria and medical requirements.

Following the withdrawal of medic 1 by NHS Lothian the Scottish Ambulance Service, working with other Health Boards, has put in place contingency arrangements to provide a prehospital Emergency Critical Care response across the east of Scotland.

Working through the National Trauma Network the Scottish Ambulance Service has agreed to take the lead in writing the business case for this replacement service. This work is ongoing recognising this is a complex undertaking with multiple stakeholders involved and there is a requirement to ensure that options within the business case are evidenced based, sustainable and meet the needs of patients in the East of Scotland and our population as whole.

The current project plan is working to have this business case completed by summer 2025. This will then need to be presented and reviewed through the appropriate governance processes.

We do not hold this information.

We do not hold this information.

All heavy goods and light commercial vehicles are used by our Marine and Agriculture and Rural Economy directorates to support their business needs. This includes transportation of supplies and equipment to our marine research and compliances vessels, conducting field research, legislative and compliance inspections, animal welfare inspections and the transportation of livestock.

The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) notes that “Scotland’s uplands (above the limits of enclosed farmland) comprise a range of habitats including … species-rich grasslands” and that there has been a substantial long term decline in species-rich grasslands. The SBS Delivery Plan is intended to drive the restoration and improvement of habitats across Scotland, many of which are not mentioned explicitly.

Objective 1 of the Delivery Plan: Accelerate Restoration and Regeneration includes as a Priority Action: Introduce a programme of ecosystem restoration. There are five species-rich grassland habitats on the current Scottish Biodiversity List, and action 20.1 - revision of the Scottish Biodiversity List - is also therefore relevant. Other actions relevant to species-rich grasslands, include:

The allocation of funding for healthy food provision, out-of-hours catering or rest spaces for doctors remains the responsibility of individual Health Boards, who will manage their facilities effectively within their individual budgets.

NHS employers are encouraged to ensure, wherever feasible, that staff have access to nutritious food, out-of-hours catering and appropriate rest spaces.

Evaluation of the EnergyPods was provided through surveys conducted by Victoria Hospital in Fife, along with usage data from the supplier provided to Scottish Government as requested up to May 2023, demonstrating the ongoing value to staff. The EnergyPods continue to be used regularly within NHS Fife offering a valuable addition to their facilities.

The Scottish Government continues to work with stakeholders to consider further initiatives across health, social care and social work to enhance staff wellbeing.

The Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) is designed to support the families of all babies, children and young people from birth to age 18 who require inpatient care in Scotland, regardless of diagnosis.

The YPFF is a demand-led fund and the Scottish Government has ensured full funding against demand in each year since its launch on 26 July 2021. The 2025-26 budget has been set based on expected demand levels and the Scottish Government remains committed to provide full funding for the YPFF in 2025-26.

Other financial support is available to children and young people with a cancer diagnosis and their families for travel to hospital via the patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes. Under those schemes, patients and authorised escorts can reclaim reasonable costs of travel associated with attending a hospital appointment, in line with eligibility criteria and medical requirements.