I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29676 on 18 September 2024. 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.

The Scottish Government has made no assessment of the impact of GP medical receptionists being called for jury duty. Individual GP practices are responsible for ensuring that they are adequately staffed for normal contingencies.

The Scottish Law Commission intend to publish its report and a draft Bill before the end of the year. I know the difficulties that can be caused by the law of limitation for sufferers of mesothelioma, who through no fault of their own may not be in a position to raise civil proceedings and are therefore denied an effective remedy. This is a matter of particular interest to a number of members across parties and I look forward to receiving the report. When I have had the time to consider any findings and recommendations I will respond and ensure that the Parliament , and the Member, is aware of that.

The primary responsibility for flood resilience rests with the individual property owner, and then it is for Local Authorities to develop Local Flood Risk Management Plans. Effective mechanisms to support response and recovery during and after extreme weather events are already in place, including regional resilience partnerships, and through the Scottish Flood Forum. Various lessons learned exercises were carried out by the responsible authorities following the responses to different storm events last year.

Later this year, the Scottish Government will publish a Flood Resilience Strategy which will aim to set Scotland on a long-term course towards a sustainable level of flood resilience in the face of increasing flood risks associated with climate change.

Recruitment is a matter for the employing Health Boards, and the Scottish Government has no direct role in newly qualified nurse recruitment plans and processes. However, officials have been engaging with Health Boards and it is our understanding that Boards remain committed to maximising the opportunities for newly qualified nurses to find employment.

When a Health Board is unable to offer roles, they will often retain applications on file should future vacancies arise. Where a student who is ready to graduate cannot find employment with a local Health Board, I am aware that universities provide support and career guidance to assist students in the consideration of all employment opportunities within health and social care.

Both Scottish and UK Government Ministers have accepted a South Ayrshire Council proposal that the Prestwick Spaceport is no longer taken forward as part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal. Scottish Ministers look forward to working constructively with AGD partners to agree new projects to be taken forward using funding previously committed to the spaceport project, and are confident that these will focus on and build on South Ayrshire’s clear strengths in aerospace.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27663 on 3 June 2024. 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.

The route from Glasgow to Barrhead was electrified in December 2023. Electrification from Glasgow to East Kilbride is due to complete in December 2025. Plans to decarbonise the Fife Circle and Borders are in development.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27663 on 3 June 2024. 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.

The Scottish Government will continue to engage with the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty and other international climate change initiatives as part of a wider ongoing programme of analysis and engagement with a range of organisations and stakeholders.

The Scottish Government provided the following objectives to Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland covering financial years 2020-21 to 2024-25:

2024-25

Thrombectomy education

• Continued delivery of Stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) Assessment Training (STAT+) education sessions to NHS boards to incorporate recent changes to thrombectomy services and to ensure all new staff within NHS Boards have the required knowledge and skills in their role.
• Continued offer of delivery of thrombectomy information sessions to staff across the stroke pathway and out with acute services i.e. stroke rehabilitation units, allied health professions, community stroke nurses.
• Continued delivery of virtual Link up and Learn education sessions to healthcare professionals working in stroke across Scotland, ensuring allocated sessions for thrombectomy updates.
• Continued promotion of this programme and the Scottish Government approach to supporting the implementation of thrombectomy services at external engagement events, conferences and training sessions.
• Continued liaison with the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme Coordinator and the Scottish Government on outcomes achieved within Health Boards in relation to Thrombectomy Education to support Stroke Improvement Plan measures.
• In partnership with the Stroke Speciality Advisor to Chief Medical Officer and Stroke Improvement Programme Lead, carry out scoping of Face Arms Speech Time (FAST) education required across clinical staff groups e.g. Scottish Ambulance Service and Emergency D staff, and to implement FAST education to enhance recognition of stroke symptoms

2022-23

Social Isolation and Loneliness (SIAL) Winter funding package

• Translation of materials into Polish, Ukranian, Urdu and Punjabi. Proposed impact: Total 4,500 people reached (1,500 copies distributed and 3,000 impressions on the website.)
• Recruitment of Urdu and Punjabi-speaking volunteers. Impact: Work towards 10 bilingual volunteers recruited with 10 people supported initially. Total of 40 contacts per month (4 contacts per person per month).

Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest bystander aftercare project

• Engagement with Scottish Ambulance Service to agree effective contact mechanism
• Development of bystander support website landing page
• Development and refinement of debrief script
• Initiation of bystander support service
• Mixed methods evaluation

Thrombectomy education

• Redesign of the STAT + service to take into account recent changes in delivery of thrombectomy services to ensure education reflects practice.
• Continued delivery of STAT+ education sessions to Boards to incorporate recent changes to thrombectomy service.
• Offer of thrombectomy information sessions to staff across the stroke pathway and out with acute services i.e. stroke rehabilitation units, allied health professionals, community stroke nurses.
• Offer of delivery of a virtual re-fresher course to NHS boards to incorporate recent changes to thrombectomy service.
• Continued delivery of virtual Link up and Learn education sessions, twice per month, to healthcare professionals working in stroke across Scotland ensuring allocated sessions for thrombectomy updates.

Long Covid

• People with long COVID access support and proactive advice around self-management which promotes recovery, in parallel with wider clinical management and complementing NHS interventions.
• People with long COVID can access or be signposted to relevant sources of support including advice on social security entitlements or debt management.
• People living with long COVID accessing the service report positive outcomes, including reporting a positive experience of accessing the service, feeling listened to, feeling supported to look after their health and wellbeing, feeling supported to do the things that matter to them, and achieving personal outcomes identified as goals at the start of their engagement with the service.

Long Covid

• Integrate the long COVID application developed by Pogo studios in to the system that CHSS uses for clinical records, appointments, calls, collection of data and evaluation provision to service.
• Improve patient experience by reducing time between the acceptance of support and the onboarding of patients into the CHSS system.
• To enable improved reporting methods and data collection.
• Allow for automatic reporting to take place between GPs and the CHSS teams to ensure a shared care approach.
• Simplify data sharing elements.

2021-22

Social Isolation and Loneliness (SIAL) Summer fund

• To tackle Social Isolation and loneliness.

Tailored Talks

• We will collaborate to develop an innovative digital presentation platform which will deliver comprehensive information to patients and carers with a wide range of neurological conditions to support shared decision making, consent and signposting.
• Tailored Talks allows health and social care professionals and people working in third sector organisations to provide information which is tailored to each individual patient’s needs.
• This information can be shared on screen during face-to-face meetings/consultations, on paper (for people without access to digital technology or who are not keen to use it), and also remotely by emailed pdf or via weblinks so that patients and their carers can access the information on their mobile devices, PCs or laptop computers.

Thrombectomy education

• STAT+ and pre-requisites to be added to the National Stroke Education Pathway
• Finalisation of Thrombectomy booklet and compiled into a standardised national booklet for distribution to NHS boards
• The 6 month questionnaire to a named attendee in each session ensuring attendees have sustained and applied the learning will require to be delayed until thrombectomy services are established to ensure data collected is robust
• Extension of thrombectomy education project for 2022-23 to ensure continued delivery of STAT+ education sessions and refresher sessions.
• Consider roll out of STAT+ virtually during national lockdown
• Development of a virtual re-fresher course due to extended period of thrombectomy services roll out.

2020-21

Winter support funding (Covid) including top up

• Kindness Volunteer Programme – tackling social isolation and loneliness through kindness calls

Tailored Talks

• We will collaborate to develop an innovative digital presentation platform which will deliver comprehensive information to patients and carers with a wide range of neurological conditions to support shared decision making, consent and signposting.
• Tailored Talks allows health and social care professionals and people working in third sector organisations to provide information which is tailored to each individual patient’s needs.
• This information can be shared on screen during face-to-face meetings/consultations, on paper (for people without access to digital technology or who are not keen to use it), and also remotely by emailed pdf or via weblinks so that patients and their carers can access the information on their mobile devices, PCs or laptop computers.

Long Covid

• As a result of Covid-19, to support vulnerable individuals and those in need, to help communities respond to the needs and challenges they are experiencing, and protect the wellbeing of the people of Scotland.

Supporting the NHS in dealing with COVID-19

• The funding will allow Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to develop its hospital discharge and community services for people with lung conditions, including those affected by Covid-19.
• The service will provide one to one support for patients in their homes over the phone and/or through video-conferencing.
• The funding will enable nurses and rehabilitation teams to expand digitally to meet the need for help. The funding will also see 400 of the charity’s volunteers equipped to enable them to provide vital 1-to-1 support to people to stay well at home.
• Specifically, through the Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Covid-19 Discharge and Community Unit:

oCHSS nurses will facilitate quick discharge for people following treatment for Covid-19 by working with them to build their confidence to come home via telephone and VC support.

oPeople will be referred to CHSS rehabilitation support team to maintain any rehab exercises to help with breathing, mental health and management of the impact of Covid-19 on their long-term condition.

oThey would then be referred into one of the 140 local peer support groups for advice and support in the community.

• This funding will enable to CHSS to put the necessary systems in place to deliver this:

oCall centre set up and on costs - £10,000

o38 Laptops, headsets and IT support - £40,000

oPhones and laptops for 400 discharge support volunteers - £280,000

Thrombectomy education

• An evidence based online thrombectomy e-learning module as part of Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland’s proposed national thrombectomy education programme, and:
• A national thrombectomy education programme in the form of evidence based clinical education sessions in the care of patients who are eligible for, and may have undergone thrombectomy as a procedure post stroke to support NHS Boards throughout Scotland.