I refer the member to the answers to questions S5W-32637 on‎ 9 November 2020 and S6W-22271 on 16 November 2023.

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 .

In line with the 2024-2025 delivery plan for the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, a range of practical education and training projects have begun, with an early emphasis on improved support and training for remote and rural dispensing practices, and developing supervisory training.

The current programme of work includes, but is not limited to, an education programme for Rural GP Dispensing Practices and a new Rural Advanced Practitioners Programme (RAP), MSc and PG Diploma.

In addition the Rural Practitioners Series of Learning is delivering two rural education sessions per month, with a menu of sessions agreed for the next 6 months, and more in the planning for the year ahead in response to priority educational needs.

The first stage of a Primary Care Community Training Hub Pilot project has also been initiated in partnership with three primary care practices.

Further detail on the work of the Centre can be found at the TURAS Information hub National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care: Information Hub | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)

We recognise the financial challenges faced by all students, including nursing, midwifery and paramedic students, and know that this has been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis.

The Scottish Government package of support for Scottish student nurses, midwives and paramedics is at its highest level and remains the highest level of support available to nursing, midwifery and paramedic students across the UK. The annual £10,000 bursary is non-means tested and non-repayable.

Last year the Scottish Government created a short-life working group comprising representatives from the Scottish Government, Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and higher education institutes (HEIs) to review the clinical placement expenses guidance. This was in response to growing student concerns and following the Royal College of Nursing roundtable.

This group recently concluded its review and the revised guidance was finalised on 1 July 2024. This work will ensure students continue to be refunded as promptly as possible and provides students with greater clarity and flexibility on issues such as claiming advance payments. A national frequently asked questions document has also been developed to ensure greater consistency in the application of the guidance by HEIs across the country.

In addition to this, the Scottish Government has committed to carrying out a review of the package of financial support for those in receipt of the nursing, midwifery and paramedic student bursary.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of access to interdependent services, including those provided by allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, in order to optimise kidney transplant outcomes.

Under the Scottish Government’s Donation and Transplantation Plan: 2021-2026, a working group on transplant recipient aftercare has been set up. Access to physiotherapy services, which are generally provided when needed both via the Transplant Units themselves and by referring centres, has not so far been identified as an issue of particular concern for chronic kidney disease patients who have received a transplant in Scotland. We will continue to monitor the situation closely including by means of the working group.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring equitable access to living kidney donation. All nine Renal Units in Scotland are currently supporting living kidney donation, with sixteen living donor co-ordinators in post across the Renal Units. In 2016, the Scottish Government supported the creation of the Living Donation Scotland Board, whose role, working with referring Renal Units and Transplant Centres, is to make it easier to access living donor kidney transplantation. The Scottish Government also supports the Renal Units in their work by hosting an annual event for staff to share good practice and learning.

In addition, the Scottish Government is taking a number of steps to make accessing kidney donation easier as set out in the Scottish Donation and Transplantation Plan: 2021-2026 . The plan makes clear that whilst it will not be feasible for everyone, the aim is to encourage all those who need a kidney transplant to consider and explore options for a living donor transplant as their first transplant.

To ensure that every recipient who would benefit from a kidney transplant receives standard information about living donation during transplant assessment, the Scottish Government provides living donor information packs and a range of resources through the Organ Donation Scotland website, including written information, video and clear pathway contact information access for recipients and donors. Annual living donation multi-media campaigns have also proven successful in increasing awareness for donors.

Finally, following a pilot project, the Renal Education and Choices at Home (REACH Transplant) programme was implemented in 2022. REACH Transplant is funded by the Scottish Government and has involved the appointment of both a REACH transplant programme lead and ten REACH Transplant nurses across Scotland, based in each Renal Unit. The REACH Transplant nurses work with local nephrologists to identify those at an early stage who may need a kidney transplant in the future. A visit is organised with the recipient and their support network in a place of their choice to provide information on living kidney donation and to support the recipient to discuss living donation. The aim of this tailored support and timely referral for living donor transplantation is to increase the likelihood of pre-emptive transplantation by overcoming barriers and ensuring equity of treatment choice.

In line with the actions set out in the Scottish Government’s Donation and Transplantation Plan: 2021-2026 , a short-life working group has been set up to consider the issue of “timely transplantation” and to discuss perceived barriers to pre-emptive living donor kidney transplant and timely listing for deceased donor transplant. The group is currently gathering data and will report at the December 2024 meeting of the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group, which brings together key stakeholders.

In addition, as part of the Living Donation Scotland initiative, link nephrologists from each Renal Unit meet at an annual living donation event supported by the Scottish Government. A key objective is to work with nephrology colleagues to document transplant suitability on all electronic patient records in their patient groups so the multi-disciplinary team is aware of the individual pathway and progress, and this is now supported by the Renal Education and Choices at Home (REACH Transplant) nurses in each Renal Unit.

Transplant patients can experience a variety of emotions following their transplant and as a result the Scottish Government recognises the importance of psychological and emotional support. In order to better understand patients’ experiences, the Scottish Government carried out a patient survey on organ transplant aftercare and support between September and December 2023, receiving 569 responses from patients in Scotland, including 192 from those who had received a kidney transplant. The survey asked about patients’ experience of psychological and emotional support both before and after transplant; about the sources of such support; about patients’ preference for where to receive this support; and about whether they had any further comments about what would have improved their experience.

The Scottish Government is currently analysing the responses to the survey with the intention of publishing the analysis by the end of the year. Working with the Scottish Donation and Transplant Group, which brings together key stakeholders, and NHS National Services Division as commissioners, the Scottish Government will consider whether further actions might need to be taken in this area and how best to ensure patients get what they need.

I refer the member to the answer to S6W-26620 on 25 April 2024 for information on the progress of installing CSO monitors.

Overflow data is being published on Scottish Water’s website at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Your-Home/Your-Waste-Water/Overflow-Event-Data . As new monitors are installed, more information will become available in line with commitments under the Improving Urban Waters Routemap.

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 .

Current targets for nursing and midwifery controlled funded places have been set for 3 years. Prior to that, targets for controlled places were set annually. The multi-year targets were set in 2022 after extensive engagement with key stakeholders. Those stakeholders included NHS Boards, NHS Board Planners, NHS Education for Scotland (NES), Council of Deans Health Scotland, Scottish Executive Nurse Directors, RCN, RCM, Unite, Unison and internal Scottish Government policy teams.

A multi-year intake was agreed to provide stability across partners including higher education institutions.

Both quantitative and qualitative data were considered when arriving at the controlled intake targets for each student group. A modelling exercise was carried out by NES to support decision-making and this information was made available to all stakeholders ahead of the engagement process. Stakeholders were also invited to share their own data in advance as well as being invited to discuss their insights on vacancies, establishment figures and clinical placement capacity.

The Scottish Government does not provide universities with planning assumptions for neonatal nurse places as these are decided within NHS Boards in order to match the resource requirements in the Board and training needs of their staff.

The regulatory regime for hydrogen in Scotland is a mixture of reserved and devolved powers and we continue to routinely engage with UK Government on a range of hydrogen policy matters including the regulation of and responsibility for the decommissioning of hydrogen production sites.

To achieve our hydrogen production ambitions, we must ensure that the regulatory framework for renewable hydrogen developments supports the scale-up of hydrogen at pace, whist protecting the environment and communities.

This is why the Scottish Government is working with the Scottish Regulatory Steering Group, comprised of key regulators, to assess the regulatory requirements for the development of the hydrogen sector in Scotland. This work with UK and Scottish regulators is designed to ensure that action is taken to address any identified issues and create a clear regulatory framework for the full life cycle of hydrogen projects, including the decommissioning of assets.