Chamber and committees

This is a matter for NHS Boards. The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18108 on 31 May 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

The nursing student intake targets by academic year are listed in the following table.

In June 2022 the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousef published a timetable for the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 on both the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website and Care Inspectorate website .

This timetable is still valid although it is noted the guidance consultation period is now due to start in June 2023, rather than May 2023.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) works with the sector to ensure provision is delivered sustainably and to support learner and economic need. To support the sector in achieving this, SFC have provided a range of financial flexibilities and we continue to consider further flexibilities in consultation with the sector.

The review of our Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Offshore Renewable Energy Developments is ongoing. We are using insights gathered from recent stakeholder engagement, alongside input from our steering group and wider research, to develop our approach with a view to consulting on draft guidance later this year. A date for public consultation will be agreed in due course.

We have held four regional engagement sessions with community representatives. The makeup of the sessions was shaped by suggestions from steering group members. An initial session was also held with a group of renewable energy developers, with invitations coordinated by Scottish Renewables. Dates and attendee details are included below.

The purpose of these sessions was to raise awareness of the work and to gather early views; we will of course gather wider input and feedback through the formal consultation process.

Fully funded undergraduate programmes have increased in size for 10 consecutive years. Now we will ensure stability in our universities and aid workforce planning by maintaining our intake target for nursing places for 3 years at this all-time high figure of 4536.

We know that there were fewer applications into nursing at the January 2023 UCAS update, however we continue to expect applications to rise over the summer period. Student Awards Agency Scotland and our Higher Education Institutions continue to work hard to promote programmes by visiting schools, attending careers fairs and promoting the range of opportunities via social media channels.

We know that not everyone will begin their career by participating in an undergraduate programme and undergraduate programmes are not the sole solution to filling vacancies. That is why we are already considering alternative progressive career pathways that can attract new candidates and encourage existing staff to join supported education programmes that enable them to reach registration with the relevant professional bodies.

In collaboration with NHS Education Scotland, Higher Education Institutions, practice partners and other key stakeholders we are actively exploring models to increase the pathways into these careers via potential apprenticeships and ‘earn as you learn’ routes. We are also encouraging individuals to return to the NHS following career breaks via our refreshed commissioned Return to Practice programme which commenced in 2020. Since 2020 a total of 152 practitioners - 140 nurses & 12 midwives - have successfully registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This year, 82 have commenced the programme (75 nurses and 7 midwives) with 32 so far completing. These routes will be discussed in more detail at the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce which next meets in June 2023.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has delivered Skills for Growth to the following number of employers:

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the Fracture Liaison Service audit and, following the completion of a scoping exercise currently being undertaken by Public Health Scotland, will provide funding. The Scottish Government has advised the Royal Osteoporosis Society that the funding we are able to offer may be up to £150,000 for the first year, but the exact level of funding and the timescale of reporting are expected to be finalised soon.

We are pleased to announce today the launch of our New Dementia Strategy for Scotland , in partnership with COSLA.

It sets a 10-year vision for dementia policy, directly informed by the voices of lived experience and wider partners.

The strategy identifies a number of areas where we will focus our attention to improve the lives of people living with dementia, their families and care partners, with a focus on the role of our communities.

It also follows an 8-month engagement process, including a National Conversation with individuals and organisations from across Scotland, and an independent evidence review focussed on health inequalities, and what is making a difference in practice here and internationally.

Building on our strong record of working closely with the voices of lived experience, our National Dementia Lived Experience Panel played a direct governance role in the Strategy’s development. This has ensured their voices are central to the formation of this vision, and that this Strategy’s aspirations reflect their own.

We are clear that the strategy is only the first part, and that we change experiences through delivery. Our first 2-year delivery plan will be agreed with people with lived experience and wider partners by December 2023.