Meeting of the Parliament [Draft]

Meeting date: Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Official Report 1002KB pdf

---

National Lyme Disease Awareness Month

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-12082, in the name of Alexander Burnett, on national Lyme disease awareness month.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament recognises that May 2024 marks Lyme Disease Awareness Month, which aims to raise awareness of the disease in order to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment; understands that Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks; recognises that cases of Lyme disease have been reported across Scotland, but that diagnosis and treatment of the disease can be difficult and complex due to varying symptoms, including a “bullseye” bite, rash, fatigue and flu-like symptoms; notes the importance of early diagnosis and access to antibiotic treatment, as in some cases Lyme disease can have long-term symptoms impacting someone’s health, including memory problems, joint and nerve pain and heart problems, and further notes the view that there is still much more progress to be made in educating medical professionals across Scotland to help improve detection of the disease, as well as spreading public health information on how to prevent and treat Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

17:28  

I thank members for their support in bringing my motion recognising Lyme disease awareness month to the chamber for debate. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick. Since being elected in 2016, I have been involved in the campaign, meeting local and national groups, including Tick-borne Illness Campaign Scotland, Lyme Disease UK and the Lyme Resource Centre, as well as experts in the field such as Professor John Lambert and, of course, the many patients whom the disease affects.

In preparation for the debate, as in previous years, I wrote to numerous organisations, asking what they have been doing to raise awareness. I am delighted to report on the improved distribution of information to staff and the wider public, and the following organisations should be applauded for their efforts: Ramblers Scotland, Public Health Scotland, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, Forestry and Land Scotland and Scottish Forestry. I will also mention the Woodland Trust, which is working with the University of Glasgow on an initiative to monitor and test ticks for Lyme disease at Moncreiffe Hill in Perthshire. I commend the Lyme Resource Centre, which is running the “Light up for Lyme” campaign this month, with sites such as Edinburgh castle, the Kelpies and Marischal College in Aberdeen lit up in green. It has also implemented signage and QR codes to report tick sightings and bites.

I give credit where it is due for the increase in distribution of materials to general practitioners, pharmacies and public centres, and for the Government’s public relations activity to spread information. However, although there has been progress, it would appear that that is now under threat, as I understand that funding for the Scottish Government-led Lyme disease awareness-raising group has been reduced.

I have a number of questions, which I hope the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport will answer in her response today. First, I ask the minister to confirm how much was spent last year and what the Government proposes to spend this year on awareness campaigns. Secondly, what analysis is the Scottish Government carrying out on the effectiveness of those campaigns and the justification for any reduction? Funding has an impact on research. The James Hutton Institute worked on the landscape and climate impacts on ticks that carry Lyme disease, but that research was discontinued in 2019 due to Scottish Government cuts. The Hutton has faced cuts of more than 60 per cent in real terms over the past decade. Thirdly, I ask the minister to confirm that the Scottish Government will commit to funding a research programme on tick control.

I now move on to patients themselves. We might never know the number of people in Scotland who are suffering with Lyme disease. Diagnosis is difficult, and we have spoken here before about the bull’s-eye rash, fatigue and the fever-like symptoms. Blood testing plays a vital role, but there is only one testing centre, which is based in the Highlands. The number of laboratory reports almost doubled in 2021 to more than 500, but the Scottish Government has no plans to set up regional blood testing centres to reduce pressure on that single resource. Similarly, more medical professionals need training in recognising Lyme disease, because early treatment is vital in preventing long-term dehabilitating effects such as joint pain and swelling, nerve problems, heart issues and chronic fatigue syndrome.

I take this opportunity to note that there will be a virtual film screening of “The Red Ring”—a journey into the heart of Lyme disease—by filmmaker Joonas Berghäll, which documents his experience of the disease and features discussions with other patients, researchers and doctors.

Does my colleague agree that one of the big problems with Lyme disease is the perception that it is a disease in the north of Scotland, found among the heather in the Highlands? Many GPs and people down this end of the country do not understand that Lyme disease goes across the whole of Scotland.

Absolutely. Lyme disease can be found all over Scotland. One of the problems involves people from urban areas visiting rural areas for enjoyment—which we all want to encourage—getting bitten and returning to an urban area, where their GP might not recognise the symptoms of Lyme disease as easily as a GP in a rural setting would.

Does my colleague recognise that ticks are now far more common? Just this afternoon, my daughter came home from nursery with a tick under her eye. That is the second tick that she has had in a matter of weeks. In my whole life, I have never had a tick, and it seems to be far more common now. We need to recognise that this is a growing issue, and it needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

I absolutely agree with that. It is becoming far more common. The change in weather patterns and the fact that some of the habitat is in urban areas, with grass not being cut, are encouraging ticks in places where we would not previously have seen them.

My greatest knowledge of the effects of the disease came through patients Janey and Lorraine, who lodged a petition back in 2017 to improve treatment for patients with Lyme disease and associated tick-borne diseases. Their petition was closed in 2021 due to some progress being made to improve resources and awareness, and a promise was made that the petitioners could meet the then Minister for Public Health and Sport. However, as I and my colleagues will highlight today, the work to improve testing and treatment of Lyme disease is not over. Worse, the petitioners have not had their meeting, as promised. They feel forgotten about, so I ask the minister to commit to rectifying that.

Yesterday, I met Janey, who has made huge progress over the past two years, having undergone a drug protocol, set by Professor Lambert, that has changed her life. However, although that treatment is also helping many other patients, it is disappointing to hear that the Scottish Government remains ignorant of that progress and appears to have no wish to engage with those medical developments. Disappointingly, according to one of the petitioners, the Scottish Government’s own advisor, Professor Tom Evans, has refused to acknowledge persistent infection and the potential impact of Borrelia bacteria on the immune system. If such attitudes persist, how are we to start developing a vaccine?

At this point, I would like to recognise another key player: the National Trust for Scotland, which has been doing excellent work at its sites in educating staff and is proactive in engaging with the public. In particular, it is supportive of the development of the VLA15 vaccine—the only active vaccine against Lyme disease in clinical development—which is in phase 3 clinical testing in America. In 2022, the Scottish Government said that that

“is an exciting development”

and that

“we will continue to support vaccine development wherever possible”.

Can the minister confirm whether she is still excited, and what has she been doing to support development of that vaccine since that letter two years ago?

Other countries, such as America, are moving ahead in their understanding of and research on Lyme disease, helped by Finland, Germany, Sweden, Poland and the Netherlands, among others, but the Scottish National Party Government not only ignores evidence but shows no interest in learning, and it is reducing funding for those who would raise awareness and carry out vital research. Scotland’s enlightenment is now under a shadow, and progress will not be made unless the Government is open minded.

We move to the open debate.

17:36  

I thank Alexander Burnett for securing this important members’ business debate.

Lyme disease awareness month is crucial for spreading knowledge about the dangers that are posed by ticks and about the potentially serious health risks of the disease. As someone who has personally dealt with the nuisance of ticks on my dogs, I can say that those little critters are not to be underestimated. The key to keeping ourselves and our families safe is awareness and knowledge. By getting to know our adversaries, we can mitigate the risks that they pose.

As we have heard, ticks are tiny arachnids that feed on the blood of mammals, birds and, sometimes, reptiles and amphibians. They might be small, but they can have a massive impact. Ticks are found in grasslands, moors and forests—in essence, in any area where there is dense vegetation and an abundance of wildlife. They are carriers of various diseases, most notably Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria, which ticks can transmit through their bite. If it is left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to serious health problems, including chronic joint inflammation—known as Lyme arthritis—and neurological symptoms. It is not just humans who are at risk; our furry companions can suffer, too.

The risk of contracting the bacteria is very low if the tick is removed promptly, using the correct technique. Current research has shown that about 10 per cent of ticks in Scotland are carriers of Lyme disease, so not all ticks are carriers. However, in Scotland, the risk is particularly high. About 1,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported annually, but the true number is likely to be much higher, given underreporting and misdiagnosis. Scotland’s dense woodland and rich biodiversity create a perfect habitat for ticks, which increases the likelihood of tick bites during outdoor activities.

I will share a story about my personal battle with ticks. My dog, who is a lively golden retriever called Buster—members might know him better as a former Holyrood dog of the year—loves nothing more than running around, playing in the woods and rolling about in long grass. Unfortunately, that means that he is a prime target for ticks.

I remember the first time that I found a tick on him. Buster loves to come camping with me and the scouts, and he often spends entire days running in the fields, darting in and out of the bushes and swimming in the river. Late one evening, I noticed something unusual. As I was giving him a thorough brush, my hand brushed against a tiny hard lump near his ear. On closer inspection, I realised that it was a tick, embedded snugly in his skin.

Removing a tick is no simple task—it requires patience and the right tools. As we all know thanks to Lyme disease awareness month, we have to be very careful not to leave the head behind, as they cause infections. I fetched my trusted tick remover—a handy little gadget that I carry everywhere with us; I recommend that every pet owner has one—and, with a bit of manoeuvring, I managed to extract the tick in one piece. However, it was no mean feat. I do not know whether any members have tried wrestling inside a tent with a stubborn seven-stone retriever, but my advice is: don’t.

I have now found a tick-control collar that seems to work perfectly for him, so it is now very rare that he has any ticks, but on the odd occasions that he does, I cannot help but worry about the potential for Lyme disease. That concern extends beyond Buster—it is a risk for all those who enjoy Scotland’s beautiful outdoors.

It is clear that education and awareness are our best tools in combating the dangers of ticks and Lyme disease. It is important to spread that knowledge, especially to those who might be more vulnerable, such as children and the elderly, who are more likely to spend time in tick-prone areas without realising the risks.

Let us use this month to educate ourselves and others about the risks that are associated with ticks—let us share information, check our pets and stay vigilant. It is important that information is passed on in a practical and positive way that ensures that it is easily understood, to allow people to educate and protect themselves and to make informed choices. By doing that, we can reduce the incidence of Lyme disease and ensure that our outdoor adventures remain safe and enjoyable.

Thank you, Mr Torrance—I can assure you that tick removal on a springer spaniel is no easier than it is on a retriever.

17:40  

I am delighted to speak this evening, and I congratulate my colleague Alexander Burnett on securing this members’ business debate.

As we have heard, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. Unfortunately, more and more cases of Lyme disease are being reported across Scotland. As we know, diagnosis and treatment of the disease can be difficult and complex due to the varying symptoms. Those include fatigue and flu-like symptoms, as well as the telltale bull’s-eye rash. Lyme disease is becoming much more prevalent across parts of Scotland, as we have heard, and I have, in the past, supported awareness of the disease.

I was recently reminded of that when I attended the Lyme disease awareness event in the Parliament, at which I had the privilege to meet Pauline Bowie, a school teacher, from the Lyme Resource Centre. Pauline was bitten while she was a university student back in the late 1980s, but it took decades for her Lyme disease to be diagnosed. She experienced extreme pain and discomfort, as well as other symptoms, before it was diagnosed.

One of the biggest issues that we still face in Scotland is that diagnosis is still not being processed properly. We in the Parliament need to commit to playing our part, but we also need to ensure that the Government plays its part to ensure that detection and diagnosis are seen as priorities, as that has sometimes been a problem in the past.

The Lyme Resource Centre’s registered office is in Kinghorn, in my Mid Scotland and Fife region. It operates virtually, so the charity’s excellent services are accessible easily online. The charity is run by a number of trustees, volunteers and clinical advisers, who are there to support individuals and who give their time freely and voluntarily to help in that regard. I whole-heartedly commend their tireless work and the work that Pauline and her colleagues are doing, because it reinforces our commitment to do all that we can to raise awareness of the disease.

One aspect of tick growth is the lack of bracken control. We have already heard and acknowledged that the Scottish Government has not authorised the use of Asulox for that purpose, which has created, and continues to create, some difficulties. Among others, NFU Scotland has talked highly of that product, and it is really disappointed that the Government has banned the use of Asulox, because the NFU sees it as an opportunity to deal positively with what we recognise is happening on the hillside. Without that, it is possible that there will be major issues for farmers and crofters, and for health, in many communities in Scotland. It is vital that we assess that decision and look at the possibilities. I hope that the minister will, in summing up, comment on what is being done and what we can achieve.

We are absolutely aware of where we are with Lyme disease. As we have heard, it is spreading not just in Scotland but in other parts of the world, where other countries are trying to manage detection more effectively. I look forward to hearing from the minister what will take place in Scotland, because it is important that we check the growth of the tick population.

As I said, I very much hope that the minister can commit to evaluating and elaborating on what will take place, because it is what happens now that is important. We know what has happened in the past, but we need to ensure that the disease is managed effectively in the future. At present, that seems not to be the case, as Alexander Burnett discussed. We also need to talk about funding issues, which need to be managed to ensure that the funding matches what we want to take forward. How we deal with those issues will be paramount, and I look forward to hearing from the minister on that.

17:45  

It is a pleasure to contribute to this evening’s debate. My compliments to Alexander Burnett for securing time for this debate in what is a very important month—a month that this Parliament has noted significantly in the past. I know that Alexander Burnett’s interest in Lyme disease goes back to 2016 and the discussion about the petition, which is now, unfortunately, closed. However, I echo the point about the importance of the Parliament and the Scottish Government honouring offers of representations that were made to the petitioners, particularly with regard to a meeting that has not yet taken place.

It is important that those who come to Parliament and open up about their lived experience and bring proposals, ideas, campaigning and knowledge—in this case, about the risk to the public of ticks—are honoured and respected in return with regard to the offers that are made to them. I hope that that will happen, because it would be disappointing for anyone to have to go back round in a circle by lodging a petition to get something that has already been promised. That is perhaps a negative note, but I hope that it will be turned into a much more positive one in the minister’s closing statement.

I will castigate Mr Burnett slightly. On the geographic location of ticks, the reality is that they pose a danger across the whole of Scotland, including in the south of Scotland, where we have considerable rural areas and forests. There is a genuine risk of ticks attaching to pets and subsequently moving on to individuals in the home—unfortunately, frequently to children, probably because they have fairly soft and perhaps tastier skin than some of us adults have. From the challenging statistics, it would appear that the number of cases of Lyme disease in Scotland could be five times higher than the 850 cases a year in the Highlands; it could be closer to 2,500 cases across the whole of Scotland, some of which are going undiagnosed.

Having championed the member who brought this debate, it would be unfair of me not to also mention you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and your considerable contribution in the debate last year. Workers are underrepresented in this debate, given the risk that they take by working in the countryside, particularly in forests in the south of Scotland. It is well known that the combination of wooded areas and the inclement and slightly damp weather that has visited us today is almost the perfect recipe for an explosion of ticks and, consequently, the explosion of risk to workers in forested and wooded areas.

Considerable steps have been taken by those who work in forestry to alter behaviour, because reducing ticks in open countryside has been challenging and it is almost doubly challenging in wooded and forested areas, particularly where there is a large deer population. As one member has said in the past, deer are absolute tick magnets.

Therefore, those who work in forests and woods are required to have knowledge of ticks and to change their behaviour in order to measure and understand their risk of exposure. Those who take to the countryside for enjoyment might roll up their socks, which, although it is not the greatest protection, is a way of reducing exposure. However, the requirement to wear safety equipment adds to the challenge that forestry workers have in protecting themselves. Therefore, it is also about self-care, which speaks very strongly to David Torrance’s comment about the ability to use this month for the purposes of education about checking for ticks and having a process for doing that: look for a rash surrounding a bite; consider that a fever might not be a common cold; consider that a headache, dizziness and, sometimes, an irregular heartbeat that someone is suffering could be more than a passing symptom to be ignored and that, instead, they should go to the GP.

That speaks to the other request in the opening comments, which is that we need to ensure that our medical profession in its widest scope across the whole of Scotland understand the symptoms to look for and the approach that should be taken. As we know from the lived experience of so many people who have been to the Parliament, if Lyme disease takes a hold on a person, it is incredibly difficult to control; however, if caught early enough, the disease is much easier to deal with.

On that point, I thank you for your patience, Deputy Presiding Officer.

17:50  

I thank Alexander Burnett for leading the debate. Lyme disease is an issue close to my heart. Colleagues may remember that I led a debate on the subject last year.

I recently had the pleasure of hosting a reception with the Lyme Resource Centre, to kick off national Lyme disease awareness month. I thank members who gave a shout-out to that event, at which we heard from campaigners who had been absolutely debilitated by Lyme disease—sometimes after decades of misdiagnosis. In contrast, I have heard recently about several cases that have been caught early and in which antibiotics have been administered quickly.

My constituent, Heather McKay from Doune, told me about her eight-year-old son, Arran. He had a bite mark behind his ear and a rash that spread across his face. It was not in the shape of a bull’s-eye, and the GP did not think that it was Lyme disease. Arran then developed a fever, and Heather became convinced that that had something to do with the bite. Within a few days, Arran became extremely unwell and was admitted to hospital, where he was treated for Lyme disease. As members can imagine, that was an extremely stressful time for the family. Thankfully, Arran is fully recovered, and I am glad to say that his grandparents, Brian and Pauline, are with us in the chamber today.

Arran’s was not a textbook case. The GP had focused on looking for a bull’s-eye rash. Although that is a good sign to look for, there does not need to be a rash. There may be no rash; neither does any rash need to be in the shape of a bull’s-eye. In one in three cases, there is no rash at all. We need to ensure that there is an understanding that many cases do not present in that way.

Evelyn Tweed is right that none of those symptoms may appear. Having had the education, it is important to listen to your body—in the case that she describes, there was the wonderful example of the mum not taking the professional advice. It is about listening. If people think that there is a problem, they should persist until they get the answer.

I completely agree with what Martin Whitfield has said. People have to look at it in the round and think about it for themselves.

Catching the symptoms of Lyme disease early is an excellent outcome, but preventing it in the first place is even better. Members have already talked about some of that. Tucking trousers into socks sounds really easy, but it works. Using insect repellent on skin and clothes can stop bites.

There is still some way to go. The Lyme Resource Centre has recently shared the results of a survey that found that 42 per cent of people who were diagnosed with Lyme disease in Scotland had not been at all aware of that disease. Many people see ticks as a risk only when venturing out into the hills in summertime. However, one in five who answered the survey was bitten in their own garden.

I agree with earlier comments on prevalence. There is some evidence that milder and wetter winters are extending the lifespan of ticks. Warmer weather is also increasing the time that people spend outdoors. Those factors are likely to increase the risk of transmission. I am glad that further research into that is part of the Scottish Government’s climate change national adaptation plan. The minister committed to an awareness campaign, and I was pleased to see the publication of materials recently. I call on the Government to detail how it can build on that and ensure that the public know about the changing risk.

Given stories such as Arran’s, I hope that we are becoming more aware of Lyme disease and are acting more quickly to combat it. I am extremely grateful to the 25 MSPs who attended my event earlier this month and signed the Lyme Resource Centre pledge. Together, we can work cross-party to ensure that the issue is firmly on the agenda.

17:55  

Many thanks to my colleague Alexander Burnett for bringing this debate to the chamber and for his tireless efforts on raising awareness of the issue. I associate myself with Evelyn Tweed’s remarks. She is right. There is no science with Lyme disease, so it is not easy and obvious to spot when there is a problem. That is why it is so important that we here are all raising awareness of the issue.

I can remember waking one morning many years ago to find the all-too-common bull’s eye on my leg, and I can remember thinking to myself, “Oh not again,” because ticks are, sadly, an all-too-common occurrence in my line of work—I have lived and worked in the countryside for a long time. I must have missed that one. I suspect that the tick had long since gone for a nice rest after feeding on me for quite a while.

The problem was that I was in London on a family holiday at the time. I went to an out-of-hours GP surgery to see whether I could get treatment before I got home. The doctor I saw was confused and seemingly did not know much about the possibilities of Lyme disease—I imagine that London was not a hotbed of tick activity at the time. As we were discussing the matter, an Australian doctor happened to walk past. She took one glance at my leg as the other doctor examined it, smiled and said, “Oh, you’ve got the Lymes then!” Within seconds, she had advised on the treatment, I had my prescription, and I was away. Thankfully, I did not come to any harm. I think that that was because of the doctor’s actions. Oddly enough, in Australia, Lyme disease is not so much of a problem but, with more than 70 species of tick there, other diseases are, and doctors there are very aware of the problem.

That is where we need to be in Scotland. As deer numbers increase, sheep leave the hills. We used to have tick mops on the hills, but we do not really have those any more. More woodland is being planted and, as climate change persists, we are seeing large rises in tick numbers and more people are becoming infected. Getting the message out about Lyme disease, spotting the symptoms and treatment are vital. I am glad to see that more primary care doctors are being informed about that now.

It is great to see the work of projects such as TickSolve, which is a fantastic four-year project involving the University of Glasgow. It will investigate the ecological conditions that enable tick-borne infections to spread, identify areas of the United Kingdom in which the health risks are likely to be highest, and put forward possible solutions. TickSolve will determine whether climate change and woodland expansion are likely to increase tick-borne infections such as Lyme disease in the UK. The project will finish next year. Perhaps my colleague Alexander Burnett will hold another debate then to discuss the report.

As others have mentioned, the tick is just the host; it is the bacteria that are the problem. Once burgdorferi bacteria have made their way inside the human body, they hide in plain sight. They enter by way of the tick’s salivary secretions and then quickly migrate into the skin. From there, they travel through the bloodstream to other fixed tissues, such as joints, the heart and the brain. That is not a very pleasant thought, is it?

As my colleague Alexander Burnett mentioned, testing and treatment are key. I will finish on testing. For something that can cause such long-term issues, the testing is not all that good. Current tests can be wildly inaccurate even in positive patients; false positive and negative results are common and tests require a build-up of the antibodies before they will even detect infection. It is great to hear of potential new tests being worked on in America, with Tufts University, EpitogenX and UCF College of Medicine all working on promising new testing. However, I urge people in Scotland to work on that too.

Persistent symptoms of Lyme disease can be debilitating and, with ticks increasing, the disease could become far too common. Reliable, quick-to-use tests could allow quick diagnosis, treatment and cure. That would save the national health service money in the long term and, most important, help people who contract the disease. I hope that our research institutes have access to the funding that is needed to look into that. I call on the Scottish Government to check that they do.

 

17:59  

I join other members in thanking Alexander Burnett for bringing this debate to the chamber during Lyme disease awareness month. I am pleased to have the opportunity to close the debate, although public health is no longer my portfolio. However, given the area that I live in and represent, Lyme disease is a topic of keen interest for me.

I am keen to highlight the importance of raising awareness of Lyme disease because, as others have mentioned, it is crucial that people are aware of it so that they can access early intervention and treatment, should they think that they have it. The debate is timely, not only because it coincides with Lyme disease awareness month but because we have seen a rise in cases in Scotland in recent years.

As we approach the summer months, when more people are likely to be out enjoying the outdoors, it is important to highlight that, although ticks are commonly found in woodlands and grassy areas, as others have said, they can also be found in parks and gardens throughout Scotland.

I am the minister for sport and I am passionate about physical activity, and we want people to get out and enjoy all that Scotland has to offer in our beautiful outdoor spaces. However, we must provide information on how to avoid being bitten, such as by tucking trousers into socks—as glamorous as it looks, it is an effective measure. We also need to know how to safely remove an attached tick. I am sure that people can buy many gadgets online, all of which are really good at getting ticks out safely.

It is key that we are aware of signs and symptoms. We know that prevention is the best defence against Lyme disease. My colleague Jenni Minto, Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, closed a similar debate on Lyme disease last year, and I am very pleased to hear of the further efforts that have been made to raise awareness of the disease this year.

I pass on my thanks to Evelyn Tweed and the Lyme Resource Centre, who hosted and sponsored the “Light up for Lyme” event in Parliament earlier this month, which provided an insight into ticks and Lyme disease in Scotland. I attended the event, along with the public health minister and other MSPs, as well as a large number of guests from outdoor professional and educational organisations, who shared their experience and expertise on Lyme disease. Government officials will be meeting the organisation again soon to build on the work that we already do with it through the awareness-raising group.

A number of people have mentioned dogs. Members will know that my dog, Cooper, did not win Holyrood dog of the year—which was a tragedy and a travesty—but he lives on the shores of Loch Broom in the Highlands, which is tick heaven. He gets preventative medicine every month to prevent ticks from lodging into him. For people who live in an area of high tick numbers, as I do, it is very worth while considering doing that. We have also often wondered whether humans could do something similar, but the science is not quite there yet.

The Brennan laboratory, which is based in the University of Glasgow’s centre for virus research, is currently researching how clinically relevant pathogens are transmitted by ticks. It aims to better understand how the viruses manipulate the different cellular environments in a tick or a mammal to sustain virus replication and cause disease, including Lyme disease. The Brennan laboratory is partnering with the Conservation Volunteers in Scotland and the Lyme Resource Centre to develop a tick map, which people can use to report tick sightings and bites in Scotland. That data will be shared with academic partners to use for future research funding and evidence.

Risks to health from tick vector-borne disease have been highlighted, as others have said, in the current UK-wide climate change risk assessment. The Scottish Government is required to respond to that and inputted to the final statutory Scottish climate change adaptation programme in March 2024. As others have said, it is clear that climate change is having an impact on the risk of vector-borne disease. The University of Glasgow leads the mosquito Scotland project, which looks at precisely that issue. There is a risk of mosquitoes reaching Scotland, so there is also a risk of vector-borne disease from them, but the university is also looking at broader issues.

The Scottish Government is committed to raising awareness of Lyme disease. That is why I am delighted that social media activity will run throughout this month through stakeholder and partner engagement. Awareness-raising toolkits are being distributed to stakeholders such as NHS 24, Public Health Scotland and VisitScotland, which use them across their networks and digital channels, as well as in editorial copy for newsletters, websites and emails. That activity will be further supported by social media across Government-owned platforms. There will be another burst of activity in June to focus on childcare settings, as a reminder to families and staff to be tick aware over the warmer months when they are enjoying being outdoors, perhaps responding to exactly the situation that Finlay Carson raised.

Increasing awareness of Lyme disease, including the symptoms, how it spreads and risk factors, is key to the prevention of Lyme disease in Scotland. Public communications are required not only to raise awareness but to acknowledge that ticks are not limited to the countryside or farms; they can be found in cities as well, as many have said.

I thank the minister for taking an intervention, and I apologise for pushing all the wrong buttons, Presiding Officer.

I have a constituent, Emily Gilmore, who contracted Lyme disease along with her son. She was persistent, in the way that we heard earlier. She did not get any help from the NHS and had to go down the private route—she spent thousands of pounds on that—and there now seems to be a vendetta by the NHS against her and her husband, Nick. Will the minister look at that case for me to see whether there is any help that the Government can give to assist with clearing the parents’ names?

You are not a stranger to pushing the wrong buttons, Mr Lumsden, I would suggest. Minister, I can give you the time back for the intervention.

We are always concerned to hear about people who are having difficulty accessing the care and help that they require from the NHS. As the member knows, we regularly meet any constituents who have not had the standard of care that we would hope for. Certainly, if the member writes to the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, I am sure that she will engage with him on the issues that he raises.

Early recognition and effective treatment are essential to preventing long-term health consequences of Lyme disease. That is why we have asked officials to work with clinicians and experts to look at how we could standardise treatment pathways across Scotland, with a particular focus on patients with complex or post-infection Lyme disease.

We are making progress in Scotland on testing and diagnosis. The Scottish Lyme disease and tick-borne infections lab at Raigmore hospital in Inverness, which I visited many years ago, continues to carry out research and development into new tests for tick-borne diseases, which will greatly improve our understanding of this complex infection. I am sure that it would accommodate a visit from members with a keen interest in the issues. It really is worth learning more about how that laboratory works.

We continue to work closely with stakeholders and clinicians through the health professionals education sub-group. The group is examining the current resources that are being used by GPs and is considering options for additional learning and development.

Finally, I feel that I must raise the issue of tick-borne encephalitis. There has been identification of a probable case of tick-borne encephalitis—a potentially serious infection—in Scotland last year, so clinical surveillance for that has been increased. It is important to note, though, that one probable case is not evidence of a significant change to the risk to human health in Scotland from TBE. Last year, the human animal infections and risk surveillance group published an updated TBE risk assessment, which states that the risk of infection to the general population in the UK remains very low.

In closing, I am happy to follow up in writing the specific questions that Alexander Burnett put to me. He will get a response from the public health minister. I reiterate that the risk of Lyme disease should not put people off spending time outdoors. There are a few simple steps that people can take to protect themselves: cover up bare skin; wear long trousers and tuck them into your socks; if you are in long grass, use insect repellent; and check yourself and clothing for ticks after being outside. I often joke that my family and I are like monkeys picking over each other after we have been outside, but that is a necessity in my part of the country.

If you find a tick, carefully remove it using a tick remover or fine tweezers, and speak to your GP if you develop symptoms. In the Highlands, there is a low threshold for prescribing antibiotics when people present with symptoms, because there is a high level of recognition. However, the story that Tim Eagle described shows that it is important that individuals have a knowledge that they might be facing Lyme disease, so that they can explain it to health professionals who may not know.

I thank Alexander Burnett for lodging the motion and everyone who contributed to the debate.

Thank you, minister. That concludes the debate and I close this meeting of Parliament.

Meeting closed at 18:09.