Seòmar agus comataidhean

Yesterday, I hosted a round-table meeting that was attended by Emma Harper and other colleagues. We heard from paediatricians and parents who are concerned about the addiction that children are currently suffering and the potential long-term health impacts. We have never needed large-scale nicotine cessation therapies for children before, but that is potentially looming. Many of the nicotine-replacement therapies that we currently have are licensed only for children aged 12 and over, but we have anecdotally heard about children as young as eight using vapes who might need support. What work is under way to develop pathways and support and advice for young people and parents who are facing such addiction?

It is being reported in the press this morning that the UK Government is likely to announce a ban on disposable vapes in the coming weeks. I welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to a consultation on banning them. However, harm is still occurring while that work is under way. Many vaping products are displayed in shop windows alongside sweets, or at the end of aisles, in full view of children and young people. I wrote to retailers, asking them to proactively put vapes behind cover, but many declined, saying that they will comply with any legislation that is introduced. The Scottish Government plans to use its current regulation-making powers to move quickly to put vaping products out of sight—in particular, out of the sight of children. Are additional measures, such as plain packaging or restriction of advertising, being considered?

What assessment has been made of the impact of upcoming winter pressures on staff wellbeing, morale and resilience across health and social care? We have had several years of very high pressure, and that is not going to let off any this winter, even if we have a winter with relatively mild weather in comparison with a bad winter.

There are significant concerns. What action can be taken to address that, such as bolstering wellbeing support and practical support on meals, breaks and other things? Does the Government expect a higher rate of turnover as a result of winter pressures?

As a Central Scotland MSP, I have a particular interest in NHS Forth Valley and NHS Lanarkshire. Given some of the pressures that those health boards have faced—in A and E in Forth Valley and across the board in Lanarkshire—has any extra thought, resource or anything else been put in place for such health boards that have particular issues? I cannot imagine the damage that the number of times that NHS Forth Valley’s A and E statistics are reported on the news does to the morale of the staff who are working flat out to ensure that patients are seen, and that is without us being in winter-pressure territory. Given that pressures are more universal now, is resourcing going into, and is thought being given to, health boards that have particular issues?

Submissions to the committee highlight significant concerns about staff wellbeing, particularly the accumulation of stress over repeated years, practicalities such as staff sometimes not having access to hot food and drink and, of course, the travel issues that social care staff face. What concerns do you have about the impact of winter pressures in that respect, and how is that being dealt with by your specific services?

Good morning. Submissions highlighted that it can be difficult to recruit staff to short-term contracts to address winter pressure, particularly given the cost of living crisis and the uncertainty of such contracts for on-going employment. Given the earlier comments on planning for 365 days rather than in response to short-term pressures, how can workforce planning and the models that we use be improved to give staff security and recruit staff according to future needs?

Good morning. I will touch on some of the issues that Emma Harper brought up earlier in relation to apprenticeship schemes.

We heard from Professor Grant Archibald of NHS Tayside, who described the challenges that he has faced in the recruitment of healthcare professionals who are not nurses and doctors—people such as estates department staff and allied health professionals—and the effect that that has on NHS Tayside. What more can the Government do to promote those less well-known but still vital roles and the various pathways into them, such as modern apprenticeships?

We have heard from a number of boards about the impact of stress and anxiety on staff wellbeing and, in particular, on sickness absence. Over the past few weeks, we have heard that boards are taking steps to improve wellbeing—for example, by putting in place peer-support networks and “Speak up” ambassadors.

What support can the Government provide to ensure that such schemes are rolled out nationally and that, where there is good practice, it is identified and replicated across the health service so that everyone receives the same support? Is there a minimum standard of wellbeing support that boards are expected to have in place? How is that monitored?

Obviously, at times when people phone the Ambulance Service they are in acute distress or in acute need of help. Is there on-going assessment of how those calls are handled, the experience of call handlers, and how those response times and categorisations are communicated to people who are waiting?

At the moment, people under 16 are advised to phone Childline. Is there a plan to expand mental health provision for children and young people? Is there a benefit in providing a dedicated mental health service, such as breathing space or the other interventions you have mentioned, for children and young people in particular?