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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-08374

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines are in place for NHS boards regarding the use of GP DACS (General Practice Digital Asynchronous Consultation Systems) that are available, such as Near Me and AskMyGP.

Question reference: S6W-08373

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has provided to NHS boards about the use of GP DACS (General Practice Digital Asynchronous Consultation Systems).

I can advise that all Health Boards in Scotland have been advised of the national approach being taken to the provision of a 'once for Scotland' GP DACS. Boards are aware that a national steering group is overseeing this development and has established a ‘pathfinder’ approach to better understand the level of demand, market maturity and benefits and impact before seeking to agree a national approach. Guidance will developed and issued as part of the pathfinder programme.

Question reference: S6W-08371

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of animal theft there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by species.

The Scottish Government does not hold statistics on incidents or crimes of animal theft. The data we receive from Police Scotland is a count of the number of crimes and offences recorded by the police, split by local authority, and the number cleared up by the police. The Scottish Government does not receive further details on the characteristics of these crimes. This means we are unable to identify how many reported thefts involved animals being stolen.

Question reference: S6W-08256

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of some NHS Scotland GP practices reportedly using GP DACS (General Practice Digital Asynchronous Consultation Systems), what consideration it has given to developing an in-house GP DACS.

The Scottish Government has made a general commitment to providing 24 hour digital access to services through asynchronous communication (generally recognised as the ability to 'chat' with services any time, when an instant response is not required, such as via email and online) through its Digital Health & Care Strategy ‘Care in the Digital Age’. In delivering on that commitment we are currently exploring how GP practices can be supported, recognising a number of individual practices have already commenced offering such services to their patients. Discovery work is now underway to develop a national approach that enables a consistent approach for the people of Scotland. A national steering group is overseeing this development and has established a ‘pathfinder’ approach to better understand the level of demand, market maturity and benefits and impact before seeking to agree a national approach to GP DACS in Scotland. To date, the project has captured insights from both clinical and non-clinical users in order to inform a set of requirements which it is intended will lead to the development of an outline business case.

Question reference: S6W-08021

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support is available to people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

While the Scottish Government’s role is to set the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, NHS Boards and healthcare professionals locally have responsibility for both service delivery and people’s care. NHS Boards are expected to ensure that patients, including those who require care and support for ME/CFS, have access to a range of professionals to provide the appropriate management of their condition.

We recently commissioned an independent organisation to engage with third sector and clinical stakeholders and people with lived experience, to discuss how we move forward in implementing the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) guideline recommendations on ME/CFS in Scotland, and in identifying priorities for service improvement. We are currently preparing to publish the final stakeholder consultation report and are considering its findings.

I was pleased to meet with #MEAction Scotland representatives in March 2022, to hear their views on improving the access to care and support for people affected by the condition.

Question reference: S6T-00687

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to provide local support to new mothers who require a specialist mental health bed with their baby, following recent reports that many are having to travel hundreds of miles in order to receive the treatment they need.

Question reference: S6W-07879

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it had with established incinerators and energy recovery plants in Scotland regarding its review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy.

The Scottish Government appointed Dr Colin Church to act as Chair of the Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy in Scotland. As independent Chair, Dr Church determined the Review process, including seeking evidence from stakeholders through a written Call for Evidence and commissioning further research to inform the Review. Dr Church also held a series of public stakeholder events, which were attended by representatives from the waste industry as well as community groups, local authorities, non-governmental organisations and members of the public. Following these events, which were open to any individual or organisation who wished to attend, Dr Church held invitation-only roundtable discussions, one of which focused on representatives from industry and trade bodies.

Question reference: S6W-07757

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 01 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the hip replacement surgery operation waiting times are for the (a) first hip and (b) second hip, and what percentage of first hip replacements result in the need for the second hip to replaced.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Public Health Scotland is not currently able to report accurately on waiting times to this level of detail. More detailed information on the procedure(s) that are planned or undertaken for a patient will be held locally by NHS Boards. We would therefore advise contacting NHS Boards to obtain this data.

PHS continues to work in collaboration with the Scottish Government, NHS Boards and key stakeholders to improve waiting times information. Statistics relating to the waits patients experience for Inpatient or Day Case treatment at specialty level are published up to 31 December 2021 in the following link.

https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/11657/ipdc_feb22.xlsx

Question reference: S6W-07898

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to ensure that, following the end of free home COVID-19 testing, people who develop long COVID as a result of COVID-19, but who have no proof of a positive COVID-19 infection, will be able to access the treatment and support that they need.

The identification, assessment and management of people with long-term effects of COVID-19 in Scotland is guided by the UK-wide clinical guideline developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the Royal College of GPs.

This guideline is clear that there is no requirement to prove previous COVID infection via a positive test in order to access an assessment or be considered for referral for further investigations or specialist input.

The Scottish Government is actively supporting the implementation of the clinical guideline in Scotland, including through our long COVID ‘Implementation Support Note’ and our collaboration with SIGN on its online ‘Decision Support Tool’ on managing the long term effects of COVID-19.

Question reference: S6W-07631

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken by NHS Grampian to clear the waiting lists for patients who need elective cardiac surgery, in order to ensure that they can be seen within recommended guidelines.