- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of waste from NHS hospitals was recycled in each of the last five calendar years.
Answer
The requested information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) has advised the most accurate data source on NHS Scotland waste performance are the annual Public Sector Reports on Compliance with Climate Change Duties which are available for each Health Board. These reports are published on the Sustainable Scotland Network website ( Sustainable Scotland Network - The Sustainable Scotland Network ) and are available from the period 2014-15 to 2020-21.
We have outlined clear actions within the upcoming NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy to manage the risk of environmental harm from our activities, promote good environmental stewardship and reduce the impact of our waste. This includes working to improve data recording of waste collections and reporting against the national waste target of recycling and composting 70% of all Scottish waste by 2025, and sending no more than 5% to landfill.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that clinicians are acting in accordance with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ recently-released clinical guidance on sepsis, in light of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reportedly having also agreed to update its guidance on sepsis.
Answer
Sepsis improvement is a well-established part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP). The SPSP launched a revised deteriorating patient driver diagram and change package in 2021 which includes sepsis as a core part of recognising and responding to deterioration.
On 27 May 2022, the SPSP issued a statement regarding the Society of Critical Medical Care’s Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) Statement on the initial antimicrobial treatment of sepsis. The statement outlines the SPSP’s revised approach to the identification and management of adults with sepsis.
Furthermore the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) are currently reviewing SIGN Guideline 139 – Care of Deteriorating Patients to include an updated section on sepsis.
Clinical guideline implementation is the responsibility of NHS Boards. The ultimate decision about a particular clinical procedure or treatment will always depend on each individual patient’s condition, circumstances and wishes and the clinical judgement of the healthcare team.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects on any difficulties faced by veterans in Scotland, including on the prevalence of mental health issues and drug and alcohol abuse.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03513 by Humza Yousaf on 8 November 2021, what development plans it has for Scotland’s genetic laboratories and frontline genetics services, and what investment it will make in the current financial year to support the delivery of any plans.
Answer
The Scottish Government has committed £6.2 million to genomics for the financial year 2022-23. This is in addition to the funding allocated to the 4 genetic laboratories in Scotland by NHS Boards through NHS National Services Division (NSD) commissioning arrangements.
The Scottish Government fully recognises the role of genomics in improving patient outcomes. We have provided funding to NSD to establish a Transformation Team led by a Lead Clinical Scientist alongside resource that specialises in transformative programme management and Data Analytics. The Team will be operational from June 2022.
This team will be responsible for delivering the rapid adoption of a number of genetic tests for cancer across the genetic laboratories as well as developing an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations from the Genetic Laboratory Major Service Review.
The transformation team will work within NSD and support the Scottish Government to develop our long term plans for genomics medicine in Scotland.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a genomic diagnostics strategy, and, if so, when.
Answer
As committed to in the Genome UK: shared commitments for UK-wide implementation 2022 to 2025 document, the Scottish Government is committed to developing and publishing a Scotland specific Genome UK implementation plan by the end of 2022.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03514 by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021, what engagement the National Services Division and Scottish Genomics Leadership Group are having with the pharmaceutical industry and academia on the design of sustainable genetic laboratories and frontline genetics services that would benefit patients and attract clinical research to Scotland.
Answer
Engagement is ongoing with industry, academia and other interested stakeholders in the expansion of NHS Scotland capabilities for genomics. Over the coming months we will be expanding the membership of our Scottish Genomics Leadership Group (SGLG) and relevant work streams to include a wider pool of stakeholders than those currently on the SGLG. This expanded structure will consider the recommendations from the Genetic Major Service Review as well as considerations for further genomics expansion.
Our genetic laboratories are engaged with NHS Board Research and Development departments as well as a number of academic institutions and charity organisations regarding clinical research in Scotland.
In particular, the genetic laboratory in Glasgow has been working with the Glasgow Precision Oncology Laboratory (GPOL), oncology colleagues and eHealth to build a platform for the delivery of clinical trials in cancer patients. This platform will enable the delivery of clinical grade next generation sequencing as well as novel systems for the collation of all diagnostic results including genomics, for cancer patients.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03517 by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021, and the National Services Division review of NHS Scotland’s genomics services, what steps are being taken to align the timing of the publication of advice by the Scottish Medicines Consortium with the commissioning of companion diagnostic tests in order to prevent delays for patients getting advanced therapies.
Answer
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) currently provides early information to National Services Division (NSD) on cancer medicines in clinical development that are expected to require a companion diagnostic through regular horizon scanning reports; these are also discussed at regular meetings between the SMC and NSD. To support financial and service planning, the SMC also provides Health Boards – in confidence - with information on medicines that may require a companion diagnostic through regular forward look reports which include emerging new medicines, including Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs).
The Scottish Government recognises that an improved streamlined process for the implementation of new genetic tests linked to a Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC)-approved medicine is required. A key priority of the Scottish Genomics Leadership Group will be to review how horizon scanning for new medicines is linked to implementation of testing for Scottish patients to prevent delays for patients getting access to advanced therapies. Close collaborative working with the pharmaceutical industry will be essential to this process.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03514 by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021, whether the outcome of the National Services Division review of NHS Scotland’s genomics services will be published.
Answer
The NHS National Services Division (NSD) commissioning team have completed a Major Service Review of the current Genomics service. The final report has been shared with NHS Board Chief Executives, the Scottish Genomics Leadership Group, Trade Union representative, Medical and Laboratory Directors for the boards that host the Genomic Laboratories, the document is now available on the (NSS)NSD website at the following link:
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the NHS Workforce Strategy, what level of additional staffing it considers will be needed by Scotland’s genetic laboratories in future years to ensure that patients can benefit from advances in precision treatments, and what steps it is taking to recruit and retain laboratory staff with the necessary skills to undertake, report and advise multi-disciplinary oncology teams on genetic test findings.
Answer
The Genetic Laboratory Major Service review considered the workforce requirements for our future genomics capabilities in NHS Scotland. A link to the report is available here:https://www.nss.nhs.scot/specialist-healthcare/specialist-services/genetic-and-molecular-pathology-laboratories/
In line with the recommendations from the Major Service Review, the NSD Transformation Team will consider the workforce planning requirements to implement the recommendations from the report in developing the action plan.
Over the coming months we will be expanding the membership of our Scottish Genomics Leadership Group(SGLG) and relevant work stream to include a wider pool of stakeholders than those currently on the SGLG. This expanded structure will consider the recommendations from the Major Service Review as well as considerations for further genomics expansion.
One of the workstreams will lead on workforce planning and will be done in partnership with relevant Trade Union representatives.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that genetic testing is embedded as a standard of care in the treatment pathways for people with cancers.
Answer
The Scottish Government fully recognises the role of genomics in improving patient outcomes particularly for people with cancer. Our genetic laboratories across Scotland already provide a range of cancer genetic tests to support the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
We have committed £6.2 million of funding to genomics in 2022-23 which will support expanding our genomics capabilities in NHS Scotland.
Furthermore, we have provided funding to NSD to establish a Transformation Team led by a Lead Clinical Scientist alongside resource that specialises in transformative programme management and Data Analytics. The Team will be operational from June 2022.
This team will be responsible for delivering the rapid adoption of a number of genetic tests for cancer across the genetic laboratories as well as developing an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations from the Genetic Laboratory Major Service Review.
Over the coming months we will be expanding the membership of our Scottish Genomics Leadership Group (SGLG) and relevant work streams to include a wider pool of stakeholders than those currently on the SGLG. This expanded structure will consider the recommendations from the Major Services Review as well as considerations for further genomics expansion. The availability of genetic testing for the treatment of cancer as a standard of care will be a key consideration of the work taken forward.
