Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-01228

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle the reported growing use of locum staff in the NHS.

Question reference: S6W-08443

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07924 by Humza Yousaf on 27 April 2022, whether its active engagement with partners, including local government, has included any meetings with COSLA, and, if so, when any such meetings took place.

Question reference: S6W-08611

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07714 by Maree Todd on 25 April 2022, when the final project reports referenced in the answer will be published on the Chief Scientist Office website.

Following an independent expert review process, 9 projects were funded through the CSO's Long-term effects of COVID-19 call Long Covid Call – Chief Scientist Office (scot.nhs.uk)

CSO funded research project start dates are confirmed through submission by the corresponding host institution of a completed start certificate ( Form7-Start-Certificate.docx (live.com) )

The following table shows the confirmed start dates and derived end dates for the 9 projects funded through the Long-term effects of COVID-19 call

Project	Start Certificate	End Date
COV-LTE-20-04	01-03-21	28-02-23
COV-LTE-20-06	01-02-21	31-01-23
COV-LTE-20-08	01-04-21	31-03-23
COV-LTE-20-10	01-02-21	31-01-23
COV-LTE-20-15	01-03-21	28-02-23
COV-LTE-20-26	01-04-21	31-03-23
COV-LTE-20-28	01-02-21	31-01-23
COV-LTE-20-29	01-05-21	30-04-23
COV-LTE-20-32	01-05-21	28-02-23

Final reports will be published on the CSO website upon completion of the projects.

Project final reports are the result of a collaborative effort between the individual project teams and members of the CSO Public Engagement Group who work together to ensure the reports are written in accessible language. There is therefore an inevitable short delay between the project end date and the publication of the final report on the CSO website.

Question reference: S6W-08564

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action has been taken to ensure that teachers and other professionals in statutory services who work with children, including those whose hearing was tested by NHS Lothian Paediatric Audiology Service between 2009 and 2018, are aware of the reported failings of the service, and that the opportunity exists for the children they work with to have a retest if there are concerns about their hearing.

The British Academy of Audiology (BAA) reports have been widely distributed amongst professionals, including all GP practices in NHS Lothian, ENT surgeons, community child health doctors, and speech and language therapists. NHS Lothian has had extensive communication with a range of partners including teaching staff and the Director of Education. As part of this process, those working with children who had any concerns about a child's hearing were encouraged to contact the Audiology department directly or to refer the child through the normal route.

The frequently asked questions, which was developed, has also been shared with specialised teams in education in the four local authority areas across NHS Lothian. My officials are also engaging with local authority heads of service for deaf education and NHS Lothian to address any additional concerns regarding support and education planning for families.

So far, 124 families have been contacted directly by NHS Lothian and offered a retest; 39 children have now had their retest with a further 11 with an appointment to date. From the 39 retested, 10 children have been found to have a new hearing impairment.

Officials continue to work closely with NHS Lothian regarding paediatric audiology, including communications. As highlighted, information has been widely circulated amongst professional staff groups working directly with children and their families, with clear mechanisms for children to be referred to the audiology department where there are concerns about their hearing. NHS Lothian established a telephone line in December last year and this continues to be operational to make it easy for families to make direct contact with the Board about any audiology concerns, the board is also working closely with the National Deaf Children Society.

Question reference: S6W-08483

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which medicines are currently in short supply, and, in each case, which medicines can be used as alternatives, and by what date it expects each shortage to be resolved.

Question reference: S6W-08565

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05476 by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2022, which stated that 92 children had been contacted by NHS Lothian and identified as requiring possible retesting, how many (a) more families have been directly contacted by NHS Lothian and offered a retest by 1 May 2022, (b) children who were contacted by NHS Lothian by 1 May 2022 and offered a retest by NHS Lothian have now had that retest and (c) children who were retested by NHS Lothian by 1 May 2022 were found after retesting to have a hearing impairment.

Following my response in January I can provide more detail around the issues pertaining to paediatric audiology in NHS Lothian. I am providing one response that covers all three questions.

The British Academy of Audiology (BAA) reports have been widely distributed amongst professionals, including all GP practices in NHS Lothian, ENT surgeons, community child health doctors, and speech and language therapists. NHS Lothian has had extensive communication with a range of partners including teaching staff and the Director of Education. As part of this process, those working with children who had any concerns about a child's hearing were encouraged to contact the Audiology department directly or to refer the child through the normal route.

The frequently asked questions, which was developed, has also been shared with specialised teams in education in the four local authority areas across NSH Lothian. My officials are also engaging with local authority heads of service for deaf education and NHS Lothian to address any additional concerns regarding support and education planning for families.

So far, 124 families have been contacted directly by NHS Lothian and offered a retest; 39 children have now had their retest with a further 11 with an appointment to date. From the 39 retested, 10 children have been found to have a new hearing impairment.

Officials continue to work closely with NHS Lothian regarding paediatric audiology, including communications. As highlighted, information has been widely circulated amongst professional staff groups working directly with children and their families, with clear mechanisms for children to be referred to the audiology department where there are concerns about their hearing. Indeed, NHS Lothian established a telephone line in December last year and this continues to be operational to make it easy for families to make direct contact with the Board about any audiology concerns, the board is also working closely with the National Deaf Children Society.

Question reference: S6W-08612

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it first became aware of the reported shortage of hormone replacement therapy medication, and what action was taken to resolve the issue.

Shortages of medicines are an ongoing part of the day to day management of the NHS. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) medicines and all other medicines experience supply issues for varying times and for varying reasons, including difficulty in sourcing core ingredients, divestment by pharmaceutical manufacturers and international market volatility. Many shortages are short in nature.

There are over 70 HRT products available in the UK. There have been ongoing supply problems with some products, some are irregular supply while others are a longer term shortage. The Scottish Government first issued (26 August 2019) NHS Circular PCA(P) (2019) 18 on HRT supply issues. Regular Medicines Supply Alert Notice (MSAN) are issued for any HRT product experiencing supply problems. All MSANs are published at SHOW - Scotlands Health On the Web - Publications

A serious of UK wide Serious Shortage Protocols (SSP)were introduced for the following HRT products

Premique® low dose 0.3mg/1.5mg modified release tablets

Oestrogel® pump-pack 750mcg/actuation gel,

Ovestin® 1mg cream,

Sandrena® 0.5mg and 1mg gel sachets,

Lenzetto 1.53mg transdermal spray

Each SSP is individually developed and authorised clinically, to enable community pharmacists and dispensing doctors to dispense a different strength or formulation or alternative medicine or appliances in accordance with the protocol, rather than having to refer prescribing decisions back to the original prescriber. These protocols are time limited. SSPs can be found at SHOW - Scotlands Health On the Web - Publications .

We continue to press the UK Government to seek a lasting resolution to HRT supply issues as quickly as possible.

Question reference: S6W-08566

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05476 by Humza Yousaf on 25 January 2022, what action has been taken to ensure that all of the families of the 22,900 children seen by NHS Lothian Paediatric Audiology during the period of 2009 to 2018 are aware (a) of the service failures identified by the British Academy of Audiology’s review of the service and (b) that their child should have a retest if there are concerns about their hearing.

Question reference: S6W-08568

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce the time taken to receive a coeliac diagnosis, and what role no-biopsy strategy would play.

Question reference: S6W-08569

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Coeliac Awareness Week, which ran from 9 to 15 May 2022, whether it will consider supporting the development of a coeliac training programme for primary care physicians and other allied healthcare professionals to improve current understanding of the disease and support its prompt diagnosis.

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