- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 6 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether mobile or other IT devices used by its ministers, that are not corporate devices, are covered by the revised policy on retention of information.
Answer
In accordance with the Scottish Ministerial Code paragraph 6.42, Ministers should use Government systems for all Government business. Any communication on Government business engages Ministers’ obligations to ensure accurate public records are kept.
The Scottish Government policy on use of mobile messaging apps can only be enforced using technical means on corporate devices connected to the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 6 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients were on waiting lists for an echocardiogram (a) in total and (b) for over a year, in each of the last five years.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally by Scottish Government the member may wish to contact health boards directly for further information on waiting times for echocardiograms locally.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 6 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether the revised policy on the use of WhatsApp for government business applies to ministers who may communicate with each other on non-corporate devices.
Answer
In accordance with the Scottish Ministerial Code paragraph 6.42, Ministers should use Government systems for all Government business. Any communication on Government business engages Ministers’ obligations to ensure accurate public records are kept.
The Scottish Government policy on use of mobile messaging apps can only be enforced using technical means on corporate devices connected to the Scottish Government network.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessments were undertaken before the transfer of patients from hospitals to care homes, without testing, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scottish Government clinical guidance was clear that a thorough risk assessment should always be undertaken prior to discharge to ensure that the care home would be able to provide the care required. Individual risk assessments prior to discharge were the responsibility of relevant Health Boards, Local Authorities, and Integration Authorities.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many people had received their flu vaccination by the end of November 2024, and how this compares with November (a) 2023 and (b) 2022, broken down by the categories of (i) over-65s, (ii) at risk 18- to 64-year-olds, (c) healthcare workers and (d) care home residents.
Answer
The following data has been provided by Public Health Scotland (PHS). It compares how many people had their vaccine by the end of November in winter 2024, 2023 and 2022, broken down by the following groups: the over-65s; the at risk 18 to 64 group; Healthcare workers and residents in care homes for older adults.
PHS data is compiled by ‘week ending’ dates, so the historic data is up to the following dates for each year: 27 November 2022, 26 November 2023 and 24 November 2024.
Group | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
Eligible Population | Doses Administered | % uptake | Eligible Population | Doses Administered | % uptake | Eligible Population | Doses Administered | % uptake |
65 and over | 1,139,147 | 944,171 | 82.9 | 1,166,636 | 806,501 | 69.1 | 1,190,559 | 706,646 | 59.4 |
18-64 at risk | 807,844 | 413,233 | 51.2 | 891,129 | 304,056 | 34.1 | 871,634 | 182,918 | 21.0 |
Healthcare workers | 177,810 | 90,516 | 50.9 | 179,700 | 67,593 | 37.6 | 184,016 | 48,463 | 26.3 |
Residents in care homes for older adults | 26,642 | 23,699 | 89.0 | 28,827 | 24,694 | 85.7 | 29,204 | 23,663 | 81.0 |
In 2022 and 2023, during the pandemic and pandemic recovery phases, the shape of the programme was different, with a much larger number of clinics. This meant programmes could be “front loaded” with more people vaccinated at the start and middle of the programme. As we have moved out of the pandemic and COVID has become a routine bi-annual programme, there is less need for large clinic numbers and Boards have started to pace the programme more evenly, as they did for flu pre-pandemic, meaning they continue to vaccinate right into mid-December.
As of 19 January, the uptake in these groups has increased as follows:
Group | 24-11-24 | 19-01-25 |
65 and over | 59.4 | 73.5 |
18-64 at risk | 21.0 | 34.1 |
Healthcare workers | 26.3 | 35.5 |
Residents in care homes for older adults | 81.0 | 84.4 |
By filtering by year and searching on the PHS surveillance website, changes in programme delivery shape can be illustrated in graphs, both weekly and cumulatively.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether risk assessments are currently required before the transfer of any patient to a care home, in the event that they have an infectious disease.
Answer
The current guidance in the Care Home Infection Prevention and Control Manual (CH IPCM) produced by Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland states that before a resident is admitted to a care home it is important to undertake a risk assessment for infection.
At all times a thorough risk assessment should be undertaken prior to discharge to a care home to ensure that the care home is able to provide the care required and for the safety of the resident and others including staff, other residents and visitors. For example, if the individual requires to be isolated, that there is a suitable physical space and staff available for the delivery of care and support to an isolated resident.
The responsibility for carrying out individual risk assessments prior to discharge is between the individual Health Boards, Local Authorities and Integration Authorities.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 4 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients were on waiting lists for cardiology (a) in total and (b) for over a year, in each of the last five years.
Answer
Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes statistics on the length of time patients wait to be seen as a new outpatient or admitted for treatment as an inpatient or day case in the Stage of Treatment (SoT) publication. The latest publication release contains data up to quarter ending 30 September 2024.
Statistics relating to the total number of ongoing waits and the number of waits with a wait length over 52 weeks by specialty from 31 December 2019 can be found in the ‘Waits over 52 weeks’ data table in sheets ‘Table 3.1.1’ for new outpatient appointments, and ‘Table 3.2.1’ for inpatient or day case admissions.
https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/30453/waits_over_52_weeks_nov24.xlsx
Longer trend information can be found in the following tables:
New outpatient appointments (‘1.6 Table’): https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/30080/newop_nov24.xlsx
Inpatient or day case admission (‘2.6 Table’): https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/30452/ipdc_nov24.xlsx
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 6 February 2025
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to address the reported shortage in clinical radiologists, which is projected to rise to 263 fewer posts than needed by 2028.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 6 February 2025
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the delivery of its winter vaccination programme was achieved in November 2024, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer
The following table shows the breakdown of this winter’s COVID-19 and flu vaccination uptake that was achieved as of 1 December 2024, broken down by Health Board. The table also shows the uptake as a percentage for the whole for Scotland.
This data is publicly accessible via the Public Health Scotland (PHS) Open Source website: Flu & COVID vaccinations - Datasets - Scottish Health and Social Care Open Data
Uptake as of 1 December 2024:
Health Board | Covid Uptake % | Flu Uptake % |
NHS Ayrshire and Arran | 41 | 44.9 |
NHS Borders | 50.6 | 53.4 |
NHS Dumfries and Galloway | 48.8 | 52.5 |
NHS Fife | 44.3 | 48.2 |
NHS Forth Valley | 42.9 | 48.7 |
NHS Grampian | 37.5 | 41.1 |
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 33.6 | 37.7 |
NHS Highland | 41 | 43.5 |
NHS Lanarkshire | 41 | 45.5 |
NHS Lothian | 43.3 | 48 |
NHS Orkney | 50 | 54.8 |
NHS Shetland | 46 | 48.6 |
NHS Tayside | 41.9 | 45 |
NHS Western Isles | 37.8 | 41.7 |
Overall uptake for Scotland | 40.4 | 44.4 |
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have died from heart disease in each of the last five years, and, of these, how many were classed as premature deaths.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme publishes data on heart disease mortality including information on deaths under 65. Data is available at: Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme report 2023/2024 - Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme (SCAP) - Publications - Public Health Scotland.
