- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the pilot work to tackle litter sinks at the head of Loch Long at Arrochar.
Answer
Since the inception of work to better understand the Arrochar litter sink in 2017, we have determined that approximately half of the litter has originated from the River Clyde catchment, and half from the open sea. We are using this knowledge to focus efforts on tackling the source of the litter over which we can have most influence, that from the River Clyde.
As such, the recently updated Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland includes actions on riverine litter, to prevent it and to support its removal. Our key delivery partner Keep Scotland Beautiful and their Upstream Battle project enables communities, businesses, and schools on the River Clyde to develop local solutions to reduce littering, and also support its clean-up. This initiative also supports citizen science and the outputs will inform further riverine litter policy, aiming to reduce and intercept litter before it reaches our seas. In addition, we are also engaging with Glasgow City Council to consider more options to increase litter removal from the River Clyde.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its forthcoming 10-year cancer strategy, whether it will commit to producing a supplementary tailored action plan for increasing the survival rates of each of the six less survivable cancers, which are pancreatic, lung, liver, brain, stomach and oesophageal cancers.
Answer
The forthcoming 10-year cancer strategy will be accompanied by a 3-year action plan aligning with the ambitions set out in our strategy. There will not be additional action plans for specific cancer types, however in both the strategy and plan we will continue to focus on those cancer types that are the largest burden and have poorer survival, in particular the less survivable cancers.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met its national targets to tackle long waits for planned care, as set out in July 2022.
Answer
Despite ongoing significant pressures, we continue to see progress in reducing long waits following the introduction of targets in July 2022. The latest Public Health Scotland data shows:
- The total number of patients waiting than more two years for a new outpatient appointment was reduced by 60 per cent in six months;
- 18 of 30 inpatient / day-case specialities have fewer than ten patients waiting more than two years
- 61 per cent of new outpatient specialties have fewer than 10 patients waiting over 78 weeks.
We have also progressed significant immediate and long term solutions to support Boards to clear their remaining long waits. In addition to the targets introduced last year, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery is supporting Boards to maximise their capacity and increase theatre efficiencies, including through Active Clinical Referral Treatment and Patient Initiated Review.
Four National Treatment Centres will also open this year, providing significant additional capacity for orthopaedics, ophthalmic and diagnostic treatment. This includes NTC-Fife and NTC-Highland, which opened in March and April respectively, and NTC-Forth Valley and the second phase of the NHS Golden Jubilee which will open later in the year.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether Marine Scotland funding for marine litter removal from the beach at the top of Loch Long, following storms, is still in place.
Answer
There is currently no funding allocated for marine litter removal at Arrochar, Loch Long. This work is eligible for funding through Marine Fund Scotland https://www.gov.scot/policies/marine-and-fisheries-grants/
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether any upgrades to the Community Health Index (CHI) system are planned.
Answer
The Scottish Government are currently undertaking a programme of work to improve the Community Health Index (CHI) systems. The new CHI is a single national system replacing the existing eight separate CHI systems and is due to go live in late summer 2023.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the national rollout of intelligent Liver Function Tests (iLFT), through the national Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
Answer
A consortium of 12 NHS Health Boards has procured a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for Scotland which is described as National LIMS.
NHS Fife will be the first Board to make use of the intelligent Liver Function Tests (iLFT) with the roll out of National LIMS in 2023. Roll out will then follow across the rest of the consortium over the next few years.
Whilst national LIMS implementation in Scotland is in its early stages, some NHS Boards already utilise iLFT and have this capability within their current LIMS.
Those Boards that are not part of the consortium can also procure the product should they wish to do so.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the forthcoming 10-year cancer strategy improves outcomes for people with (a) liver cancer and (b) other less survivable cancers.
Answer
Our ambitious 10-year cancer strategy is nearing completion, with publication planned this Spring. The strategy will be under-pinned by action plans which will evolve with the changing cancer landscape. The strategy will take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care.
It will encompass a new earlier cancer diagnosis vision for Scotland and will continue to focus on those cancer types that are the largest burden and have poorer survival, in particular the less survivable cancers, including liver cancer.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what financial assessment has been made of any impact on the capital budget of delays in delivering infrastructure projects.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2023
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to ensure that published NHS waiting times for treatment are accurate.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prioritise (a) alcohol harm and (b) obesity prevention in order to reduce the burden of liver disease.
Answer
The Scottish Government takes a whole population approach to tackling alcohol-related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol. Our 2018 Alcohol Framework contains 20 actions to tackle alcohol related harm.
We want everyone in Scotland to eat well and have a healthy weight to help reduce the impact of a range of diet-related ill health conditions including liver disease. We continue to implement the wide-ranging actions set out in our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan . This includes our commitment to restrict less healthy food promotions and improving the availability of healthier options when eating out as outlined in our Out Of Home Action Plan .
We also continue to support NHS boards to deliver adult, children and young people’s weight management services in line with our Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Early Detection and Intervention Framework and Public Health Scotland’s National Standards .
