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The Access Support Team is an internal Scottish Government department which is made up of performance and improvement staff who work closely with NHS Boards to ensure best practice is instilled across all hospital sites, and to share good practice and innovation across NHSScotland.

The team works closely with the Clinical Priorities Unit who coordinate the National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain, and that includes NHS staff as well as Scottish Government officials along with third sector and patient representatives.

Data on Audiology service waits is included as part of the 18 weeks referral to treatment waiting time data which is published quarterly by ISD. The 18 weeks referral to treatment performance information is based on an aggregate return from NHS Boards and does not provide specialty level data.

Alcoholic Liver disease is one of 15 conditions included in the Alcohol Specific Deaths statistics published annually by National Records of Scotland.

Data for number of deaths by underlying cause of death is available in table 2 of the NRS Alcohol-specific Deaths (new National Statistics definition) Data Tables which are available at the following link.

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//statistics/alcohol-deaths/2018/alcohol-specific-deaths-18-all-tabs.xlsx

The data for alcoholic liver disease is detailed in the following table.

Alcohol-specific deaths (new National Statistics definition) by underlying cause of death (ICD-10): registered in Scotland, 2007 to 2018

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is not routinely available in Scotland on the NHS. Local health boards are best placed to provide or arrange provision of any evidence based treatment and services.

The needs and treatment of every patient will differ depending on range of factors. Should a patient put forward an interest in transcranial magnetic stimulation as a part of their treatment plan, they should, along with their family discuss the full range of evidence based options with the consultant responsible for the patient's care.

Should it be required, the consultant can make a case to the respective health board for the treatment. This could include accessing the treatment somewhere else in the UK, including a different nation.

Health and food technology is not a teacher subject category collected by the Scottish Government. Please refer to our teacher census supplementary table 8.9 for FTE (full-time equivalent) of home economic teachers in secondary schools.

https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/teachcenssuppdata

As part of the annual Heathy Living survey the Scottish Government collects information on schools meeting PE targets of at least 120 of Physical Education per week in primary schools and 100 minutes (two periods) of PE in secondary schools. This information can be found, along with the pupil roll of the schools at the time of the Healthy Living survey in table 29 in the Healthy Living Survey supplementary tables, available on the Scottish Government website here:

https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/MealsSD/mealspesd

The Scottish Government plans to commission and publish a second independent expert study on trends in the prescribing of psychoactive medications for people with dementia before the end of 2020.

The Scottish Government’s response and action plan to help address recommendations in the Mental Welfare Commission’s 2014 report Dignity and Respect is available on the Scottish Government website: 

https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/Mental-Health/Dementia/MWCReport

The information requested is provided in the table that follows.

Our commitment to early detection is reflected in our £42 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme that aims to increase the proportion of breast, bowel and lung cancers diagnosed early in Scotland.

(a) Social marketing has a key role to play in the early detection of lung cancer. Sir Alex Ferguson has fronted DCE’s marketing activity since 2013 to raise awareness of the benefits of early detection, while reminding people that lung cancer is no longer a death sentence. This has contributed to the 31.0% increase in stage one lung diagnoses in the most deprived areas of Scotland since DCE began. A new social marketing approach is now being explored with key stakeholders and leading clinicians to ensure the public stay alert to possible signs and symptoms and feel empowered to act early.

(b) To support primary care clinicians in diagnosing cancer early, DCE funded a clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, with updated evidence published January 2019. Eight pathways were included in the refresh, including lung. In collaboration with Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, work continues across NHSScotland to ensure the guidance is fully disseminated and adopted.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government is currently exploring what opportunities exist for Scotland to contribute to the emerging evidence base for lung cancer screening. Officials have recently met with academics, the Chair of the UK National Screening Committee, and the Scottish Screening Committee to discuss ongoing studies and trials, to identify where Scotland can best add value. These discussions are ongoing and any recommendations will be carefully considered.