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The new Scottish Government cancer strategy Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action was published in March 2016 and is a blueprint for the future of cancer services in Scotland, improving the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of those affected by the disease.

£5 million investment has been allocated directly to NHS boards in 2016-17. This revenue is targeted to patient need, as determined at NHS board level, and is particularly focused on the breast, colorectal and urological cancer pathways. This will support immediate improvement in diagnostic, imaging and treatment capacity and ensure timely access that patients deserve.

NHS Scotland operates independently from the rest of the UK and does not refer to Never Events for data capturing purposes.

Following on from the Programme for Government, we committed in the Fairer Scotland Action Plan, to developing a new approach to social isolation over 2017. We intend that this will build on existing work, that it will draw on the findings of the previous Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee’s Inquiry into Social Isolation and Loneliness as well as the Befriending Networks Summit held in September 2016 and that it will be informed by the best available evidence and research. We will engage with partners and a wide range of interests in the development of our approach.

Sativex is currently licensed to treat patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to Multiple Sclerosis. In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) provides advice to NHS Scotland on the clinical and cost effectiveness of all new medicines. They do this following submissions made by the manufacturer. For Sativex, whilst the manufacturer does hold a product licence, they have not yet made a submission to the SMC to have Sativex considered for routine availability on the NHS in Scotland.

We will be considering any funding implications as part of the development and delivery of our strategic approach to social isolation. No decisions on funding for the Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund have been made beyond 2016-17.

Our ‘Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action’ strategy and the accompanying £100 million investment over five years, serves as a blueprint for the future of cancer services in Scotland, improving the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of people affected by all types of cancer.

The Scottish Government places great importance on veterans and their families. We established a state-of-the-art National Prosthetics Service, committed over £5 million from 2015 for world-class specialist mental health services and provided almost £4 million for veterans housing. We have appointed a Scottish Veterans Commissioner – the first such position in the UK.

I have published a fresh strategy, “Renewing Our Commitments” setting out priorities on healthcare, housing and jobs. Earlier this month I announced a partnership with Standard Life, bringing our Scottish Veterans Fund to total £600,000 over three years. We also want the private sector to treat veterans as an asset to bridge skills gaps; that is why I was delighted to launch the Supporting Veterans into Employment initiative with HRH The Duke of Rothesay at Dumfries House on 24 October 2016.

The number of organisations currently registered to take part in the Healthy Working Lives Award Programme is 1048. This includes organisations that are working towards the Bronze Award.

The number of organisations currently holding a Healthy Working Lives Award is:

Bronze 205

Silver 132

Gold 213

Total 550

940 organisations participating in the Healthy Working Lives Award Programme have more than 10 employees.

The following table shows the number of enquiries to the Healthy Working Lives Adviceline including calls and emails.

Mental Health calls are recorded under a variety of sub-categories as follows - Mental Health & Wellbeing-Anxiety-Depression-Distress-Stress.