Seòmar agus comataidhean

Neither the Scottish Government nor ISD Scotland currently records or publishes any routine information regarding the incidence of eating disorders in Scotland.

ISD Scotland previously published estimates of the number of people in Scotland consulting their GP or practice nurse, where an eating disorder was recorded as one of the reasons for the consultation, which could be calculated using the Practice Team Information (PTI) scheme. However, PTI data are no longer collected.

A new national GP information system known as the Scottish Primary Care Information Resource (SPIRE) is in development which will supersede and build on the data collected previously for PTI.

Neither the Scottish Government nor ISD Scotland currently collects data regarding the incidence of eating disorders.

Scottish Government actions to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Scotland’s population have been set out in previous mental health strategies, and most recently in the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027. Delivery of these strategies will have impacted positively either directly or indirectly on the care and treatment of those living with an eating disorder.

In the current Strategy we are committed to developing a digital tool to ensure young people with an eating disorder are able to access support in a way that reflects digital lifestyles. We are also committed to a number of actions around prevention and early intervention and improving access to treatment and joined up accessible services. For example we are working with partners to improve access to child and adolescent mental health services; to improve access to psychological therapies as an evidence based treatment for eating disorder and other mental health conditions; and to improve responses for those in distress; These, and other actions, will all impact positively on those living with an eating disorder.

We have no current plans to publish a stand-alone eating disorder strategy, recognising instead the benefits of the overall strategic approach set out in the Mental Health Strategy 2017-27.

(a) 2016-17 allocations:

In 2015-16 NHS Boards received £85.0 million of funding from the New Medicines Fund and reported expenditure of £50.3 million. Health Boards are allocated funding on the basis that they are required to utilise all funding provided by the Scottish Government from the New Medicines Fund over the period 2014-15 to 2018-19 in line with the stated intentions of the fund.

(b) The value of 2017-18 allocations will be based on the level of PPRS receipts received.

For 2017-18, all Scottish receipts from the 2014 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) will directly flow into the New Medicines Fund as they have done in previous years. The value of PPRS receipts for 2017-18 has not yet been confirmed.

NHS Boards are allocated funding for the New Medicines Fund by the Scottish Government on the basis that they are required to utilise all of the funding provided over the period 2014-15 to 2018-19 in line with the stated intentions of the Fund.

The development of the Scottish Primary Care Information Resource (SPIRE) began in August 2014. The project has several major deliverables including the development of the SPIRE software, deploying the software to all practices in Scotland and training practices in its use. Training is due to be completed in March 2018, after which the SPIRE project will move into “business as usual”.

Smoking is the leading cause of lung disease in Scotland and smoking rates are highest in our most deprived communities. The action being taken through the Scottish Government's tobacco control strategy - Creating a Tobacco-free Generation - is reducing smoking rates in areas of social deprivation. All NHS Scotland stop-smoking service targets are specifically targeted on smokers from areas of social deprivation. Plans to reduce the incidence of smoking-related lung disease further include: targeted campaigns on the effectiveness and availability of stop-smoking services and the harms of second-hand smoke; and the introduction of offences for smoking around hospital buildings and the move to make prisons tobacco-free.

The Scottish Government's Health and Social Care Delivery Plan, published in December 2016, sets out our aim for Scotland to provide high quality services with a focus on prevention, early intervention and supported self-management. The plan sits alongside our National Clinical Strategy, which evidenced the need to change the way services are delivered in order to continue meet the healthcare needs of our population, setting out the framework for developing health services in Scotland for the next 10-20 years, including people living with lung disease.

These policies will be complimented by the existing work to implement the tobacco control strategy and the development of Respiratory Health: Quality Improvement Plan. We are working closely with the Respiratory National Advisory Group to support local improvement in respiratory diagnosis, treatment and care through the Plan.

The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, part of NHS Health Scotland, to provide information and advice on workplace health and wellbeing. The Centre, and the network of advisers in territorial NHS Boards, offer free and confidential advice on a wide range of issues relating to health and safety in the workplace. This includes promoting wellbeing in the workplace, managing sickness absence and supporting employees to return to work.

The Centre's advice includes how employers can meet their obligations under the Equality Act and how they can make reasonable adjustments to support employees with long term, limiting health conditions and disabilities.

I announced in December 2016 that we will be taking forward the recommendations from the review. We are working at pace, in collaboration with stakeholders, including the Scottish Medicines Consortium, NHS Scotland, and the pharmaceutical industry to implement the recommendations as quickly as possible.