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It is for individual NHS Boards to decide which services they make available based on national and local priorities and the needs of their resident populations.

The National Cancer Plan, published on 9 December 2020, includes 68 actions and has been backed with up to £114.5 million. This includes a flagship innovation of the introduction of Early Cancer Diagnostic Centres (ECDC), with three Early Cancer Diagnostic Centres (ECDC) already established in NHS Scotland this year. The Centres provide primary care with a new referral route for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer (i.e. weight loss, fatigue, nausea), which don’t meet site specific Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer. The Clinical Lead for two of the Centres are Haematologists, reflecting the role that this new model can play in diagnosing blood cancers in Scotland.

The establishment and implementation of ECDCs are overseen by a national oversight group, of which the Scottish Cancer Coalition (that includes blood cancer charities) has representation on.

Officials are currently in discussion with the Blood Cancer Alliance to arrange a meeting in the new year, to explore how further improved outcomes for patients diagnosed with blood cancers can be achieved.

In line with the principle of producer responsibility, Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) is a private company, established by industry to lead on delivery of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) as scheme administrator. As an independent, industry-led organisation, CSL’s procurement decisions are not a matter for the Scottish Ministers.

Producers of in-scope drinks are responsible for having their scheme packaging collected from return points free of charge from the full implementation date for DRS, either directly or through a scheme administrator. Industry is therefore liable for delivery of DRS by the full implementation date whether or not a scheme administrator is in place by that date. Until and unless amended by the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Amendment Regulations 2022, that date is set in regulations as 1 July 2022.

The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) (and prior to this the Modernising Patient Pathways Programme within Scottish Government), have supported the rollout of the Digital Dermatology Appointment (DDA) system. This platform allows patients to interact with dermatologists by answering a series of questions and uploading images of their skin condition for the clinician to review. This system is used for both new and return patients. The system was offered for rollout to all Health Boards during COVID and to date is live in five Health Boards, with over 4000 patients having appointments this way.

In addition, the CfSD is actively promoting Active Clinical Referral Triage in Dermatology and encouraging the use of images to support this where this can be done safely. We are currently engaged in a piece of work to understand the use of images in referral pathways across all Scottish Health Boards and the output of this will support key work in 2022 to increase the use of images to support timely access to Dermatology care.

The Scottish Government has embraced artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformational technology for public good. We were the first UK country to establish an AI Strategy which set out our ambition for Scotland to become a global exemplar in the ethical and innovative deployment of AI.

As part of the Recovery Plans for the NHS, social care and the economy, the Government will support innovation in health care delivery and the adoption of AI solutions into use. Accelerating the adoption of new technologies that support improved access to healthcare, such as the use of artificial intelligence, will be integral to the recovery of NHS services, and there are a range of partner organisations that are central to this work, including the new national Centre for Sustainable Delivery.

All NHS Boards across Scotland have the option of referring patients to the NHS Centre for Integrative Care (CIC) for services not available locally.

It is for individual NHS Boards to decide what complementary and alternative medicines/therapies they make available based on the needs of their resident populations and in line with national guidance.

The CIC is a facility owned and operated by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC), offering people with long term conditions a range of services, including complementary, holistic and homeopathic treatments. It is the responsibility of NHS GGC to manage access to their services.

The information requested regarding whether the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has carried out any investigation into deaths due to hospital-acquired infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is not centrally held by the Scottish Government.

Health and safety at work is a reserved matter. HSE has confirmed that their published policy is generally not to investigate hospital acquired infections Who regulates health care (hse.gov.uk) . They have not investigated deaths at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital that may have been caused by a hospital associated infection.

HSE did however carry out an investigation into concerns raised with them in December 2019 about the ventilation within two wards at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the control of legionella in water systems across the hospital.

HSE was satisfied with the control of legionella but wrote to the Chief Executive of Greater Glasgow Health Board/NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde requesting improvements to the ventilation systems. An Improvement Notice was served in relation to the ventilation system within Ward 4C.

Further information is available on the NHS GGC webpage: https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/news/2019/12/hse-improvement-notice/ . The Improvement Notice is being appealed by the Health Board. However, HSE is satisfied that appropriate remedial action has been taken.

The information requested regarding whether the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has invoked a Divisional Major Incident Response Plan, in relation to deaths due to hospital associated infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, is not centrally held by the Scottish Government.

Health and safety at work is a reserved matter. HSE has confirmed that the issues raised with them did not meet the criteria for a ‘Divisional Major Incident’ as outlined in their published response plans og-00076-appendix-4.pdf (hse.gov.uk) .

All Covid-19 related consequentials will be fully committed to funding the response in Scotland. These consequentials are not ring fenced and are allocated based on need.

The Scottish Government provides support for energy efficiency measures and zero emissions heating in Scotland’s homes and businesses, including for traditional and heritage buildings. Home Energy Scotland (HES) is funded by the Scottish Government to offer free, impartial, bespoke information and advice on the installation of energy efficiency and renewables measures, and to act as a gateway to all our domestic energy efficiency funding schemes. For businesses, the Scottish Government offer free, impartial advice and support to Scottish SMEs through the Energy Efficiency Business Support Service, delivered by Zero Waste Scotland. Through this service, businesses can access the SME loan scheme which provides funding support for energy efficiency measures and zero emissions heating installations.

In order to meet our net zero ambitions, we will continue to invest in our advice services to increase their reach and support. We recognise that improving the energy efficiency of traditional and heritage buildings in Scotland may require a bespoke approach and we will work with stakeholders, such as Historic Environment Scotland, to understand the future support necessary to upgrade these buildings.