Chamber and committees

There is clear clinical evidence that the vaccination reduces the risk of serious harm and we recommend that all adults, even those how have had Covid, should be vaccinated. One of the aims of the certification programme is to promote the uptake of the vaccine and for that reasons antibody status is not within scope. We will keep the parameters for certification under review.

As part of Programme for Government (PfG) commitments made in 2019 and reaffirmed in 2020 we are developing a programme to improve stroke pathways and services.

A progressive stroke pathway document, due by the end of this year, will clearly set out our vision of what we should expect of a progressive stroke service in Scotland in order that services fully meet the needs of people who experience a stroke. This will include consideration of the important role of stroke units.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit monitors the quality of care provided by the hospitals in all NHS Boards. Access to a stroke unit is a standard measured by SSCA, alongside other standards associated with improved patient outcomes. Performance against the standards, and more detail on service models can be found here: Scottish stroke improvement programme 2021 national report - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - Public Health Scotland .

CS Wind had previously received grant support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise to open their facility in Macrihanish. Providing further public sector support may have breached subsidy control limits

Health Boards have already commenced recruitment activity to meet the commitment to recruit an additional 1,000 Health and Care Support staff at AfC Bands 2, 3 & 4 to provide additional capacity across a variety of services both in the community and in hospital settings. Funding of up to £15 million is being provided in-year to fully fund all costs associate with recruitment to these posts. We are directly supporting boards to fill these posts as quickly as possible within that time frame, through securing an accelerated pre-employment process and supporting the delivery of employability initiatives such as the ‘Skills Boost for Health Care’ training for staff new to health and care.

In support of changes to Building Regulations and technical guidance on 1 October 2019, dissemination events were held to provide information to all stakeholders including fire safety companies. These events included information on new requirements for evacuation alert systems to be installed in all new and converted high rise domestic buildings in accordance with British Standard 8629: 2019.

The primary objective of the booster programme is to maintain protection against severe COVID-19 disease, specifically hospitalization and deaths, over winter 2021-22, and is aimed at maintaining protection in those most vulnerable and to protect the NHS. The autumn/winter vaccination programme also includes the biggest ever flu vaccination programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is clear that both of these programmes are important for individual and public health. So, wherever possible, eligible people will be offered COVID-19 and influenza vaccines together.

Booster vaccines will be offered to the same groups who were prioritized at the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in winter and spring 2020-21, and JCVI have advised that at least 6 months should have passed since a second dose before a booster is administered, however there is some flexibility to offer a booster vaccination to the most vulnerable groups after five months.

The Autumn/Winter vaccination programme continues to roll out in line with advice from the JCVI. The JCVI priority groups are based on either vulnerability to COVID-19, or on interacting with, and therefore possibly spreading to, people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. When someone received their invitation will depend on a number of personal circumstances.

Decisions to prioritise one population group over another are not taken lightly, nor are they straightforward. That is why our prioritisation decisions have been, and will continue to be, guided by the independent expert advice from the JCVI.

Our approach to service development and staff training is informed by UK-wide clinical guidance developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and is focussed on supporting NHS Boards to develop tailored models of care appropriate for the needs of their populations.

Scottish Government Officials and Clinical Advisors continue to meet with colleagues across the UK home nations on a regular basis, in order to support the sharing of relevant practice developments as they continue to emerge.

It is important that new systems of care supported by a limited and emerging evidence base are properly evaluated within research conditions in order to deliver quality, cost-effective interventions that provide meaningful benefit for patients.

Our approach to service development and staff training is informed by UK-wide clinical guidance developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and is focussed on supporting NHS Boards to develop tailored models of care appropriate for the needs of their populations.

Scottish Government Officials and Clinical Advisors continue to meet with colleagues across the UK home nations on a regular basis, in order to support the sharing of relevant practice developments as they continue to emerge.

It is important that new systems of care supported by a limited and emerging evidence base are properly evaluated within research conditions in order to deliver quality, cost-effective interventions that provide meaningful benefit for patients.

The national pancreatic cancer audit is an NHS England initiative and Scotland participates in UK audits (Scottish Cancer Registry data is provided by Public Health Scotland). The Scottish HepatoPancreatoBiliary Network (SHPBN) has reported HepatoPancreatoBiliary (HPB) cancer audits annually since 2010. The 2013-2019 audits are based on quality performance indicators, including some specific to pancreatic cancer. The annual audit reports are available on the SHPBN website. The 2020 audit report is currently in progress.

Through the National Cancer Plan we have placed an emphasis on the less survivable cancers, including pancreatic, and improving their outcomes. We have provided funding and are working with the SHPBN to redesign pancreatic and liver pathways.

During this Parliamentary term we are committed to consulting on ways to increase easily accessible, sustainably managed woodlands, including native woodlands, in urban or peri-urban areas, as part of a just transition. Understanding the benefits currently being delivered under the Woods in and Around Towns scheme, and how best to build on them, will form an important part of that conversation.