Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government is mindful of the use of mesh in non-transvaginal settings. In February 2018, the then-Chief Medical Officer wrote to NHS Scotland Medical Directors about public interest in the use of mesh implants, including in hernia repair. Medical Directors were asked to ensure that clinicians offer patients all appropriate options for surgery, as well as the option of no surgery. In addition, the importance of shared decision making, informed consent and listening and acting upon patients’ concerns was noted.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has commissioned the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) to produce two reports on the use of mesh in hernia repair; the first published in January 2020 and the second in December 2021 . These reports, based on current published evidence, support the continued use of mesh in a variety of abdominal wall and groin hernia subject to all the tenets of Realistic Medicine – ensuring shared decision making and informed consent with knowledge of the benefits, risks alternative measures and the possibility of doing nothing. The findings of the reports have been discussed with professional bodies, including the Royal Colleges and the British Hernia Society.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) wrote to the Board Chief Executives and Medical Directors in December 2021 to draw their attention to the SHTG report. In the letter, the CMO asked Health Boards to consider the availability of non-mesh surgery, how best to address skill gaps, if they exist, and the development of broader clinical networks for management of complex cases. The actions resulting from this will be discussed at a meeting of the Scottish Association of Medical Directors in August.

There is also work ongoing with regard to establishing a Medical Device Information System (MDIS) which will provide important surveillance and outcome information.

Treatment at the specialist service provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is targeted specifically at those who have experienced transvaginal mesh complications. This is in recognition of the painful and life changing side effects experienced by some women who have received transvaginal mesh implants. The creation of specialist centres of this nature was a recommendation of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, and the centre in Glasgow forms part of a network of similar centres in other parts of the UK.

I would strongly encourage anyone who suspects that their mesh implant is related to symptoms they are experiencing to contact their GP in the first instance, regardless of whether that is a transvaginal implant or another form of mesh. GPs act as a gateway to care provided by other parts of the NHS and can therefore ensure that patients can see the right person at the right place at the right time, in a safe, effective and efficient manner.

Since 2016, the Scottish Government has worked with 63 individuals who are public figures on 104 occasions as part of communication campaigns delivered via the central Scottish Government Marketing Team. Of those 63 individuals, 4 have been part of a Scottish Government television advert. The remaining 59 have been involved through social media advertising, digital or public relations activity only. The Scottish Government does not hold details of communications activity undertaken by agencies.

The public figures who have worked with the Scottish Government on communications campaigns since 2016 are: Amber Zoe (Presenter); Arabella Weir (Actress); Barbara Dickson (Singer); Boogie (DJ); Bruce Fumey (Comedian); Callum Gallacher (DJ); Carol Smillie (TV Presenter); Cassi Gillespie (Radio Presenter); Cat Cubie (Presenter); Cat Harvey (Presenter); Charlie Reid (Musician); Chris Brookmyre (Author); Clare Grogan (Singer); Craig Reid (Musician); Des Clarke (Comedian); Dougray Scott (Actor); Dr Punam Krishan (TV Doctor); Edith Bowman (DJ/Presenter); Edward Reid (Performer); Elaine C Smith (Actress); Eunice Olumide (Model); Ewen Cameron (Presenter); Fred MacCauley (Comedian); Gail Porter (Presenter); Gary Maclean (Chef); Gavin Mitchell (Actor); Gordon Clark (Musician); Grant Stott (Presenter); Hayley Scanlan (Fashion Designer); Heather MacRae (Golfer); Huw Jones (Rugby Player); Iain Stirling (Comedian); Jackie MacNamara (Footballer); Jai McDowall (Singer); Jane McCarry (Actor); Janey Godley (Comedian); Jennifer Reoch (Presenter); Keryn Matthew (Miss Scotland); Kieron Achara (Basketball Player); Laura Boyd (Reporter); Laura Fraser (Actress); Lawrence Chaney (Drag Queen); Leah MacRae (Actress); Lee Craigie (Cyclist); Les McKeown (Musician); Lorraine Kelly (Presenter); Lorraine McIntosh (Musician); Mac Twins (DJ/Authors); Mark Cox (Comedian); Mollie Hughes (Explorer); Moyo Akande (Actress); Nicola Roy (Actress); Peter Sawkins (Baker); Raman Bhardwaj (Reporter); Ricky Ross (Musician); River City Cast (TV); Ruaridh Jackson (Rugby Player); Sanjeev Kohli (Comedian); Scott Hastings (Rugby Player); Shaheeda Sinckler (Singer); Simon Donnelly (Footballer); Sir Alex Ferguson (Football Manager); Stuart Hogg (Rugby Player).

On 44 occasions there was no payment to the public figure. For the balance, the fee paid to each individual is part of a commercial negotiation between the appointed agency to produce the campaign, within an overall agreed production budget, and the relevant individual. Therefore, this is either information not held by the Scottish Government or it cannot be disclosed as this would release confidential financial information relating to the services offered by each individual. However, historical Freedom of Information requests relating to the “Stop The Spike” campaign featuring Janey Godley has resulted in that fee being published following agreement it could be released. The fee in that instance was £10,000.

The UK is currently experiencing the worst ever outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Prior to this, the largest outbreak involved 26 cases of HPAI in the UK in 2020/2021 and 13 cases in 2016/2017. In contrast, as of 28 July 2022, there have been 127 premises confirmed as infected with HPAI H5N1 within the UK: eleven in Scotland, five in Wales, six in Northern Ireland and 105 in England.

Of the total cases in the UK, only three have been gamebird premises, with none of these being in Scotland.

However, what has impacted the UK gamebird industry this year is the considerable number of HPAI cases in France, where approximately 80% of partridge chicks and 50-60% of pheasant chicks for the UK industry are sourced. Many of these source farms are caught up in disease control zones. Therefore, movement restrictions on both live birds and eggs are in place.

The Scottish Government supports farmers during the ongoing UK-wide avian influenza outbreak through the provision of timely advice and guidance to poultry and other captive bird keepers on risks, legal requirements and biosecurity. This information is made available through social media, news releases and on gov.scot, as these continue to be vital tools in protecting birds.

Compensation is paid for birds humanely euthanased as part of our disease response in line with valuation tables, which are updated regularly by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on behalf of the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government do not compensate for any dead or visibly ill birds, which is in line with the policy in England and Wales.

The Scottish Government has reminded keepers that the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ), and associated robust biosecurity measures, remain in place across Scotland (and the rest of GB). These measures include keeping their flocks separate from wild birds.

If a larger poultry or other captive bird business is situated in a disease control zone, there may be trade issues associated with regionalisation. The Scottish Government works with the Defra Market Access and Veterinary Trade Facilitation teams, who liaise with poultry industry stakeholders and the APHA Centre for International Trade (CIT) to understand and address issues and priorities for poultry exports.

Defra Market Access also liaise with British Embassy colleagues globally to answer trade related queries from Central Competent Authorities, provide updates to third country trading partners and seek clarity in terms of trade where required. The Scottish Government works with a range of partner organisations and agencies to support affected businesses where required.

The Scottish Government has also made an additional £1 million of funding available to APHA to cover the agency’s additional expenses associated with tackling the current avian influenza outbreak.

The Scottish Government is committed to the recruitment of 1,500 additional staff to support the delivery of Scotland’s National Treatment Centre (NTC) Programme, and is supporting a range of activity to achieve this.

This includes support for domestic and international recruitment activity, growth in domestic training pathways for registered medical professionals and new youth employment and apprenticeship opportunities in a variety of non-registered roles, designed to attract individuals who may not have originally viewed NHS Scotland as an employer of choice.

Work is also being undertaken to upskill existing NHS staff through bespoke in-house training programmes delivered via the NHS Scotland Academy, thereby directly supporting career progression and retention for existing staff, and providing access to a variety of new roles that the NTC programme will offer. Through these initiatives we are also supporting boards with backfill arrangements.

Recruitment to specific roles in a given National Treatment Centre is the responsibility of each NHS Board. It is therefore for NHS Ayrshire and Arran to provide details of ongoing recruitment activity relevant to their Centre.

We are aware that a number of local authorities in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK are considering setting up warm banks this coming winter, to ensure people who cannot afford to heat their own home have a place they can access to stay warm. This is a relatively new concept, which we will continue to monitor, working together with our local government partners, alongside other measures that we may be able to deploy to provide support to those most affected by the rising cost of energy prices.

Our foremost concern is to support people worried about heating their homes to access the information and support they need to reduce their energy bills, and we have expanded the capacity of our Home Energy Scotland advice service this year to help an extra 12,000 households a year receive free, impartial advice.

Within our limited budget, we have allocated almost £3 billion in this financial year to help families and households face the increased cost of living. This includes support for energy bills, childcare, health and travel, as well as social security payments not available anywhere else in the UK. We will continue to monitor the best ways we, along with our local government partners, can provide support.

In further response to the cost of living crisis and our winter preparedness, the Scottish Government has already committed £10 million towards our Fuel Insecurity Fund across 2022/23, which provides direct support to people who are at risk of self-rationing their energy use, or self-disconnecting entirely. From winter 2022-23, we will also introduce our Low Income Winter Heating Assistance, which will guarantee a £50 annual payment to around 400,000 low-income households each winter.

Work is ongoing on the Islands Connectivity Plan, with priority being given to a long-term plan and investment programme for vessels and ports, with the aim of publishing a draft consultation by the end of 2022.

Work on the other elements of the Islands Connectivity Plan will follow, with a view to further publications in 2023.

PEF National Operational Guidance is intended to help schools plan how they will most effectively invest their Pupil Equity Funding allocation to improve the educational outcomes of children affected by poverty. Local authorities also issue complementary guidance about how the funding will operate locally.

The PEF National Operational guidance includes key principles which state that ‘Headteachers must develop a clear rationale for use of funding, based on a robust contextual analysis of relevant data which identifies the poverty-related attainment gap in their schools.’ Schools must also have plans in place at the outset to evaluate the impact of the funding. These plans should outline clear outcomes to be achieved and how progress towards these, and the impact on closing the poverty-related attainment gap, will be measured.

To be clear, this should be done within existing local authority reporting processes to their Parent Council and Forum, including in their annual School Improvement Plans and Standards and Quality Reports. These plans and reports must be made publicly available so that parents and carers can easily access, understand and where appropriate, challenge, what is happening in their school with regard to Pupil Equity Funding. The arrangements for publication are confirmed by the relevant local authority.

One specific example of the effectiveness of collaboration with the Police can be found in Education Scotland’s ‘Pupil Equity Funding: Looking inwards, outwards, forwards’ publication. It cites evidence from Eastbank Academy in Glasgow where the school reports that a PEF-funded partnership with Police Scotland has contributed to increased participation and engagement of identified young people. A link to that publication can be found here: Pupil Equity Funding: Looking inwards, outwards, forwards (education.gov.scot)

We are committed to improving the experiences of children and young people with additional support needs at key transition points.

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (“the 2004 Act”) requires authorities to plan for the transition of a child or young person when they are moving between provisions and when they are leaving school.

We provide statutory guidance to education authorities and schools on their responsibilities under the 2004 Act. This includes clear guidance on supporting transitions and the provision of flexible packages of support and learning for pupils. As part of our response to the Additional Support for Learning Review, we are working with partners to consider how to further strengthen guidance in this area.

We are also committed to introducing Scotland’s first National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy in this Parliamentary term to ensure there is a joined-up approach to supporting our disabled young people as they make the transition to adult life.

This is a matter for headteachers and local authorities to consider, if appropriate. Decisions on how to use Pupil Equity Funding are taken by headteachers in an empowered education system. We trust schools and headteachers to know their pupils best, and to take decisions that are in the best interests of children and young people, including undertaking appropriate risk and impact assessments.