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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-10640

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will reflect any particular needs of blood cancer patients as part of its earlier diagnosis vision, as set out in its consultation on a new cancer strategy.

The Scottish Government’s consultation process for the new cancer strategy, which will include the earlier diagnosis vision, completed in June 2022 with over 250 responses. An independent analysis was then undertaken throughout July to September to ensure a balanced interpretation of responses.

Focus groups with those with lived experience of cancer and third sector are taking place throughout September to ensure the reflections of all cancer patients, including those with blood cancers, are considered in the new strategy and vision.

Question reference: S6W-10642

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of clinical nurse specialists in NHS Scotland, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-10580

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to (a) instruct NHS boards not to use private nursing agencies and (b) establish an in-house government agency for such purposes.

It is important that NHS Boards can call on additional staffing when required, in order to deal with the exigencies of the service. It is for NHS Boards to decide when the additional support represented by agency staffing is required but the Scottish Government is clear that Boards should always make use of NHS bank staff as a first choice and the majority of additional staffing needs are met through NHS Scotland’s well established bank system. These act as, de facto, in house agencies. We have over 35,000 nurses registered on NHS Scotland Staff Banks. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to establish a commercial agency. Combined spending on all agency staff (medical and nursing) remains less than 1% of the overall NHS Scotland budget.

Question reference: S6W-10578

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how it is possible for NHS Tayside to achieve 83.8% of patients seen within the four-hour A&E target, in light of NHS Fife reportedly only achieving 54.3%.

As you will know our hospitals, particularly across the central belt, are under significant pressure due to the direct and indirect consequences of the pandemic which is impacting on A&E performance.

We recognise the good work underway in each of our Health Boards to implement performance improvement measures. Although NHS Tayside is of a comparable size to some of the other central belt Health Boards, there are substantial differences between the Boards, particularly in terms of geography and population demographics.

NHS Tayside is regularly one of the higher performing mainland Health Boards, with well-established processes and models of care. Through our new National Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative we are actively encouraging the sharing of learning and good practice between Health Boards. To help facilitate this, we are hosting a learning event on 19 October where representatives from all of Scotland’s Health Boards will participate.

Question reference: S6W-10582

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many shifts have been provided by (a) staff bank and (b) agencies in each NHS board area in each of the last 10 years.

The requested information on how many shifts have been provided by (a) staff bank and (b) agencies in each NHS board area in each of the last 10 years is not held centrally.

Information on the total hours worked by Nursing and Midwifery bank and agency staff by NHS board since March 2012 can be found on the following link: NHSScotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence (Bank and Agency) tab, change measure to 'hours worked'.

Question reference: S6W-10591

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff vacancies there currently are in pulmonary rehabilitation services.

The requested information on how many staff vacancies there currently are in pulmonary rehabilitation services is not centrally available.

The Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) service is run by a team of specialists which includes but is not limited to:

• Physiotherapists

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Practitioners

• Assistant Pulmonary Rehabilitation Practitioners

The service is run for people who are having difficulty managing symptoms associated with a diagnosed breathing problem.

Information on how many Physiotherapist vacancies there are can be found in the following link: NHSScotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence

Question reference: S6W-10590

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time NHS staff work in pulmonary rehabilitation services.

The requested information on how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time NHS staff work in pulmonary rehabilitation services is not centrally available.

The Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) service is run by a team of specialists which includes but is not limited to:

• Physiotherapists

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Practitioners

• Assistant Pulmonary Rehabilitation Practitioners

The service is run for people who are having difficulty managing symptoms associated with a diagnosed breathing problem.

Information on how many Physiotherapists currently in post can be found in the following link: NHSScotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence

Question reference: S6F-01395

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2022

To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government will make available to the reported 372 members of staff affected by the Arjowigiins papermill at Stoneywood in Aberdeen entering administration.

Question reference: S6F-01394

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2022

To ask the First Minister what provision the Scottish Government is making to cope with the anticipated pressures on the NHS this winter.

Question reference: S6F-01389

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that police officer numbers dropped to 16,610 at the end of June, below Police Scotland’s “full officer establishment” of 17,234.