Seòmar agus comataidhean

The NHS Recovery Plan highlights our ambitious plans to expand and grow the workforce, in particular to assist with the additional procedures we intend on undertaking through our NTC's.

Significantly, we are recruiting more staff throughout the NHS so our ambitious recovery can be fully realised, with this plan outlining our commitment to:

Recruit 1,500 new clinical and non-clinical staff for National Treatment Centres by 2026 .

We use a range of measures to monitor the wellbeing of the workforce taking into account the diverse nature of the workforce operating in a range of roles and geographies, the broad spectrum of wellbeing needs at both a professional and personal level and different reporting arrangements across sectors.

We continue to actively listen to colleagues across Health and Social care to understand where the current pressures are, and what actions can be taken to mitigate their impact on staff.

It is critical staff wellbeing is looked after and they are able to take the rest breaks and leave to which they are entitled, as well as being given time to access national and local wellbeing resources at work. That is why we made £12 million available in 2021-22 to support the mental health and wellbeing of the workforce.

Our National Workforce Strategy, published on 11 March 2022, highlights that the wellbeing of our health and social care workforce, wherever they work, remains an essential priority.

Throughout the pandemic, the Scottish Government have emphasised to Boards, Health and Social Care Partners and Local Authorities the on-going need to promote both the physical and the psychological wellbeing of everyone working in health and social care.

Since announcing my response to the Moray Maternity Services Review I have written to both NHS Highland and NHS Grampian outlining my expectation of planning towards the networked Raigmore option (Model 4 in the report) and the full Consultant-led Maternity Unit at Dr Gray’s to begin immediately. I indicated in my statement my expectation that planning for Model 4 will conclude by the Summer and Model 6 soon after and I expect this to be no later than the end of this year. I will meet with NHS Grampian soon to discuss their implementation plans including timescales. I indicated on 30 March that I would be happy to keep the Scottish Parliament updated when I have more detail on milestones and timescales.

When I outlined my response to the Moray Maternity Services review I recognised model 6, the full consultant model at Dr Gray's, presents significant challenges that NHS Grampian will need to work through to safely deliver this model. It is vital to take the time now to get the implementation of Model 6 right to ensure sustainability. Ralph Roberts report also recognised that within the existing service and workforce context, it would take several years to deliver model 6. I have asked NHS Highland and NHS Grampian to submit formal plans for implementation, and will discuss timescales and communications with them at our next meeting. As I have said I am happy to keep Parliament updated and I will bring forward a timetable for Model 6 later this year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08283 on
‎ 17 May 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Within Scottish Government Core Directorates no civil servants have a contractual notice period that is excess of 3 months following their resignation from employment and therefore no liability exists in that regard. The Civil Service Management Code, published by the UK Government, sets out the notice arrangements that we must give our employees in relation to the termination of their employment.

The resignation notice periods for civil servants in Scottish Government Core Directorates is as follows:

• Senior Civil Servants - 3 months, as set by the Civil Service Management Code
• Special Advisers - 5 weeks, as set by contract and stipulated by Cabinet Office
• Scottish Government delegated grades:
• Band C - 3 months
• All other staff - 1 month

The notice periods for delegated grades have been in place for many years, and pre-date the delegation of terms and conditions of employment to civil service employers.

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 122 on the prevention and management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) was first published in December 2010. Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), of which SIGN is a part, carried out awareness raising activity following publication which included the following:

• As an aid to standardising the information provided to patients on VTE across Scotland, the text of the model patient advice leaflets on DVT, which the Chief Medical Officer sent to all NHS Boards in January 2008, was included in appendices to the guideline.
• In April 2011 an information leaflet on deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for the general public was made available for download from the SIGN website. Distribution of paper copies was led by the SIGN Patient Involvement Officer.
• Work with its partners to embed the Guideline’s recommendations into general practice decision-making software.

Subsequently, Healthcare Improvement Scotland took forward work on VTE as part of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on spend relating to the above work.

As part of the pathfinder programme guidance will developed and issued to NHS Boards on GP DACS. However, I should clarify that Near Me is not an asynchronous model (as it only provides real-time video consultations) and that AskMyGP has been procured at a local level and does not fall under the remit of the national programme.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08411 on 17 May 2022. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .