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The Scottish Government does not hold this information: Health Boards are responsible for making Golden Hello payments to eligible GPs.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information: Health Boards are responsible for making Golden Hello payments to eligible GPs.

Health Boards make these payments from their shares of the wider Primary Medical Services allocation which covers all payments to GP contractors.

The most recent Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme annual national report ( Scottish stroke improvement programme 2021 national report - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - Public Health Scotland ), which includes data from the Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA), was published on 29 June 2021.

This annual report reflected the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of stroke services, as well as the incredible work that NHS Scotland staff in stroke services continued to deliver in unprecedented circumstances.

This report shows us the high level of care provided for stroke patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. It is positive that, despite the pandemic, performance improved in a number of key areas.

We remain focused on ensuring that people who have had a stroke receive the best possible care as quickly as possible to enable them to live longer, healthier and independent lives.

The Scottish Government does not hold information containing a detailed breakdown of stroke rehabilitation services provided in individual health boards.

The Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme Lead, who conducts the annual review process, meets with NHS boards on behalf of Scottish Government. This engagement allows us to understand the provision of stroke services, including training and staff capacity across NHS boards, and where challenges or opportunities for sharing good practice exist.

Scottish Government representatives also sit on the National Advisory Committee for Stroke (NACS), where specialists from NHS boards across Scotland provide expert advice and recommendations relating to Scottish Government policy for the provision of stroke care. NACS has recently developed the Progressive Stroke Pathway ( Strokes: progressive stroke pathway - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ), which was published on 22 March 2022. This document sets out an ambitious vision of what a progressive stroke service in Scotland should look like.

The rehabilitation sub-group of NACS, which is made up of specialists across a range of disciplines from various NHS boards in Scotland, played an important role in helping to shape the Progressive Stroke Pathway recommendations relating to stroke rehabilitation services. On the back of this input, the Progressive Stroke Pathway makes a number of recommendations relating to the provision of stroke care, and the contributions of appropriate training and staff capacity in helping deliver this.

We will continue to engage regularly with these specialists from across Scottish NHS boards as we move into the implementation phase, considering the recommendations made in the Progressive Stroke Pathway.

CalMac Ferries ltd is not listed as a Relevant Authority in the Islands (Scotland) Act, and is therefore not subject to duties under the Act.

Scottish Government has not discussed the Treasure Cave building with Dumfries and Galloway Council as enforcement is wholly the responsibility of the local authority. Council officials did not seek support from Scottish Government in relation to addressing the state of the building.

Dumfries and Galloway Council served a Dangerous Building Notice under Section 30 of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 on 19 November 2021. The owner of the building recently made arrangements to comply with the notice by appointing a contractor to demolish the building. Demolition is expected to begin on 16 May 2022 and last three weeks. The road will be reopened once the demolition works are complete and the danger has been removed.

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.

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.

The COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues noted in its recently published evidence summary , that the evidence continues to indicate that teachers do not have an increased risk of severe disease. Guidance for all schools has been updated to reflect public health guidance on symptoms of a respiratory infection, including COVID-19 and we are asking ask people to continue to take sensible, basic steps in order to protect themselves and others in the same way as we do within shops and on public transport.

In relation to those who are clinically vulnerable, the Scottish Government announced on 27 April that we will formally end the Highest Risk List on 31 May 2022. The success of the vaccination programme, and availability of new medicines to treat Covid-19, mean the majority of people on the list are at no greater risk from Covid-19 than the rest of the population in Scotland.

The Chief Medical Officer has for some time advised people on the Highest Risk List to follow the same advice as the rest of the population unless advised otherwise by their GP or clinician. This applies equally to household members of people on the list and includes going into schools and early learning and childcare settings. He has also advised people whose immune system is suppressed to take extra care and follow the advice of their GP or clinician as they would have done before the pandemic.

At this stage in the pandemic it is no longer considered necessary or proportionate to continue to ask school staff and secondary pupils to test regularly. This is in line with advice from Public Health Scotland, senior clinicians and the Advisory Sub-group on Education and Children’s Issues. That advice makes clear that the population currently has much stronger protection against COVID-19 than at any other point in the pandemic, due to the vaccination programme (levels of vaccination are very high amongst school staff) and the development of natural immunity to the infection. In contrast to the position when the testing programme was first introduced, severe health outcomes for all age groups are far less likely to arise due to this protection, availability of and access to antiviral treatments, and increased scientific and public understanding about how to manage risk.