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Ruth, do you have any more questions?

Feel free to do that.

Are there any other issues in relation to the bill that have not been covered in questioning by members that you wish to express a view on?

We will certainly note that point, and we will try to establish more detail on that potential intersection. As there are no other points that witnesses would like to raise, I will now touch on the financial provisions of the bill and on what financial impact the bill could have. Do the witnesses feel that the anticipated financial impact of the bill is proportionate to its purpose?

The second instrument is the National Health Service (Common Staffing Method) (Scotland) Regulations 2024.The purpose of the instrument is to specify the minimum frequency at which the common staffing method is to be used in relation to specific types of healthcare and the staffing level and professional judgment tools that must be used as part of the common staffing method for specified kinds of healthcare provision.

The policy note states that the instrument is required to specify that the common staffing method must be used no less than once annually in relation to certain types of healthcare. It also states:

“The regulations also specify the specialty-specific staffing level tools and the professional judgment tool that should be used as part of the common staffing method for specified kinds of healthcare provision. 10 specialty-specific staffing level tools are named in the instrument alongside the particular kind of healthcare provision for which each tool is to be used.”

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 27 February 2024 and made no recommendations in relation to it. No motion to annul has been received in relation to it.

Members will note that the Royal College of Nursing wrote to the committee raising certain specific concerns in relation to the drafting of the instrument. The letter from the RCN also raises a number of wider issues that the committee may wish to consider as part of its future post-legislative scrutiny of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

In relation to the correspondence that we have received, I propose that we write to the Scottish Government, requesting that it address the specific points that were raised by the RCN, and that we consider the instrument at a future meeting. Do members agree with the proposed action?

Members indicated agreement.

The fourth and final instrument is the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Cancellation of Registration and Relevant Requirements) Order 2024. The purpose of the instrument is to ensure that the Care Inspectorate can propose to cancel the registration of a care service under section 64(1) of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 or report certain local authority-provided care services to Scottish ministers under section 91(3)(b) of the 2010 act, following a breach of section 7 and/or section 8 of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019. The 2019 act will come into force on 1 April 2024.

The policy note states that the instrument specifies new grounds on which the Care Inspectorate

“may propose to cancel the registration of a care service, namely that the service is being, or has at any time been, carried on other than in accordance with section 7 and/or section 8 of the 2019 Act. It also specifies the requirements imposed by sections 7 and 8 of the 2019 Act as relevant requirements for the purposes of section 91(5)(c) of the 2010 Act.”

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 27 February 2024 and made no recommendations in relation to the instrument. No motion to annul it has been received.

No member has indicated that they wish to comment on the instrument. I invite the committee to agree that it does not wish to make any recommendations in relation to this negative instrument. Do members agree to that?

Members indicated agreement.

At our next meeting, on 12 March, we will continue to take evidence as part of the committee’s stage 1 scrutiny of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Scotland Bill.

Good morning, and welcome to the seventh meeting in 2024 of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. The convener is unable to attend today’s meeting physically and will join us remotely, so I will convene the meeting. I have received no apologies.

The first item on our agenda is two evidence sessions on the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill. As Gillian Mackay is the member in charge of the bill, she cannot participate in the committee’s scrutiny of the bill by virtue of rule 9.13A.2(b) of standing orders. Ross Greer will attend in her place as a committee substitute by virtue of rule 12.2A.2.

In the first evidence session, we will explore the impact that the bill would have on those who provide abortion services. I welcome our witnesses, who are all here in person. Professor Sharon Cameron is a consultant in gynaecology and sexual and reproductive health for NHS Lothian’s Chalmers sexual health service; Colin Poolman is the director of the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland; and Dr Chris Provan is the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners in Scotland. Thank you very much for coming.

Linda Hodges, representing private hospital abortion service managers, was due to give evidence this morning, but she has given her apologies, so we will engage with her through written correspondence.

We will move straight to questions from members. I invite Ivan McKee to ask the first questions.

Absolutely. I see Lucy McDonald was nodding to that as well.

Do the other panellists have any thoughts?