- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 21 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Respiratory Care Action Plan: 2021-2026.
Answer
We published our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland in March 2021. Since its publication we have established the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee (SRAC) to provide governance and oversight of the Plan implementation.
The SRAC held their first meeting in October of last year, at which, the SRAC agreed three initial priority areas for the first year of implementation. These are: pulmonary rehabilitation, data and child to adult transition services. Sub-groups have been established for each of these priority areas with membership comprising of clinical experts and third sector.
Each of the sub-groups have held their first meeting with further meetings taking place ahead of the SRAC in July. We are continuing to work with the SRAC to identify further commitments in the Plan that can begin to be progressed.
We have also funded The Alliance to launch a Respiratory lived experience network, in order to ensure that the experiences of those living with respiratory conditions are taken into account when delivering the commitments in the RCAP. The Respiratory Network was launched on 14 December 2021. The Network is represented on each of the sub-groups and the Alliance is currently working with sub-group members to determine the first pieces of work it will take to the Network. The Alliance is also in the process of expanding the Network’s membership to target groups specifically affected by the sub-groups’ focuses.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to increased access to short breaks or respite services for family carers as a result of any cuts to day services.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of day services to both those who use them and to their families and carers. Revised guidance for buildings-based day services was published on 26 May 2022 which says that such services should return to pre-pandemic capacity wherever possible, while operating safely in line with COVID-19 guidance.
We are investing now in additional support for breaks. We have allocated an extra £5 million for short breaks in the 2022-23 budget, on top of the annual £3 million voluntary sector Short Breaks Fund. We have already distributed £3.5 million of this funding to the Time to Live delivery partners to expand short break support for carers. This is in addition to a further £20.4 million in the 2022-23 local government settlement for Carers Act implementation. We are also legislating through the National Care Service Bill to establish a right to breaks from caring.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 16 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Marie Curie and Loughborough University’s recent research into poverty at the end of life, which states that 8,200 people die in poverty every year in Scotland and that the double burden of income loss and increased costs brought on by terminal illness can push people into poverty, whether it will commit to urgent reform to tackle poverty at the end of life.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08639 on 9 June 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 16 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to extending eligibility for Winter Heating Assistance to all terminally ill people under the age of 65, in order to support them with any increased energy bills as a result of their terminal illness.
Answer
We are putting in place robust plans to deliver our replacement for Winter Fuel Payment from winter 2024 and we will consult on the proposals for this replacement in due course. Our priority is taking on full responsibility for all the devolved benefits in a safe and secure transition so that people continue to receive support at the right time and right amount.
We have already introduced Child Winter Heating Assistance, which is intended to provide support to the families of over 19,000 of the most seriously disabled children and young people (including those living with a terminal illness), to help mitigate the additional cost of heating their homes in the winter months.
In addition, from this coming winter (2022-23) the Scottish Government’s new Low Income Winter Heating Assistance will guarantee an annual £50 payment to around 400,000 low-income households each winter. This is not dependent on age but will be targeted, reliable financial support to those most in need, including those in receipt of Pension Credit.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 16 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to extending the payment of Scottish Carer’s Assistance to carers for six months after the person being cared for dies, in order to ensure that any carers are not at risk of falling into, or remaining in, poverty.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the amount of time Scottish Carer’s Assistance is paid after the death of a cared for person, from the current eight weeks to 12 weeks, following discussions with carers and support organisations. We are also looking at how we can link carers to wider support which could help them at what will be a very difficult time.
We invited views on these proposals as part of the public consultation on Scottish Carers Assistance, which closed on 23 May 2022. We are considering the responses to this and will confirm the improvements we will make through our new benefit later this year.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee meeting on 29 March 2022 to provide the number of whole-time equivalent GPs since 2019, whether it holds this information and, if so, whether it will publish it.
Answer
For ease of reference, the most recent estimate for whole time equivalent of GPs can be found in the which estimated that there were 3,613 GP whole time equivalents (WTE) in Scotland in 2019. The GP (excluding Specialist Trainees) WTE increased from an estimated 3,520 in 2017 to an estimated 3,613 in 2019, based on 8 sessions per week being one WTE. These are the most recent available published data for GP whole time equivalent due to impacts of the pandemic on surveys.
In our helpful discussion at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 29 March 2022, I undertook to look further at options for attaining and publishing whole-time equivalent data. I can confirm that I have now commissioned NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) to run this important survey afresh, and the General Practice Workforce Survey 2022 issued to practices in week commencing 30 May 2022. Further, I can confirm the Scottish Government is making arrangements for this survey to take place on an annual basis in future.
I agree that updated data are essential in understanding capacity in general practice, and I expect a full report on t T his year’s data to be published in the Autumn. I will be pleased to write to the Committee Convenor with that report when it is available.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timescale for the implementation of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021.
Answer
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 must be implemented effectively so that, once in force, it offers robust protections to victims. The Scottish Government is working closely with justice partners to agree a suitable commencement date for the Act.
To complement the implementation of the Act, we are developing a new hate crime strategy for publication later this year, which will help to guide how we successfully tackle hatred and prejudice in Scotland.
To support this, I chaired the inaugural meeting of the Hate Crime Strategic Partnership Group on 28 April. This group will provide a collaborative, multi-agency approach to the Strategy’s development.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what new steps have been taken to tackle NHS waiting lists, which now reportedly stand at over 680,000 patients.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2022
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 May 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of an outbreak of the monkeypox virus in the UK, including cases in Scotland, what action it is taking to monitor transmission of the virus in Scotland and support people affected.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2022
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 May 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns by the Scottish division of the train drivers union, ASLEF, regarding proposals to make further cuts to ScotRail services.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2022
