- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many pain patient representatives there are on the National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain; how many patient representatives have resigned; when they resigned, and for what reason.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05035 on 3 December 2021. 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: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the publication, Junior Doctors - 48-hour Maximum Working Week (Without Averaging): Expert Working Group Report, (a) what immediate steps are being taken to implement the recommendations for improving junior doctor wellbeing and minimising fatigue and (b) what plans it has to provide updates to, and seek regular feedback from, key stakeholders, particularly junior doctors, in delivering the recommendations.
Answer
The focus of Scottish Government remains on pandemic response and supporting the NHS and its entire workforce through this challenging winter and beyond. The wellbeing of the entire workforce of the NHS is a key priority which is why, in the current financial year, the Scottish Government has made over £12 million available to support the wellbeing of the workforce.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care meets regularly with representatives from BMA Scotland, and other trade unions, to discuss and agree actions to support the entire NHS workforce. The next meeting between the Cabinet Secretary and the BMA will take place on 10th January. In addition there is a regular tripartite forum with Scottish Government, BMA and NHS employers which has a focus on all aspects of junior doctors working lives, and agrees and implements actions to improve these.
Through this group several important actions have been implemented including abolishing junior doctors working more than seven days in a row, and ensuring no junior doctors works for seven night shifts in a row.
We have agreed with BMA Scotland that we will work through this group to explore how we can implement the recommendations contained within the Junior Doctors - 48-hour Maximum Working Week (Without Averaging): Expert Working Group Report. This group will also consider the recommendations in the BMA report Supporting Junior Doctor Wellbeing – Now and for the Future .
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with BMA Scotland in connection with the findings of the report, Supporting Junior Doctor Wellbeing – Now and for
the Future.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05371 on 10 January 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: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the BMA Scotland report, Supporting Junior Doctor Wellbeing – Now and for
the Future, what steps are being taken to improve the work life balance and flexible working conditions for junior doctors, including removing barriers to taking annual leave, ensuring that rotas are released much earlier, and protecting non-clinical time for all.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05371 on 10 January 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: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been to the NHS of the temporary closure of any pharmacies in the last two years.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on temporary closures of community pharmacies or the possible cost incurred by the NHS.
The provision of community pharmacy pharmaceutical care services are the responsibility of territorial Health Boards as set out in the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2009. Any challenges faced by community pharmacies in ensuring the safe and effective dispensing of treatments should be discussed with the local Health Board.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are to support dermatology teams post-COVID-19-pandemic.
Answer
Our NHS workforce, across all specialties and care settings, have been remarkable throughout the pandemic. We are deeply grateful for their continued courage, commitment and professionalism.
This year we have made £12 million available to support the wellbeing of our workforce including across primary and social care services.
We are continuing to develop the National Wellbeing Hub, a 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, confidential mental health treatment through the Workforce Specialist Service and funding for additional local psychological support. We are also providing further support for practical measures to aid rest and recuperation alongside additional resources including Coaching for Wellbeing and grief and bereavement support.
The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) is working with a number of Health Boards to implement the Digital Dermatology app, which allows patients to interact with a clinician at a time convenient to them, without having to attend hospital. This will support dermatology teams in conducting more virtual appointments.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what environmental assessments were carried out at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where aspergillus infection was suspected; when each assessment was conducted, and whether any changes to practices and procedures were made as a result.
Answer
Because of the unpredictable lifecycle of this particular organism, it is not possible to routinely test buildings for an Aspergillus infection. Where water ingress creates the conditions for mould, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s staff work to remedy faults as soon as they are found and remove any mould with oversight from Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). Patients with Aspergillus are visited by an infection prevention and control nurse. Advice on the correct antibiotics to administer to patients is given by a Microbiology/ICD/antimicrobial pharmacist on request of the clinical teams.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessments have been carried out in wards 4a and 4b at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital; what the results were, and whether any changes to practices and procedures were made as a result.
Answer
A variety of risk assessments are undertaken across all wards in the Hospital, including 4a and 4b, covering social distancing, hand hygiene, infection control precautions (SICPs) audits every 6 months, patient placement, and the verification of the specialist ventilation systems in ward 4b. The new and innovative Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) dashboard available to all staff enables real time review of IPC data, and allows for a quick and effective response to any risks reported.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support the foundation of novel community and local imaging centres (CLICs) across Scotland to aid in taking high-quality images at the primary care level without increasing the responsibilities of GP surgeries.
Answer
The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) is working collaboratively with the Dermatology AI Consortium championing Community Local Image Centres (CLICs) to improving the capture of images as part of the dermatology pathway. The idea is relatively new and the CLIC model is still in development. The consortium will be developing the operating model and evidence base to show their benefit. CfSD awaits the outcome of this with interest.
It should be noted that the Consortium is also considering other approaches to image acquisition to support dermatology referral – most notably increasing the ease and quality of image acquisition in Primary Care. It is unlikely that a one-size-fits all will suit the varied geography of NHS Boards and therefore CfSD is working to understand the current pathway arrangements in all Boards to support image acquisition prior to Secondary Care.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing for the use of AI to more rapidly diagnose skin cancer.
Answer
In Scotland, NHS Forth Valley is hosting a national project to support early diagnosis of skin cancer supported by digitalisation, the use of high-quality images, and machine learning. The project is called 25 by 25 - diagnosing cancer within 25 minutes by 2025. Industry, academics, and NHS are collaborating to rapidly innovate to create AI solutions in skin cancer.
This work is supported through the Scottish Health Industry Partnership and linked to the Health and Social Care and Wellbeing Programme. It takes the form of a number of challenges where partners innovate to find solutions to preparing images, creating AI learning environments, and real world Test Beds to try out new approaches in primary care with Consultant Dermatologist support.