- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can detail what its policies are in relation to designing clinical models for independent hospices.
Answer
It is for Integration Joint Boards to govern, plan and resource adult palliative care in their areas, including independent hospice care. The Scottish Government is developing a national guidance framework to support local planning and commissioning of independent care between Integration Joint Boards and independent hospices.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24720 by Jenni Minto on 22 January 2024, whether it can provide information on (a) the names of (i) organisations that and (ii) individuals who are members of the Expert Group on eliminating cervical cancer, (b) whether the Expert Group's membership will comprise of any patients with lived experience, (c) when the group will meet and how often and (d) whether HPV home testing will be part of the group's remit.
Answer
As announced on 22 January, an Expert Group will be established to lead on scoping work to consider and provide recommendations on how Scotland will work towards reaching the targets set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to eliminate Cervical Cancer.
We are in the process of writing to individuals and organisations to invite them to become members of the Expert Group. Membership is expected to come from Scottish Government policy officials, clinicians, Public Health Scotland (PHS), National Services Division Screening team and Third Sector organisations such as Jo’s Trust. We are also seeking membership from individuals with lived experience.
The Scottish Government continues to explore all possible avenues, including HPV self-sampling, which may improve uptake of cervical screening towards the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of 70%. However, introduction of self-sampling is dependent on a recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), the expert advisory group that advises all four UK nations on screening.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Who Cares? Scotland research report, Is Scotland Keeping the Promise?, which reportedly indicates that, on the fourth anniversary of the publication of The Promise, key pledges made to care experienced people are not being fulfilled.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide details of how NHS 24 ensures that calls regarding mental health are properly triaged.
Answer
NHS 24 ensures that mental health calls are correctly triaged through training, support for frontline staff and ongoing oversight and review of calls and processes.
All new staff undertake a robust four-week induction training programme, and Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and Mental Health Nurse Practitioners are trained to conduct specialised mental health assessments to ensure that patients are triaged appropriately.
All frontline staff undertake monthly clinical and line management supervision with Senior Charge Nurses, and are continuously supported to improve their knowledge and adhere to organisational processes and clinical governance guidelines. Clinical outcomes are reviewed monthly to identify any changes in referral patterns, and any significant variations are investigated and reviewed by NHS 24.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to increase capacity in hospices.
Answer
It is for Integration Joint Boards to govern, plan and resource adult palliative care in their areas, including independent hospice care, using the integrated budget under their control.
The Scottish Government is not taking action to increase capacity in hospices. We are gathering data on current and projected needs for palliative care over the next two decades, to inform the development of the new national strategy for palliative care in Scotland. The strategy will address a range of models to meet those needs and provide palliative care and care around death in a range of settings, including specialist inpatient and outpatient units, hospices, hospitals, community hospitals, care homes and peoples’ own homes.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide details of the uptake of reusable nappy vouchers through the QR code on the Baby Box.
Answer
We commenced the issuing of reusable nappy kit vouchers via a QR code at the start of September 2023, giving parents the option to register for the reusable nappy kits by QR code or by post.
Data from our Baby Box Managing Agent covering the period September 2023 to January 2024 shows that they have received 1,332 applications by post and 101 applications via the QR code. The following table provides a breakdown by month.
Period | Application by post | Application by QR Code |
September | 357 | 8 |
October | 384 | 11 |
November | 252 | 17 |
December | 215 | 28 |
January | 124 | 37 |
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Scottish National Investment Bank's advisory group will be established, and how often it will meet.
Answer
Under Section 29 of the Scottish National Investment Bank Act 2020, the Scottish Ministers must establish and maintain an advisory group to provide Ministers with advice on the Bank’s objects, conduct and performance.
Now that the Bank is fully established, and has a growing portfolio of investments, work is underway to advise ministers on the establishment of the advisory group.
Details such as membership, appointment processes and meeting frequency remain under consideration. We hope to provide an update on this work in the coming months.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of its 2024-25 Budget on local community and voluntary organisations.
Answer
The 2024-25 Scottish Budget is a budget built on our values - setting out, in tough times, to protect people, sustain services, and take pragmatic steps to addressing the climate emergency. All budget decisions are subject to robust assessment in line with the Fairer Scotland Duty Act of 2018, which requires Scottish Ministers, when making strategic decisions, to reduce the inequalities of outcome caused by socio-economic disadvantage.
We a re keenly aware of the pressures facing them as a result of the current financial climate. The funding in the budget for the Third Sector will continue to prioritise investment in key infrastructure organisations and programmes that provide critical support to help the wider sector navigate the challenging financial climate.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 30 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that local authorities have lost in-house expertise on trees, green infrastructure, biodiversity and nature conservation, and what action it will take to address any workforce and skills pressures in these areas.
Answer
Local authorities are independent corporate bodies with their own powers and responsibilities. It is up to each local authority how it manages its day-to-day business and decision making processes, including the allocation of staff resources and the level of services that are provided.
Addressing the biodiversity crisis needs action across the whole of government and wider society. Through the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Delivery Plan we are working with local authorities to ensure they have the right tools and guidance for nature restoration, and to empower the development of partnerships that include the right skills and knowledge to deliver local nature restoration projects.
Since 2021-22, we have directly allocated £17 million to Local Authorities through the Nature Restoration Fund for them to deliver such projects in partnership with other organisations. In 2023-24, we allocated an additional £5 million to support initial work to develop local nature networks.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 23 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-02933 by Christina McKelvie on 10 January 2024, whether it has set a deadline for the full or partial reopening of sites where access has been restricted, following the conclusion of Historic Environment Scotland’s inspection programme at the end of March 2024.
Answer
Further to my response to the question S60-02933 on 10 January 2024, I have not set a deadline for the full or partial reopening of sites affected by high level masonry issues. Historic Environment Scotland continues to put the health and safety of individuals first and will continue reopening sites when safe to do so.
Details of the inspection programme and site reopening's are published on the Historic Environment Scotland website: . Indeed the member will be pleased to note that the website currently advises that Bothwell Castle in her constituency is due to reopen for Easter 2024.
I will continue to engage with Historic Environment Scotland on the inspection programme and the reopening of sites affected.
