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The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland actively promote the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups within the NHS workforce; this is underpinned by fair and inclusive recruitment policies, supported by clear and unequivocal Staff Governance Standards.

Our nationally agreed Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy “Embracing Equality, Diversity and Human Rights” was published in December 2013 (available at ). This policy, developed in partnership with NHS Boards and employee representatives, is explicitly designed to further embed a culture that promotes equality and values diversity.

More broadly, the Scottish Government is committed to showing leadership in advancing race equality in Scotland. Through the Race Equality Framework we are taking forward a series of actions that seek to eradicate the barriers faced by people from minority ethnic backgrounds. This includes specific actions to increase BME participation in the health and social care workforces, and requires Health Boards to provide relevant equality and diversity training for their staff.

NHSScotland Workforce Statistics, as at 31 March 2017, show where staff provided data on their ethnic background, that 3.0% of respondents identify as belonging to a ‘Non-White’ ethnic group. 18% declared ‘Not Known’ and 13.2% of respondents declined to answer.

Further information is available at the linked table:

Information from Scotland’s 2011 census indicates that visible and non-visible minority ethnic groups make up 8% of Scotland’s population.

NHSScotland Workforce Statistics, as at 31 March 2017, show that 0.8% of respondents have self-declared as living with a disability. It is not known how many respondents declined to answer. Further information is available at the linked table:

The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland are taking action to reduce apparent under-reporting where employees are living with a disability. Work is on-going to ensure that all staff working for NHS Boards across Scotland feel comfortable and supported to share their experiences, both through staff surveys and iMatter, a Staff Experience Continuous Improvement Model being rolled out across NHS Scotland.

Information from Scotland’s 2011 census indicates that approximately 20% of people in Scotland are living with a long-term activity-limiting health problem or disability.

Through a number of initiatives, such as the Professional Careers Programme, we are actively supporting individuals living with a disability to realise their ambitions of working for the NHS in Scotland. This programme, developed in partnership between the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and a number of equalities organisations, offers a range of employment opportunities.

Additionally, on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), provides resources, through various sources, to promote career opportunities for people from all backgrounds in the social care sector in Scotland.

In December 2016, the Scottish Government published our Disability Delivery Plan, A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People, through which we have given a specific commitment to provide further tools and guidance to support Health Boards deliver the Learning Disability Employment Programme.

The Scottish Government is determined to show leadership in advancing race equality in Scotland. Through the Race Equality Framework we have identified a number of actions to promote the participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in all arenas of Scottish life, including two specific actions to promote the participation of black and minority ethnic people within the NHS and social care workforces.

We work actively with NHS Boards to promote equality and diversity issues, which are underpinned by fair and inclusive recruitment policies, supported by clear and unequivocal Staff Governance Standards.

Furthermore, on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) provides a range of resources, through various sources, to promote career opportunities for people from all backgrounds in the social care sector in Scotland.

The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland actively promote employment for individuals living with a disability within the NHS workforce; this is underpinned by fair and inclusive recruitment policies, supported by clear and unequivocal Staff Governance Standards.

Working in partnership with NHS Boards, our Professional Careers Programme provides a 2 year supported employment opportunity for disabled graduates which will equip them with the skills for a long-term career in healthcare. Additionally, through our Disability Delivery Plan, A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People, we are actively working with Health Boards to implement a Learning Disability Employment Programme.

On page 6, the report notes that "within the associated report on religiously aggravated crime, the number of charges relating to Islam has increased 89% to 134 charges, from the 71 recorded charges last year. This increase is not attributable to a single event or pattern, and appears to reflect a general rise in the reporting of these types of charges.” On page 10, the report notes "the global and media context is a crucial driver shaping the perception of safety for particular communities (such as Muslim or Jewish communities). Experiences of and anxiety about hate crime were both heightened during or following particularly high profile international events...". A copy of the report can be found at .

Thrombectomy is a highly specialised procedure. We anticipate that the number of thrombectomies for 2017-18 will be similar to provision in 2016-17. The Department of Clinical Neurosciences currently based at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh performed 12 procedures in 2016-17.

In June, the National Advisory Committee for Stroke hosted an initial meeting of an Expert Group on Thrombectomy for Stroke to establish the process for progressing the development of services for thrombectomy in Scotland.