- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the NHS workforce identifies as black and minority ethnic (BME), and how this compares to the proportion of BME people in the wider population.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the NHS workforce identifies as being disabled, and how this compares to the proportion of disabled people in the wider population.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage disabled people to work in the health and social care sector.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage black and minority ethnic (BME) people to work in the health and social care sector.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what action each NHS board is taking to increase the (a) recruitment, (b) retention and (c) development of disabled people in its workforce.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the number of isotopes (a) used and (b) stored by the NHS between 2010 and 2016.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how many consultant (a) radiologist and (b) interventional neuroradiologist vacancies there have been in each of the last six months.
Answer
Information on consultant vacancies is published at quarterly intervals by ISD Scotland. Monthly vacancy information may be available from individual NHS Boards.
Vacancy information for: a) consultants with a specialty of clinical radiology is available at the following weblink:-
Vacancy information for: b) interventional neuro-radiologists is not centrally held. Specific local information may be available from individual NHS Boards.
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Report of Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion uses the term (a) “Islamophobia” and (b) “anti-Muslim acts”.
Answer
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 .
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09920 by Aileen Campbell on 18 July 2017, for what reason the information on pain psychology services was not included in the summary, and whether this was at its request.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10183 on 26 July 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09920 by Aileen Campbell on 18 July 2017, whether it considers providing the information on Excel tables rather than the previous method of a summary of statistics is an open and transparent approach that assists non-experts, laypeople and people using these services, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10182 on 26 July 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at