Craig Hoy

4 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it has included women's lived experience to inform health policy and improve healthcare services and ensure that women are meaningfully involved in decision making and priority setting processes.

Answer · Maree Todd: We have commissioned the Health and Social Care Alliance to take forward a programme of work on ‘lived experience’ to inform women’s health policy and ensure women are meaningfully involved in decision making and priority setting going forward.

4 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it has shared examples of good practice to encourage primary care to consider different and more flexible options for the provision of women's health services.

Answer · Maree Todd: There are a number of ways that good practice, clinical updates and learning on women’s health are shared across primary care. Examples of this include:Regular women’s health update days for primary care held at both board and national level.Regular training …

4 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS boards currently have in place a Women's Health Lead, and, if not all boards have one in place, when it plans for all boards to have one in place.

Answer · Maree Todd: Establishing a Women’s Health Lead in every board is a medium term action in the Women’s Health Plan due for delivery by September 2024 . NHS Boards have begun the process of identifying their Women’s Health Lead.

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that the March 2020 suspension of treatment targets for hepatitis C had.

Answer · Maree Todd: During 2020, national treatment targets were suspended in recognition of the necessary response to the covid-19 pandemic, before being reinstated in 2021. We know that the covid-19 pandemic had a major impact across our health services, including the detecti…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it projects that it will meet its goal of eliminating hepatitis C by 2024.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government remains committed to eliminating Hepatitis C as a major public health concern by 2024. We must recognise the impact the covid-19 pandemic has had on services, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of HCV data. However, despite tha…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it established a short-life working group to develop "Once for Scotland" recommendations on hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment for people who inject drugs, and, if it did, what the outcomes from that group were.

Answer · Maree Todd: A short life working group to look at Hepatitis C treatment in people who inject drugs was established in early 2021. Membership comprised the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and clinical representation from NHS Tayside, which was one of the fir…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to support and develop online testing for sexual health and blood borne viruses, and how many people have accessed and used such online testing in each year since 2007.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government began supporting efforts to implement online testing in 2020. Since then, we have provided over £0.5m for the development of a “once for Scotland” approach to STI home testing. This was rolled out in NHS Lothian in December, and work i…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to widen access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Answer · Maree Todd: Work to widen eligibility for PrEP in Scotland is well underway. This has been progressed by a dedicated PrEP Short Life Working Group, comprising clinical and third sector representatives, which is developing guidance for new eligibility criteria. The goal i…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to support the provision of progestogen-only contraceptive pills.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring women can access appropriate contraception when and where they need it. Since November 2021, community pharmacies have been able to supply the progestogen-only pill for a 3-month period, if clinically appropria…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Health Protection Network strategic leads have developed an HIV transmission elimination proposal.

Answer · Maree Todd: The HIV Transmission Elimination Proposal, led by Professor Rak Nandwani (the then co-chair of the Scottish Health Protection Network Strategic Leads) was published on 1 December 2022 and can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ending-hiv-transmis…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to third sector organisations that provide sexual health and blood borne virus services in each year since 2007, broken down by (a) organisation and (b) service provided.

Answer · Maree Todd: Due to the breadth of this request, and changes made over the requested time period to the way Scottish Government records financial information, it has not been possible to provide the entirety of the information sought. The amounts listed relate to funding …

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been treated for hepatitis C in each year since 2007.

Answer · Maree Todd: The most recent surveillance data has been published by Public Health Scotland, and this includes treatment levels since 2007-08. The report can be found here: https://hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/surveillance-of-hepatitis-c-testing-diagnosis-and-…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken with stakeholders to support and develop research projects to understand the impacts of COVID-19 on sexual health and blood borne virus service users and providers, and what research projects it has undertaken and/or supported in this regard.

Answer · Maree Todd: Through Reset and Rebuild - sexual health and blood borne virus services: recovery plan, published in August 2021, the Scottish Government provided an additional £0.5m of funding to assist sexual health and blood borne virus services to begin recovery from th…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through the NHS in each year since 2017, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Maree Todd: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. However, information regarding PrEP uptake is published by Public Health Scotland and can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/hiv-in-scotland/hiv-in-scotland-update-…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work NHS boards have undertaken to re-establish hepatitis C treatment in order to meet the goal of elimination by 2024.

Answer · Maree Todd: It is for each Board to decide how to deliver healthcare services in line with the needs of their local populations. However, following the suspension of treatment targets in 2020, and after advice from the Scottish Health Protection Network Hepatitis C Elimi…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to develop new models of treatment for patients in relation to sexual health and blood borne viruses.

Answer · Maree Todd: The NHS in Scotland has a strong track record of delivering innovative sexual health and blood borne virus services. For example, in 2017, Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to introduce an HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis service - offering fr…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established a Sexual Health Digital Group, and, if it has, how often the group has met since being established, and when it will next meet.

Answer · Maree Todd: A Sexual Health Digital Group has not yet been established, in recognition of the pressures facing the NHS as it recovers from the pandemic, and to avoid further demands on the time of the clinicians and NHS professionals who would be required to join. Howev…

22 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has developed an engagement programme across the health and social care workforce to inform a set of shared values.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As part of Leading to Change, the National Leadership Development Programme, we have been running a series of engagement events for the health, social work and social care sectors to promote compassionate and inclusive leadership at all levels and create an o…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government as stated as an action point in its National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care in Scotland, whether it has reviewed the Antimicrobial Stewardship, Health Protection and Infection Prevention and Control Workforce, and, if it is the case, what the conclusions were of any such r…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government reviewed the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS), Health Protection (HP) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Workforce in 2022, as part of the work formulating evidence towards the recently published ‘Infection Prevention Workforce:…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to improve workforce equalities data obtained through national staff surveys to ensure that they capture the breadth and experience of people from all backgrounds.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Analysis of the responses to the 2020 Health and Social Care Staff Wellbeing Survey, by protected characteristics, was completed in 2021. The results did not show any significant differences in the wellbeing of staff from under-represented groups, compared to…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in the Social Work Professional Support Service - Scotland.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We acknowledge the immense, highly skilled and unique contribution made by social workers to support individuals and families across Scotland. We also know that social workers face significant challenges and have taken steps to ensure they have the right supp…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has rolled out a menopause and menstrual health workplace policy in healthcare sectors other than NHS Scotland, such as social care.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13514 on? 16 January 2023 for an update on the development of a menopause and menstrual health workplace policy for NHS Scotland. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken with NHS boards and health and social care partnerships to ensure that workforce plans are part of wider integrated plans, which include and triangulate with financial and service/operational planning arrangements.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has engaged directly with representatives from NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to develop, deliver and subsequently assess workforce, finance and service plans in 2022-23. As part of the planning process, health boar…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what ongoing evaluation it has undertaken of the National Wellbeing programme, and what specific areas of work it has identified.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We use a range of measures to monitor the wellbeing of the workforce taking into account the diverse nature of the workforce operating in a range of roles and geographies, the broad spectrum of wellbeing needs at both a professional and personal level and dif…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has implemented its August 2021 Women’s Health Plan, which sets out a number of actions to support women working in the NHS.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Women’s Health Plan includes a variety of short, medium and long-term actions. Since the publication of the Plan in August 2021, we have prioritised actions that we know will have an immediate impact on health inequalities. Our first report on progress wi…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has introduced the Flying Finish initiative across all NHS boards in order to help retain older workers.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) are taking steps to introduce Flying Finish across NHS Boards, to benefit the workforce and the service. Work has already taken place to put in place a national Retire & Return policy within the NHS. On 30 August 20…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done with NHS boards to gain Equally Safe at Work accreditation.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Equally Safe at Work is an innovative employer accreditation programme developed by Close the Gap, Scotland’s policy advocacy organisation working on women’s labour market equality. It supports employers to improve their employment practice to advance gender …

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has taken forward recommendations on Fair Work in relation to minimum standards for terms and conditions in social care.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Work through the Fair Work in Social Care Group has developed a set of minimum standards for terms and conditions reflecting Fair Work principles. Work to investigate how these standards can be implemented within devolved powers is being taken forward in coll…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its work with partners to establish a series of meaningful anti-racist objectives and performance measures for NHS board chairs.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) was commissioned to identify examples of anti-racist performance objectives with proposed performance measures that could be used by public bodies across Scotland. To date, seven NHS Board Chairs have been …

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to improve the granularity of workforce data regarding protected characteristics, in order to provide information on pay, promotion and recruitment, and ensure that this is recorded in a standardised way, and whether it publishes any such information.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scoping work is ongoing to consider the additional data collection, recording, and quality assurance requirements necessary for implementing this action. Further information on the delivery of this action will be set out in our update to the National Workforc…