Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,379 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it engaged with (a) black and minority ethnic people in Scotland, (b) race equality groups and (c) National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in the drafting of Scotland's input to the 2023 UK state report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Answer · Emma Roddick: We routinely engage with a range of stakeholders in our work across Scottish Government, including work to implement the recommendations and observations of the Committee. The UK's State Report covers the measures that have been adopted, by Government, relat…
24 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a timetable for when the remaining £270 million in funding for additional appointments and procedures will be allocated, and from where this funding will be allocated.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government, along with Health Boards and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), is actively considering opportunities to allocate funding to deliver activity utilising the £30 million investment announced by the First Minister on 1 April. Th…
24 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many additional (a) appointments and (b) procedures will be delivered through the £30 million of targeted investment to help reduce inpatient and day-case waiting lists, as announced on 1 April 2024.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government, along with Health Boards and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), is actively considering opportunities to allocate funding to deliver activity utilising the £30 million investment announced by the First Minister on 1 April. Th…
24 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how the £30 million of targeted investment to help reduce inpatient and day-case waiting lists, as announced on 1 April 2024, will be spent, and how much is being allocated to each NHS board.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government, along with Health Boards and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), is actively considering opportunities to allocate funding to deliver activity utilising the £30 million investment announced by the First Minister on 1 April. Th…
24 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which datasets will be improved to ensure that action 131 of the Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 to 2026, to improve data collection on metastatic breast cancer, is met.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is working with Public Health Scotland to identify what data is already collected in Scotland on metastatic breast cancer and what data we would like to expand our datasets to include going forward.
24 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the first set of quarterly data from the National Audit of Metastatic Breast Cancer for England and Wales, whether improved data collected on metastatic breast cancer will be published in Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has followed the publication of the National Audit of Metastatic Breast Cancer for England and Wales with interest. We are working with Public Health Scotland to determine our options for future data collection on metastatic breast can…
24 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to deliver action 131 of the Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 to 2026 to improve data collection on metastatic breast cancer.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is reviewing options in relation to collecting data on secondary breast cancer in Scotland. This includes consideration of the NHS England audit, data available in Scotland, clinical time required, other cancer data priorities and how …
23 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will pause the commissioning of a new gender service by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS National Services Scotland while consideration is given to the Cass Review recommendations.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Work to improve gender identity healthcare services remains a priority of this Government. That includes the establishment of a multidisciplinary team of senior clinical advisers to Scottish Government who are considering the recommendations of the Cass Revie…
23 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many times Dr Hilary Cass has met with (a) clinicians in Scotland and (b) Scottish Government officials, and when.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government only holds information on meetings between Dr Hilary Cass and Scottish Government officials that are attended by Scottish Government. Scottish Government has met with Dr Hilary Cass and members of the Cass Review team on a number of occas…
23 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly set up a new working group to consider the recommendations of the Cass Review, in light of the existence of the National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Established in 2022, the National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group advises on the ongoing implementation of actions outlined in our 2021 Framework. The Reference Group includes NHS Board representation, LGBTIQ organisations, clinicians, academics an…
23 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group will work together with any new working group considering the recommendations of the Cass Review.
Answer · Jenni Minto: An update on the work of the multidisciplinary team of senior clinicians within the office of the Chief Medical Officer considering the specific clinical recommendations of the Cass review will be provided to the National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference …
23 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Cass Review is a valid scientific document.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Cass Review is a valid scientific document. The review was chaired by a past president of the UK’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, a senior, and well-respected clinician.
19 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings in the Kidney Care UK report, In-centre Dialysis Transport in Scotland, what plans it has to review non-emergency kidney patient transport to and from in-centre dialysis appointments across Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government’s role is to set the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, NHS Boards are responsible for service delivery and treatment. All Health Boards should consider patient transport needs when they plan and deliver services and must ensure…
19 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop a national framework for non-emergency kidney patient transport to and from in-centre dialysis appointments, in light of the findings in the Kidney Care UK report, In-centre Dialysis Transport in Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people living with kidney diseases are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective, and put people at the centre of their care.…
19 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings in the Kidney Care UK report, In-centre Dialysis Transport in Scotland, what steps it is taking to reduce any variation between NHS boards in access to free non-emergency kidney patient transport for all kidney patients, regardless of income, to and from in-cent…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government’s role is to set the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, NHS Boards are responsible for service delivery and treatment. A requirement has been placed within the NHS Territorial Boards annual delivery guidance to bring attention t…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently waiting for an initial assessment of hearing loss in each NHS board area, also broken down by what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time for such an assessment is in each NHS board.
Answer · Neil Gray: Public Health Scotland (PHS) does not hold the information requested. PHS uses the national waiting times datamart to collect electronic patient records covering the waits that patients experience waiting for a new outpatient appointment at a consultant led …
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many ophthalmology training places have been provided at universities for Scottish domiciled students in each of the last five academic years, and how many places are planned for the current academic year.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Ophthalmology is a post-graduate specialism in medicine which does not involve universities, and as such no data exists with respect to university training places for this specialism. The Scottish Funding Council holds data regarding university training place…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will detail the cyber attacks that have taken place in the NHS in Scotland in the last ten years.
Answer · Neil Gray: The safety and security of people’s data, and the running of NHS services is of the upmost importance. The NHS in Scotland and across the UK successfully defends itself against attacks on its IT infrastructure on a daily basis, demonstrating resilience to the…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to deliver a primary care community audiology service during the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government remains committed to enhancing audiology services, and to its vision for an integrated, community-based audiology service. We are currently focusing on delivery of the actions required to respond to the Independent Review of Audiology …
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently in receipt of an Independent Living Fund payment.
Answer · Maree Todd: As of March 2024, 1,897 people in Scotland, and 344 people in Northern Ireland were in receipt of an Independent Living Fund award. These figures do not include Transition Fund awards.
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many more people are expected to receive an Independent Living Fund payment in 2024-25.
Answer · Maree Todd: Up to 1,000 new applicants will be offered awards in 2024-25. The actual number of applications received will be monitored by ILF Scotland and Scottish Government.
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans for community audiology services to be able to prescribe and fit hearing aids.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government remains committed to enhancing audiology services, and to its vision for an integrated, community-based audiology service. We are currently focusing on delivery of the actions required to respond to the Independent Review of Audiology …
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland, whether it will provide an update on the establishment of the National Implementation Group; whether the group has held any meetings, and what the membership of the group is.
Answer · Jenni Minto: An Implementation Delivery Group has been set up which has held two meetings on 21 February and 20 March 2024, with a third meeting scheduled for the end of April. Membership of the Implementation Delivery Group consists of representatives from clinical ser…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect NHS patient data from cyber attacks.
Answer · Neil Gray: The safety and security of people’s data, and the running of NHS services is of the upmost importance. I have provided detail on the action being taken to protect NHS patient data in the answers to questions S6W-26702 on 23 April 2024, S6T-01869 on 19 March 2…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to continue with the fee structure for optometrists, which has been aligned to the dentistry fee structure for the past three years.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The 2024-25 public sector pay will be determined in due course by the Scottish Government. It is anticipated that this process will also include consideration of the fee position for General Ophthalmic Services.
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what community audiology services are currently available.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government remains committed to enhancing audiology services, and to its vision for an integrated, community-based audiology service. We are currently focusing on delivery of the actions required to respond to the Independent Review of Audiology …
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken an assessment of any current unmet need for people with hearing loss.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has not recently undertaken an assessment of unmet need for people with hearing loss, but we are engaged with stakeholders and those with lived experience to inform our understanding of unmet need. As part of the See Hear Strategy ref…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional services could be provided by high street ophthalmologists that could alleviate the reported current pressure on hospital and GP services.
Answer · Jenni Minto: There is only one high street ophthalmologist (ophthalmic medical practitioner) listed to provide General Ophthalmic Services in Scotland. However, community optometrists have been increasing their role to support the care of NHS patients and this is continu…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been provided for the Independent Living Fund in the last five years; what the fund's budget will be for 2024-25, and what it anticipates that the fund's budget will be for 2025-26.
Answer · Maree Todd: The following table shows the resource funding allocated by SG to ILF Scotland annually over the last five years. Resource budget for ILF in 2024-25 is £62,241k. Funding for 2025-26 will be agreed through the annual budget process. Year ILF Funding Allocati…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans for community audiology services to be able to make direct referrals to ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultants without going through a GP.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government remains committed to enhancing audiology services, and to its vision for an integrated, community-based audiology service. We are currently focusing on delivery of the actions required to respond to the Independent Review of Audiology …