Jackie Baillie

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it determines how many people are affected by COVID-19.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) is taking forward Covid-19 surveillance through a range of measures with key partners to identify and monitor the spread of Covid-19 across the population. These include: Community testing through community pathways - This i…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will issue urgent guidance to all employers that staff with pre-existing health conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, should not be required to be at work because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 25 March 2020, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture and the STUC General Secretary issued a joint statement outlining the shared commitment to fair work practices in Scotland. The statement calls on employers, trades unions and workers …

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is modelling the likely number of people affected by COVID-19 and, if so, how, and what the estimated number of people is.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has been modelling the impact for Scotland and updating this work as new epidemiological work and assumptions are provided by the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modell…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are in place to support people who might require home care in the event that the COVID-19 outbreak results in staff absence.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We have taken steps both nationally and locally to rapidly increase our health and social care workforce capacity to enable those who receive care at home to continue to do so. We are increasing recruitment / hiring across the social care workforce. For examp…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hospital beds will be required to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Boards have been asked to repurpose 3,000 acute staffed beds for COVID-19 patients within the existing base of just over 13,000 acute staffed beds. Boards have already trebled ICU capacity and are now working to quadruple ICU capacity. We continue to exp…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the population will require to be infected with COVID-19 for there to be herd immunity.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: For any infection, the percentage of the population required to achieve herd immunity is generally very high and often well above 90%. However, we do not yet know enough about the new Coronavirus infection to be able to estimate accurately what percentage wou…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to build additional emergency facilities in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The First Minister announced on 30 th March 2020 that work will begin to transform the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow into a temporary hospital. The NHS Louisa Jordan will increase capacity in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This will be an NHS hos…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how long it takes for symptoms of COVID-19 to be displayed.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As Covid-19 is a new virus, we do not know enough to have a precise incubation period. The World Health Organisation states most estimates of the incubation period for COVID-19 range from 1-14 days, most commonly around five days. These estimates will be upda…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the scientific evidence underpinning its approach to dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) provides scientific and technical advice to support government decision makers during emergencies. In response to the Covid-19 outbreak all four of the UK nations are following the scientific advice from…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency planning has taken place with (a) local authorities, (b) the voluntary sector and (c) the private sector regarding the delivery of care services during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Through their commissioning arrangements, health and social care partnerships have well established relationships with independent and third sector providers, involving them in local contingency planning and response, as appropriate. Such providers should hav…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hospital ventilation machines there are.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28268 on 4 May 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/288…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the number of hospital beds in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to S5W-27963 on 15 April 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.asp…

16 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hospital beds there are.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland currently has 13,105 staffed beds in acute specialties.

13 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact is on the economy of the recent fall in the price of oil.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The recent falls and volatility in the global oil price reflect the ongoing developments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic impacting on global demand accompanied by supply increases following the breakdown of the OPEC+Russia agreement. Oil and gas production i…

13 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the UK Government’s budget decision to not increase the top rate of income tax.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is proud of our fair and progressive approach to income tax, and would encourage the UK Government to do the same. Whilst we have continued to prioritise this for a number of years, the UK Government has previously prioritised tax cuts…

13 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the UK Government’s budget decision to not increase Corporation Tax.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government believes in fair taxation that supports economic growth and protects Scotland’s position as an attractive proposition for businesses. However, Corporation Tax remains reserved to the UK Government. It is important that any developments…

13 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the UK Government’s budget decision to not increase taxes on alcohol.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Alcohol duty is reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government would expect any changes, or otherwise, in the rates of alcohol duty to be balanced and robustly evidence-based. The Scottish Government believes tax policy should be fair and progressive…

2 Mar 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister for what reason Scottish Enterprise has suspended new grant funding for business.

26 Feb 2020 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will uprate Members' staff cost provision in line with the Scottish Government uprating of 3%.

17 Feb 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minster what action the Scottish Government is taking to prepare the NHS to deal with coronavirus.

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) communication it has had with NHS boards and (b) action it is taking regarding the need for people with Parkinson’s to get their essential medication on time when they are in hospital.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: It is for Boards to ensure that operational processes are in place to safeguard those patients with medicine regimes are adhered to when they are in hospital. The Scottish Government continues to work with NHS Boards in transforming hospital pharmacy service…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will advise NHS boards to integrate Parkinson’s medication management into ward staff education.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The safe and effective management of medicines is overseen through the Health Boards' Medicines Governance Strategies and implemented locally under Safe Use of Medicines protocols and Clinical Governance frameworks. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has met w…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many adverse incidents relating to Parkinson’s medication have been reported in each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government but should be held by individual NHS Boards. Furthermore, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency monitors reports of suspected adverse drug reactions submitted by healthcare pr…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards currently use Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) systems to ensure that people with Parkinson’s receive their medication on time when they are in hospital, and what steps it is taking to ensure that all NHS boards prioritise their use fo…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) is being rolled out across Scotland and has already been implemented in four NHS Boards. HEPMA systems do not automatically ensure that people get their medication on time but HEPMA can enab…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will advise NHS boards to ensure that (a) clinical governance and (b) patient safety teams consider and address Parkinson’s medication management in hospitals.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Effective medications management is particularly relevant in Parkinson’s administration as complications can develop if medication is not taken on time. Ensuring patients receive their medication on time when in hospital is a fundamental aspect of good qualit…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have a self-administration of medicines policy that enables people with Parkinson’s to take their own medication if they are able to do so.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In healthcare settings, including hospitals, organisational policies will define who can administer medicines, or the appropriate delegation of the administration of medicines, within that setting. This should include a policy for self-administration of medic…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have (a) open visiting and (b) extended visiting hours in their hospitals.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland is now taking a person-centred approach to visiting, with all boards having implemented in full or in part. The 2018-19 Programme for Government contained a commitment to have flexible visiting in place across NHS Scotland by 2020. A person-cen…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have fully implemented Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) to date, and when each remaining board is expected to do so.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) has been successfully implemented in four Health boards including NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Dumfries & Galloway, NHS Forth Valley and NHS Lanarkshire. Work is underway to rollout HEPMA syste…

23 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many inpatient Parkinson’s medication errors have been recorded in each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information is not held centrally. It may be available on request from individual health boards.

21 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it can take to advise consumers regarding the recently-announced recall of washing machines by Whirlpool.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: It is unacceptable that there is a fire risk from these and any other white goods. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's website provides clear advice on how to reduce the risks of fire from white goods. Everyone should use the "register my appliance" websit…