Parliamentary questions
Neil Findlay
2,296 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether staff at St John’s Hospital, Livingston were advised on 7 January 2021 that no slots were available for their first vaccine and, if so, for what reason, and what action is being taken.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland Heath Boards are responsible for the local delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. As such, health boards along with GPs are responsible for making decisions regarding local delivery in line with the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JC…
7 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when COVID-19 home test kits will be available to all those who request one.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Access to testing is a vital tool in helping to suppress the COVID-19 virus so we have ensured that home testing kits are available for as many people as possible. Home tests can be booked via the UK online digital portal and are now available in all areas of…
7 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been wasted and had to be disposed of.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: As of 25 January, our wastage estimate so far is 1.82%. That is well below our planning assumption of 5%, which accounts for worst case scenarios and is in line with global best practice.
5 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will treat school staff as a priority group to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We want to get vaccines to everyone as quickly as we can and we hope to reach all the key groups soon. The JCVI’s advice is focussed on preventing severe illness and loss of life, first and foremost and this is why it focusses on older people and health and …
5 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional mental health support is being provided to help people cope with COVID-19 lockdown.
Answer · Clare Haughey: Developments like the necessary re-introduction of restrictions will inevitably have an impact on the mental wellbeing of people across Scotland. We’ve invested £6 million of dedicated funding to support the whole population at this time. The Clear Your Head…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact reductions in local authority budgets have had on the ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government have taken exceptional measures in every area of government to deal with the challenges of COVID-19 and that is particularly clear in the support for local government. In addition to the £382.2 million of direct funding already commit…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of neuroelectric therapy for the treatment of addiction; what independent analysis it has commissioned of this approach, and what information it has regarding how many people in each NHS board area have received such treatment.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is open to discussions to introduce various types of treatment for problem substance use, as long as there is a sufficient evidence-base to support them. Advice has been sought in the past from a range of clinical specialists and the …
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) residents and (b) staff there are in care homes.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Care Home Residents: The most recently available official statistics from Public Health Scotland show there were 35,630 care home residents in all adult care home types as at 31st March 2019. Most, 32,445 are in Older People Care Homes, and of those, 30,914 a…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of care home (i) residents and (ii) staff have received a COVID-19 vaccination each week.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: As of 23rd December Public Health Scotland are publishing weekly vaccination statistics on their website. As further vaccination data becomes available, PHS will consider expanding their reporting in line with this.
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many people have been blocked from its (a) Twitter account and (b) Facebook page.
Answer · Kate Forbes: There are currently no accounts blocked by the Scottish Government’s primary Twitter and Facebook pages.
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS adolescent mental health beds have been available each day since April 2020.
Answer · Clare Haughey: Aggregated inpatient bed information is submitted to Public Health Scotland by monthly return by each NHS Board in Scotland. Published information on NHS Beds is currently only available up to June 2020. Data up to September 2020 will be available from 23rd F…
30 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all key workers are being prioritised for COVID-19 vaccination.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Some key workers, such as frontline health and care workers, are included in the top vaccine priority groups, and already eligible for a vaccine. The decision is to not prioritise all key workers for the following reasons:Criticality of service is not an ind…
30 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when each group of key workers will be offered a COVID-19 vaccination.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government wants to get vaccines to everyone as quickly as we can and we hope to reach all the key groups soon. The JCVI’s initial advice is focussed on preventing severe illness and loss of life, first and foremost and this is why it focusses on…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide for care home staff affected by trauma during the COVID-19 crisis.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Minister for Mental Health is working closely with partners across the health and social care sector, including NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and local employers, to ensure mental health and wellbeing support is in place for the workforc…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the recommendations of the Fair Work Convention Inquiry into social care will be implemented.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34248 on 20 January 2021. 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/parliamentarybusines…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any discharge of patients who have (a) been untested and (b) tested positive for COVID-19 into care homes is a breach of the human rights of care home (i) residents and (ii) staff.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Discharge decisions for individual patients are made by clinicians based on each patient’s needs. If somebody is discharged to a care home that should be because that has been assessed as the best place to meet their needs. As with other parts of the UK, guid…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to help care home companies provide culturally-sensitive information to care home residents, their staff, carers and workers.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government published National Care Standards on 9 June 2017. This lays down that irrespective of age, ability or cultural background we are all entitled to the same high quality of care and support. The care inspectorate will take into account th…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any application of DNACPR (do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation) notices on people’s care plans against their wishes or without their consent is a breach of their human rights.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government DNACPR guidance makes clear that we expect clinicians to discuss treatment options openly and honestly with patients and their families (where appropriate) to help ensure that they get the care that is right for them. This should ideal…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any lack of involvement of care home residents in their care during the COVID-19 pandemic is a breach of their human rights.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34246 on 20 January 2021. 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/parliamentarybusines…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out each year of its compliance with the (a) Equality Act 2010 and (b) Public Sector Equality Duty, and whether it will publish (i) the findings and (ii) details of any breaches that were reported.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government does not have a duty to assess its compliance with the Equality Act 2010 as a whole. This legislation is largely reserved. However, the Scottish Government does assess its compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty by adhering to …
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any lack of access to healthcare for care home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic is a breach of their human rights.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34246 on 20 January 2021. 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/parliamentarybusines…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any restriction imposed on care home residents (a) visiting others and (b) leaving their home is a breach of their human rights.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34238 on 26 January 2021. 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/parliamentarybusines…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with care home owners and trade unions to implement collective bargaining in the care home sector.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34248 on 20 January 2021. 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/parliamentarybusines…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to promote the growth of trade union membership in the care home sector.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Government is using its Fair Work policy to drive fairer work practices across Scotland's labour market. One of the initial priorities for the Fair Work in Social Care Group has been to…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it will do to ensure that all care home residents have equality of choice, control and autonomy.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Health and Social Care Standards seek to ensure individuals are treated with respect and dignity and that human rights are upheld, which includes being supported to make informed choices so that they may have control of their care and support.
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its policies and guidance on care homes during the COVID-19 crisis have breached the public sector equality duty.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34244 on 20 January 2021 which details how fairness and human rights have been at the heart of the Scottish Government’s approach to keep people in care homes as safe as possible. All answers to written parlia…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its review of the equalities impact of its decisions regarding COVID-19 on people living and working in care homes.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 were introduced to respond to the emergency pandemic and to protect lives. The potential impacts on human rights and equal opportunities were assessed during the development of…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will review the equalities provisions of the National Care Homes Contract.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scottish Government is not party to the contractual arrangements that form the basis of the National Care Home Contract. The National Care Home Contract is negotiated by, and entered into, by Local Authorities and Care Providers for the purpose of securing Se…
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on (a) people from the lowest income groups, (b) BAME people, (c) disabled people and (d) older people to be a breach of their human rights.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on individuals and groups across the whole of society, including people on low incomes, disabled people, older people and people from minority ethnic communities. …
22 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask the Care Inspectorate to review how DNACPR (do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation) notices have been applied during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has no plans to ask the Care Inspectorate to review the use of DNACPR forms for those residing in care homes. Decisions relating to whether an individual would benefit from Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) are matters for the indiv…