Parliamentary questions

Richard Leonard

963 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

2 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether surgical type two face masks protect the wearer from exposure to the COVID-19 virus and, if so, how.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: 1. The evidence is that COVID-19 is mainly spread via droplets and contact with contaminated hands or environment. The Fluid Resistant (Type IIR) Surgical Mask (FRSM) confers 98% source control against droplet transmission. 2. The principle measures to contr…

2 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is issued to NHS boards regarding carrying out risk assessments for staff (a) working in close proximity with and (b) treating people who (i) are suspected as having and (ii) have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: 1. On 21 August, new UK Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) remobilisation guidance for health and care settings was published. The guidance outlines key COVID-19 IPC measures such as the appropriate use of PPE, extended use of face masks and coverings, ph…

2 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what PPE is available to staff on mental health wards to protect them from COVID-19, (a) in light of concerns that some patients might not have a full understanding of social distancing and (b) to assist them if they have to carry out restraint procedures, and what risk assessment it has…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: 1 .All staff on mental health wards should follow the UK IPC remobilisation guidance for all health and care settings, published on 21 August. This guidance is based on the latest scientific and epidemiological evidence. All staff engaged in direct patient ca…

2 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether a surgical type two face mask protects the wearer from breathing in infected droplets/aerosols or pathogens in the air.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: 1. In Scotland, all health and social care staff involved in direct patient/client care are required to wear a Fluid Resistant (Type IIR) Surgical Mask (FRSM) throughout their shift. This includes both care homes and care at home. 2. COVID-19 is primarily tr…

1 Oct 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

24 Sep 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

17 Sep 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

11 Sep 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

3 Sep 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

27 Aug 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

21 Aug 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on recommendation 9 of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse Drug-related Deaths Working Group's 2005 report, which stated that "priority must be given to greater development of the Single Shared Assessment (SSA11) as highlighted by the EIU in Integrated Ca…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government (Executive) response to this recommendation can be found here - http://www.dldocs.stir.ac.uk/documents/0020632.pdf . In that response areas of future action are highlighted which, building on work already in place, would deliver tho…

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on developing the substance misuse electronic assessment tool, Drug and Alcohol Intervention Service (DAISy); what the final estimated cost is, and how this compares with the original estimate.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The development and maintenance costs associated with the Drug and Alcohol Information System (DAISy) remain in line with the allocated budgets. Development costs up to 31 March 2021 are estimated to total £529,100 followed by recurring annual expenditure for…

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the Drug and Alcohol Intervention Service (DAISy) advisory or supervision committee has met, and whether it will publish (a) the minutes of and (b) a list of the attendees at each meeting.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Drug and Alcohol Information System (DAISy) is being developed by Public Health Scotland. Its Project Executive has met regularly since 2016 - approximately every 6-8 weeks. The Project Team which reports to the Project Executive meets every 4 weeks. Mem…

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the substance misuse electronic assessment tool, Drug and Alcohol Intervention Service (DAISy), is not yet operational.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The development has taken longer than originally envisaged due to the complexity of the system, and to ensure that the necessary standards in relation to security, reliability and sustainability are met. The Drug and Alcohol Information System (DAISy) is exp…

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions NHS Information Services Division (ISD) has had with the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce and its sub-groups since July 2019.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Information services division ((ISD) became part of Public Health Scotland (PHS) from 1 April 2020. A range of officials from PHS have been actively involved in the work of the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce and its sub-groups since its first meeting in Septe…

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Information Services Division (ISD) will publish draft details of the substance misuse electronic assessment tool, Drug and Alcohol Intervention Service (DAISy) before beta testing to allow frontline drug workers and managers and people in treatment or recovery to comment bef…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31304 on 28 August 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website; the search facility for which can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusine…

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which drug teams are or have been involved in the beta testing of the substance misuse electronic assessment tool, Drug and Alcohol Intervention Service (DAISy).

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures suggesting that drug deaths in Scotland have risen by more than three times since 2005, and have been the world's worst since November 2008.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: National Records of Scotland are responsible for publishing annual data on drug related deaths. The most recently published report reports on deaths in 2018. Information within the report confirms a total of 1187 drug related deaths in 2018. I do not recogni…

14 Aug 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

6 Aug 2020 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

3 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication in The Lancet of research showing the benefit of the Cytosponge TFF3 test in diagnosing Barrett’s oesophagus early and in savings on endoscopies, and in light of the reported backlog in endoscopies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what steps it is taking to ensu…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: An agreement has been reached with all NHS Scotland Health Boards to progress implementation of this non-aerosol generating procedure at pace. To aid this implementation, training of nursing staff has been scheduled and Boards are now making the necessary pro…

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which steps it has taken to ensure that the NHS is prepared for a possible second wave of the COVID-19 virus, and what is being done to reduce the impact of this on other services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design, The Framework for NHS Scotland sets out how Health Boards will safely and gradually prioritise the resumption of paused services whilst continuing to protect emergency, urgent and maternity care, as well as retaining sufficie…

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many death in service payments have been made to the families of frontline (a) NHS and (b) social care workers who died as a result of COVID-19.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We have recently extended the death in service scheme in NHS Scotland to include a flat £60,000 payment to next of kin of all NHS staff who die in service where COVID-19 is a documented factor. There are four applicants to the NHS scheme, all currently being …

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is has given to widening the field of people who are eligible for the flu vaccination in 2020, and, if it proposes to do so, what the criteria will be.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The seasonal flu vaccination programme helps to protect the most vulnerable and alleviate pressure on the NHS. This will be more important than ever this year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why this flu season, we are extending free eligibility …

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional resources it will make available to the NHS to ensure the safe distribution of the flu vaccine in 2020.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: As part of their planning, NHS Boards have been asked to record and submit to Scottish Government additional delivery costs that they encounter in adapting immunisation programmes to meet Covid-19 requirements (e,g. physical distancing, PPE) and expanding to …

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what timescale it has set for launching an inquiry into its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answers to questions S5W-30520 on 28 July 2020 and S5W-28801 on 18 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.parliam…

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what protections, instructions or guidance it will issue to ensure that people who require the flu vaccine in 2020 will receive the vaccination safely if there is a second wave of COVID-19.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: NHS Boards are asked to follow the Public Health Scotland Infection Prevention and Control guidance in healthcare settings which is available online. We will also reassure the public that they will be vaccinated safely and that strict Infection Prevention a…

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the the Scottish Human Rights Commission briefing on care homes and human rights during COVID-19, which was published on 14 July 2020.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government welcomes the report from the Scottish Human Rights Commission and will consider the application of the requirements of the human rights framework and legislation to any future public inquiry into the Scottish Government's handling of t…

23 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the NHS Louisa Jordan hospital will open to patients, and which procedures will take place there.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: A successful pilot at the NHS Louisa Jordan has seen 400 patients receive orthopaedic and plastic surgery outpatient consultations since the start of July. Following the successful three-week project by NHS Lanarkshire, plans are now in place to expand the se…