Monica Lennon

2 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the anticipated uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine by (a) NHS staff and (b) the public.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Our planning assumption was based on 80% vaccine take up as set out in the Deployment Plan published on the 14th of January 2021.

2 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to counter any misinformation regarding a COVID-19 vaccine that may reduce uptake.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is working with faith based, third sector and community groups to reach out to more people from deprived communities to increase the vaccine uptake. We have put in place financial and practical support to ensure all parts of our commu…

30 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that school staff are able to take up the opportunity to receive a flu vaccination, and whether it will consider implementing onsite vaccinations in schools.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme helps to protect the most vulnerable and alleviate pressure on the NHS. This is more important than ever this year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those most at risk from the seasonal flu, who are already eligible …

26 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance will be issued to (a) home carers, (b) district nurses and (c) emergency workers required to enter private homes when the COVID-19 restrictions are eased over the festive period.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Consideration is being given on whether additional guidance is needed for home carers, district nurses and emergency workers required to enter private homes when the COVID-19 restrictions are eased over the festive period. This consideration will take account…

25 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the mental health budget is spent on specialist services for (a) children aged (i) 2 to 5 and (ii) under 2 and (b) babies.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government does not hold information in this form. The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board provides strategic leadership of a £50m investment in perinatal and infant mental health. Within this, services directly towards infants ag…

25 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with local authorities in the Central Scotland region, and what was discussed.

18 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local health protection teams in Lanarkshire on their guidance on self-isolation for entire households and its impact, and whether the teams plan to change this during the Level 4 restrictions.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Prior to the introduction of additional measures to request whole household isolation of close contacts, NHS Lanarkshire was involved in discussions on these proposed measures with Scottish Government, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Public Health Scotland.…

18 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many times local health protection teams implemented measures on whole household self-isolation that differs from the national guidance.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The decision on whether to impose whole-household isolation is taken by local Health Protection Teams if, in the handling of specific outbreaks, it is deemed proportionate in tackling the spread of the virus. This decision making process follows an individual…

18 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the advice for entire households of close contacts to self-isolate for 14 days was withdrawn; for what reason it withdrew this guidance, and what information it has regarding how many people had self-isolated in line with it, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The guidance for whole households of close contacts to self-isolate was local guidance as part of the local restrictions in place in Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lanarkshire Health Board areas from 01 September to 02 November. The National Incident Managemen…

18 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been treated at the NHS Louisa Jordan for COVID-19-related illness, also broken down by the number treated (a) during the first and (b) since the start of the second wave.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The NHS Louisa Jordan was established to help ensure NHS Scotland had extra capacity to treat patients during the COVID-19 pandemic and stood ready to do so since 20 April 2020. Building the NHS Louisa Jordan was a precautionary action and I was always clear …

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice and support is available to teachers and education staff about pregnancy in the workplace and COVID-19, and what assessment it has made of the consistency of (a) its and (b) local authority policies for them on homeworking,

Answer · John Swinney: Safety of staff in schools is paramount. Teachers are entitled to feel safe at work and we expect schools and local authorities to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place for them. Our latest guidance on reducing coronavirus (COVID-19) risks in schoo…

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether teachers and school staff who were previously shielding should attend school in person in areas under Level 4 restrictions in its COVID-19 Strategic Framework.

Answer · John Swinney: The Chief Medical Officer wrote to those on the shielding list and live within a level 4 area, and those who live work or attend school in a level 4 area. The letter sets out the considerations needed to ensure that appropriate arrangements can be made to ens…

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the advice to pupils who are shielding not to attend school in person in areas under Level 4 restrictions in its COVID-19 Strategic Framework also applies to siblings in the same household.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government Guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19): shielding advice and support and Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on reducing the risks in schools are clear on the arrangements for the attendance at school for those shielding at protection lev…

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding it has provided to (a) NHS boards and (b) integration joint boards to support the roll-out of virtual pulmonary rehabilitation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has confirmed additional funding of £1.1 billion to support the health and social care sector in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding announcement provides support for the additional costs reported by Boards in respondin…

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can access pulmonary rehabilitation to help reduce the number of people experiencing deconditioning in their fitness levels over winter.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government recognises that pulmonary rehabilitation is an important element of respiratory disease care and that is why it will form an important part of our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland. As we head into winter, our overriding prior…

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have accessed virtual pulmonary rehabilitation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information is not held by the Scottish Government or Public Health Scotland. It may be available on request from individual health boards.

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to mark World COPD Day.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government raised awareness of World COPD Day through our social media channels and key stakeholder networks. COPD is a priority for the Scottish Government and we are committed to ensuring that those people living with long term lung conditions…

16 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many obstetrics and gynaecology staff were redeployed to other areas of care during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic; whether this is happening in the second wave, and what steps it is taking to ensure that services continue as much as possible.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scottish Ministers’ expectation remains that care for pregnant and postnatal women continues to be an essential service, and it is right that Health Boards should plan for these services to continue alongside other essential services during this unprecedented…

16 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that (a) midwives, (b) health visitors and (c) other professionals can continue to support new parents and babies during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: From the outset of the pandemic maternity and neonatal care has been recognised as an essential acute, integrated and community service, providing both scheduled and unscheduled care. Midwives, obstetricians and the wider maternity and neonatal workforce have…

16 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (a) access to routine dental services and (b) early diagnoses of mouth cancers.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Since 1 November dentists have been permitted to offer the full range of NHS care in surgeries. With the resumption, dentists providing NHS care are required to submit claims for items of treatment undertaken to National Services Scotland. This information wi…

16 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting cancer charities during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are actively engaging with cancer charities across Scotland, with many involved in discussions regarding shielding and the drafting of the upcoming National Cancer Recover Plan. Alongside this, various charities are a member of the Scottish Screening Commi…

16 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that good quality public health information regarding local COVID-19 levels is accessible for people who are more susceptible to infection.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The new five level framework for COVID 19 allows for rapid but proportionate response on both a local and national basis using a transparent range of measures and options. https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-scotlands-strategic-framework/ A summary o…

16 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken in response to reports of an increase in nosocomial infections.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: COVID-19 transmission is taking place in the community and – as is the case with any infectious disease – transmission is more likely where people are in closed settings, including within hospitals. As a result, we are seeing a rise of definite hospital onset…

15 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the needs of (a) people who have received shielding letters, (b) people who have been advised to shield by clinicians, (c) people, including children, who were removed from the shielding list prior to shielding being suspended in July 2020, (d) people who have made a personal decisio…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Chief Medical Officer issued guidance to people on the shielding list who live in areas that went to level 4 on 20 November on going to work, school and childcare. The new framework sets out our strategic approach to suppress the virus. https://www.gov.…

15 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether in-school health services and therapy support will be continued through home visits for children who are advised to shield or are affected by school closures.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on reducing the risks in schools is clear that support for continued learning should be in place for those who are unable to attend school due to shielding or other covid related absence. …

15 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice is available to parents and carers regarding their child's education should they not be able to attend school in person due to shielding or other COVID-19-related absence.

Answer · John Swinney: Schools and local authorities retain the main responsibility for arranging remote learning for those who need to shield, self-isolate or quarantine. In order to broaden the options available to schools the national e-learning offer provides access to live les…

15 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a Cerebral Palsy Scotland survey, which reports that a majority of the people with cerebral palsy who were surveyed reported a decline in their physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, including 58% reporting difficulty in accessing support from ph…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government recognises the impact that COVID-19 has had on people living with cerebral palsy and we recognise the importance of a consistent approach being taken forward in the community to support people with the management of their condition, in…

15 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what caused the technical fault that resulted in invite letters for cervical screening appointments not being sent to approximately 15,000 patients; what safeguards have been put in place to prevent this happening again, and how might the prioritisation of these patients impact on the ma…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The issue arose in an automated process to transfer files between the third party IT and letter suppliers, which prevented the letters being issued. The root cause of this failure is still being investigated. Daily checks have since been implemented to ensure…

13 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS Scotland Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme is available to nursing and medical students who are completing clinical placements and, if not, whether it will reconsider its position on this matter.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The NHS Scotland and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme 2020 was introduced to ensure that no qualified person was discouraged or prevented from returning to service in NHS Scotland as a result of the pandemic, and ensure that all staff have peace …

13 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide routine COVID-19 testing for NHS (a) dentists and (b) frontline dental practice staff.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Cabinet Secretary for Health announced Scotland’s updated approach to testing for frontline healthcare workers in a patient facing role, the Scottish Ambulance Service and Covid Assessment Centres on 25 November. The Scottish Government continues to…