Parliamentary questions

Monica Lennon

3,484 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

13 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have had their routine cervical screening test delayed due to the pause of the screening programmes in 2020, also broken down by how many have (a) now received a test and (b) yet to receive an invite for a screening appointment.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: 180,784 participants had their cervical screening test delayed due to the pause of the screening programmes in 2020 of which (a) 29,362 have attended for a test and (b) 99,716 have yet to receive their invitation for a screening appointment. These figures inc…

10 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £329,000 deal between National Services Scotland and Labcold for the storage and transportation of refrigeration equipment.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, the Scottish Government does not hold this information. This information would require to be requested from NHS National Services Scotland.

10 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to statement by the First Minister on 10 November 2020 (Official Report, c.10), whether it will confirm how many freezers capable of reaching a temperature of -80 degrees have been (a) purchased or hired and (b) ordered, also broken down by how many potential COVID-19 vaccine do…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Twenty three ultra-low temperature freezers capable of the storage of medicines at ultra-low temperatures have been purchased. There is at least one freezer in every territorial health board with a number of Boards having more than one freezer, for example t…

10 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support the World Health Organization’s launch of the Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government supports the World Health Organizations strategy to accelerate the elimination of Cervical Cancer. On 17 November 2020, two Scottish Government buildings, St Andrews House and Victoria Quay, were lit up in support of this cause. We w…

10 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will encourage people to take up invitations for cancer screening, in light of screening programmes having resumed.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: A communications strategy to support the resumption of the screening programmes has been developed with Public Health Scotland, and information has been made available on NHS Inform in a wide range of languages and formats about the restart of each of the adu…

10 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that existing health inequalities in cancer outcomes do not widen a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government recognises the continued need to address health inequalities in relation to cancer outcomes. We have recently completed an equality impact assessment, which alongside our Cancer Recovery Plan published on 09 December 2020, will be publ…

8 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement in May 2020 of £150,000 being allocated for "an enhanced offer of residential rehab to people leaving prison during the pandemic to support their recovery", how many people have been admitted for this purpose.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Between 3 May 2020 and 16 November 2020, 8 people have been referred to residential rehabilitation as part of the early release protocol and pathway.

2 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to review stillbirths and perinatal outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether there was an increase in intrapartum stillbirths during the early months of the pandemic.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Public Health Scotland publish monthly data on stillbirth rates in Scotland as part of their monitoring of the wider impacts of COVID-19 on the healthcare system. Whilst the data does show increases in some recent months in stillbirths, it is not possible at …

2 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to ensuring that no one with a positive result for COVID-19 is admitted to a care home.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I announced on 21 April that all people being admitted to care homes whether from the community or from hospital should be tested for COVID prior to admission. Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland guidance states a presumption that everyone bein…

2 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times new residents have been admitted to care homes from the community without being tested for COVID-19 in advance, and whether this practice is still ongoing.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Admissions to care homes are managed locally, and as such, this data is not collated by the Scottish Government. As announced on 21 April, all people being admitted to care homes whether from the community or from hospital should be tested for COVID prior to …

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the eligibility period for free dental treatment will be extended for (a) children under 18 years of age, (b) full-time students aged 18 and (c) pregnant women and nursing mothers to ensure that people in those categories experience no detriment to their oral health due to restri…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The provision of free NHS dental treatment for children and young people under 18 years of age; people under 19 years of age and in qualifying full-time education; and expectant mothers or people who have borne a child in the previous 12 months is fixed by pr…

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances Test and Protect app users are advised to disable Bluetooth, and whether detailed guidance on this has been issued to employers and employees.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The following guidance has been issued to workplaces for them to share with their employees. Guidance on how to use the app is accessible via the app on the Protect Scotland website. All app users should therefore keep their phone on and with them whenever p…

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where the three new regional laboratory hubs for COVID-19 testing will be located; what the associated costs will be for each, and to which organisations these will be paid.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The three hubs will be based in NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian with sites at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow, Lauriston Place in Edinburgh, and Foresterhill in Aberdeen. The Health Boards in which each hub is located will be funded …

23 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the re-opening of some services at private hospitals and clinics that are in receipt of finance from it is aligned with when the NHS fully re-opens its services.

23 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a list of the contracts and other expenditure it has given to private medical concerns, broken down by the (a) amounts involved, (b) names of the recipients, (c) work involved, (d) length and (b) other details of the arrangements.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, the Scottish Government does not maintain and hold this information in the required format and therefore does not currently have plans to publish these details. This information is individually held b…

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport first became aware of plans by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and any other NHS boards to prioritise flu vaccinations for over-65s by youngest to oldest.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Immunisation & Recall System (SIRS) is an IT programme designed for arranging childhood vaccinations, and quite properly calls the youngest first. SIRS was employed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to arrange appointments for this year’s seasona…

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how COVID-19 restrictions have affected mental health services' waiting times.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government acknowledges the obvious operational difficulties caused by Covid-19 and lockdown. Although Boards responded creatively to treat significant numbers of people during lockdown, people requiring emergency and urgent care were prioritised…

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional mental health support is being made available, in light of continued restrictions due to COVID-19, which can result in an increase in isolation and loneliness.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government recognises the additional pressure that the pandemic and the resultant restrictions place upon individuals and families and is committed to providing clear, comprehensive and accessible support for mental health. We have invested signi…

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the updated care home guidance for family caregivers relates to residential care settings for younger adults.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scottish Government published updated care home visiting guidance on 17 th November and 14 th December which relates to adult care homes including younger adults where they are in an adult care home. This builds on existing visiting guidance first published …

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in the Integrated Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, whether it will confirm what funding it is providing to increase the number of places in (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22 for training in (i) clinical psychology, (ii) the four-year clinical physiology BSc co…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is fully committed to a sustainable NHS which continues to deliver a consistently high quality healthcare service to the people of Scotland. NHS Scotland's staffing levels are at a record high, with 15,400 more whole time equivalent st…

21 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many places for the (a) MSc advanced musculo-skeletal practitioners in primacy care, (b) four-year BSc in clinical physiology and (c) masters training programme in clinical psychology there have been in in each of the last five years, and what the take-up was.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not collect or hold this information centrally. Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) are responsible for controlling and managing these programmes and may hold the detail around the number of student places and intake for individu…

20 Oct 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what further support it will make available to businesses in Central Scotland that continue to be affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its Respiratory Care Action Plan, and whether it will include COVID-19 as a new respiratory disease.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are committed to continuously improving the diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with respiratory conditions, which is why we set out in our Programme for Government a Respiratory Care Action Plan to deliver these key priorities. Work i…

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Respiratory Care Action Plan will ensure that lung health is given the same parity as other major diseases in Scotland such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are committed to ensuring that people living with respiratory conditions in Scotland can access clinically appropriate, safe, effective and person-centred care treatment and support. That is why, this year’s Programme for Government has committed to deliv…

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Respiratory Care Action Plan will set out how the needs of people with so-called long COVID will be met through appropriate (a) support and rehabilitation, (b) research and (c) training for health professionals.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are committed to taking action to support those experiencing the longer physical and mental health impacts of COVID-19, including those that have developed long-term respiratory problems as a result of contracting the virus. Work to develop the final Resp…