Parliamentary questions
Monica Lennon
3,484 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the daily COVID-19 testing capacity is of NHS Scotland labs, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Testing capacity fluctuates on a daily basis, but as at 1 July, the testing capacity of NHS Scotland laboratories, broken down by NHS board, was as follows: Health Board AA BO DG FF FV GGC GJ GR HG LN LO OR SH TY WI UoE Moredun SNBTS UoA …
29 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many contact tracers have been recruited as part of its Test and Protect strategy, and how many existing NHS staff have been redeployed as contact tracers.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Prior to the formal launch of the Test and Protect system, we asked all NHS Scotland boards to make available up to 2,000 staff to participate in contact tracing activity. As acknowledged at the time, the resource was provided substantially from existing work…
29 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on private contractors supporting the delivery of Test and Protect, broken down by (a) company and (b) services provided.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Test and Protect programme is run by NHS Scotland using NHS staff and resources. Spend on private contractors by Scottish Government to support delivery of the programme is to date limited to support for marketing campaigns, contact centre telephony, data ana…
29 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of Scotland's 15,500 daily COVID-19 testing capacity comes from UK regional testing facilities.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scotland’s testing capacity fluctuates on a daily basis and for this reason, and given daily fluctuation in NHS capacity, it is not possible to give a definitive figure for the proportion of testing capacity that comes from UK regional testing facilities. We…
29 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the current lease for the NHS Louisa Jordan expires, and what plans it has to extend it.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The current license is due to expire at the end of August. The discussion of licence renewal is underway but is commercially sensitive. The Louisa Jordan has conducted a successful pilot, which has seen 315 patients receive orthopaedic and plastic surgery ou…
29 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the (a) construction, (b) equipment and (c) monthly running costs of the NHS Louisa Jordan.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The estimated set up cost is £31 million and there will be additional costs for decommissioning, but there are not known yet and so the overall cost has not yet been finalised. The Scottish Government have committed to publish the breakdown on costs by the en…
29 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what mental health support is being provided to the NHS workforce as normal services are remobilised.
Answer · Clare Haughey: Staff and carer wellbeing was highlighted as one of eight key objectives for safe and effective mobilisation across health and social care in “Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: the framework for NHS Scotland”, which was published on 31 May 2020. The Scottish …
24 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is undertaking, or plans to undertake, work to address the findings of the 2019 MBRRACE-UK report, Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care, which found that there is a five-fold difference in maternal mortality rates among women from Black ethnic backgrounds and an almost two-fo…
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government expects Health Boards in Scotland to consider all of the recommendations made in the Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care reports. The 2019 report was the 5 th MBRRACE audit report, and the reports have highlighted key actions for Hea…
24 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when chronic pain NHS services will be restored.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-30230 on 8 July 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/2…
24 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to recompense patients who have received pain relief medication from private healthcare providers in England due to their usual treatments in NHS pain clinics in Scotland having been suspended since March 2020.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government cannot comment on individual cases but in general terms NHS Scotland does not pay for or subsidise private health care arranged independently by a patient. This matter was discussed in the Chamber on 25 June 2020 in response to oral qu…
24 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance will be prepared for teachers, school staff, parents and pupils who wish to wear face coverings in schools on a voluntary basis.
Answer · John Swinney: We have recently established a sub-group to our COVID-19 Advisory Group that specialises on education and children’s issues. The group will provide advice to support and inform the development of operational guidance for providers of learning, childcare and c…
23 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what scientific advice it has received regarding COVID-19 and school activities where pupils' breathing patterns might differ, including singing, playing instruments and sports.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has received advice regarding school activities, including choirs and contact sports. The COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues are currently finalising their advice on physical distancing in schools ahead of i…
23 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether face coverings will be expected to be worn by (a) teachers and school staff and (b) pupils aged five or over (i) in schools and (ii) on school transport.
Answer · John Swinney: We have recently established a sub-group to our COVID-19 Advisory Group that specialises on education and children’s issues. The group will provide advice to support and inform the development of operational guidance for providers of learning, childcare and c…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of BAME people reportedly being at higher risk from COVID-19, what action it is taking to provide public health messages in languages other than English, and how it ensures that these messages are reaching such groups.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: As part of our activity we have worked with public and third sector partners to understand language and accessibility requirements, and have worked collaboratively to translate and distribute key coronavirus information. This has involved: 1. Digital marketi…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of patients experiencing complications from surgical mesh used for hernia treatment.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-27044 on 3 February 2020. This confirmed that routine health data records hernia operations, bladder operations, etc., using prosthetic implants, not those specifically using mesh implants. Furthermore, NHS Inf…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates a COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the general public, and what preparatory work it is doing in advance regarding (a) workforce planning, (b) prioritisation and eligibility and (c) places where people will be vaccinated.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: A safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination is dependent on success in at least one of over 170 vaccine trials underway worldwide in terms of both development and manufacture. When a vaccination might be available, and considerations about delivery and prioriti…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that care staff in all settings have the same priority as NHS staff in relation to accessing antibody tests.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: There is currently insufficient clinical evidence to conclude that people who have recovered from COVID-19 are protected from either a second infection or from infecting others. Until such evidence exists the main public health benefits are for research purp…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many vacancies there are in the social care sector, and what action it is taking to improve recruitment and retention ahead of winter.
Answer · Maree Todd: Recruitment and retention is an on-going issue faced by care providers who take action locally where required. The Care Inspectorate and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) publish annual reports on sector vacancies with the latest report published in Jan…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of people with cancer whose treatment has been cancelled or delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and whose condition has since become inoperable.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not hold this data however vital cancer services have remained throughout the COVID-19 pandemic where clinically agreed. We have been clear that throughout this pandemic, the NHS is there for those who need it most. To ensure pat…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which clinical trials have been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: A list detailing the title of Clinical Trials which were paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic can be found at NHS Research Scotland’s website: http://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/uploads/tinymce/NRS%20Non-COVID-19%20Suspended%20Study%20Sites.pdf . This id…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what clinical guidance it has issued during the COVID-19 pandemic for the monitoring of people on waiting lists to ensure that their condition does not deteriorate.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Targeted clinical guidance has been issued to support decision making in a range of areas including clinical prioritisation. This includes:Clinical and patient guidance disseminated to clinical and oncology teams on the 30 April which has been kept under cons…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people on the COVID-19 shielding list have died, and what information it has regarding how many died from conditions other than the virus.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: As at 29 June, we have been informed by Public Health Scotland that 4,061 people who have been advised to shield have sadly died. The Scottish Government does not hold information about the cause of death of those who have died. As at 29 June, there are 181,0…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many cancer-related surgeries have been (a) cancelled and (b) delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Data requested by the member is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Whilst the majority of cancer treatments have continued throughout this pandemic, some patient’s treatment plans may have changed to minimise their individual risk. Those that…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have had a faecal immunochemical test delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what plans are in place to ensure that the people assumed most at risk are tested as early as possible.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Estimated numbers of people affected by the pause to bowel screening were published when the pause to the programme was announced on 30 March. The figures, which are based on the most recent information available to Information Services Division at the time o…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on donations to (a) cancer and (b) other medical research, and what support it can make available to compensate for any shortfall.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 11th June 2020 the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) published on their website an article entitled COVID-19: The risk to AMRC charities. https://www.amrc.org.uk/covid-19-the-risk-to-amrc-charities . The published AMRC figures do not dist…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have had a breast screening appointment delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what plans are in place to ensure that the people assumed most at risk are tested as early as possible.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Estimated numbers of people affected by the pause to breast screening were published when the pause to the programme was announced on 30 March. The figures, which are based on the most recent information available to Information Services Division at the time …
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are employed in university (a) cancer and (b) other medical research projects, and what the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on the number in post.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: HESA staff and student data shows that there were 15,765 Research Staff at Scottish Providers in 2018/19 but these data do not allow break down to cancer or other medical subjects. The Scottish Government is not currently aware of any impact of the COVID-19 p…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has used the skills of the medical research sector to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Covid-19 Clinical Guidance Cell has been established by the Chief Medical Officer to rapidly develop and revise guidance on clinical management of COVID-19 for the NHS. The purpose of the Clinical Guidance Cell is to rapidly prepare guidance for the heal…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each cancer screening programme have had their appointment delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Estimated numbers affected by the pause to the screening programmes are based on the most recent information available to Information Services Division at the time of the pause. This indicates the following numbers of people may have had their appointment del…
22 Jun 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on university (a) cancer and (b) other medical research projects, also broken down by how many projects (i) have been stopped and (ii) are delayed.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Funding Council has estimated that in research subjects where access to labs or equipment is required, such as general medicine, research activity during lockdown was at roughly at 20-30% of normal levels. The Scottish Government is expecting thi…