Parliamentary questions
Monica Lennon
3,484 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scotland reportedly has the highest COVID-19 care home death rate, proportionately per population size, in the UK.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: National Records of Scotland (NRS), Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish statistics on deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate (including suspected COVID-19 deaths). Due…
26 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out to explain the number of excess deaths, which are non-COVID-19 related, in care homes in 2020.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: National Records of Scotland (NRS) publish weekly statistics on COVID-19 deaths, including where COVID-19 was a suspected or underlying cause of death. NRS report that up to week 13, the number of weekly registered deaths in Scotland had been broadly in line…
26 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many hospice patients have had COVID-19 mentioned on their death certificate in 2020.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information is not centrally collected. National Records of Scotland produce a weekly publication which includes figures for the number of deaths associated with COVID-19 that occurred in various settings, however deaths in hospices are not reported sep…
26 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients that were on a delayed discharge register and then moved to a care home tested positive for COVID-19.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29039 on 25 June 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…
26 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients who tested positive for COVID-19 were discharged from hospitals and moved to care homes in 2020.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29039 on 2 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/28…
26 May 2020 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have died after contracting COVID-19 in a hospital and what action has been taken to investigate outbreaks in NHS settings.
25 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions or contact it has had with representatives of (a) Nike, (b) Hilton Edinburgh Carlton and (c) Health Protection Scotland regarding a COVID-19 outbreak at the hotel and subsequent communications and handling.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: We have had no discussions or contact with Nike or the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on this issue. Health Protection Scotland (HPS) were alerted on 2 March that an individual overseas who had been at the conference had tested positive. On Tuesday 3 March, HPS in…
25 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) make the public aware that COVID-19 can affect people differently and (b) educate and raise public awareness of the common, mild and serious COVID-19 symptoms to be aware of.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government is undertaking a variety of actions to ensure the public are aware of how COVID-19 can affect people differently. These includeDaily First Minister BriefingsMedia and social media relations activity on a daily basis to communicate key …
25 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the possibility of introducing a four-day working week for NHS staff.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland terms and conditions are discussed in partnership through our well established negotiating structures, which always include staff side representation. NHS Boards actively support flexible working patterns, and there are agreed process in place fo…
25 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a four-day working week for its employees, including on a pilot basis.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has no immediate plans to pilot a 4-day working week for its employees. We are scheduled to meet the recognised trade unions (PCS, Prospect, and FDA) later in the year for regular discussions on pay, and terms and conditions.
25 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its understanding is of the post-viral impacts of COVID-19 on physical and mental health.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Clinical advice and available evidence suggests it is too early to determine exactly what the post-viral, long-term physical and mental health impacts will be for those who have had COVID-19. We are aware that some people suffer from post-viral syndrome follo…
21 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what alternatives it is putting in place to maintain high stands of pulmonary rehabilitation if it pulls out of the National Asthma and COPD Audit Programme (NACAP).
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Access to pulmonary rehabilitation is already a key recommendation in national clinical guidelines which we expect NHS Boards to follow, that is why it will form an important part of the final Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland, currently out for consu…
21 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm if it is pulling out of the National Asthma and COPD Audit Programme (NACAP) and for what reason.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government on behalf of the NHS and other stakeholders have been working with Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) since November 2018 to try and identify a way forward that will support Scotland’s continued participation in the Nati…
21 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address health inequalities, in response to reports that COVID-19 is more greatly affecting areas of high deprivation.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: In our “Framework for Decision-Making”, we made a commitment to put equality and human rights at the heart of our response to COVID-19. To support this, analytical partners across the Scottish Government, National Records of Scotland, Public Health Scotland …
21 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have died while subject to detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 during March and April (a) 2017, (b) 2018, (c) 2019 and (d) 2020.
Answer · Clare Haughey: Principal responsibility for collecting data on deaths in hospital belongs to Public Health Scotland. However, the Mental Welfare Commission must be notified by Health Boards of deaths of people who are subject to detention in hospital or treatment in the com…
21 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position on publishing the scientific advice it has received that was used as the basis for its decisions on the COVID-19 response since the beginning of the outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government receives scientific advice from the Scottish Government COVID19 Advisory Group. Information about the group, including membership and notes of the discussions which have taken place, is available here: https://www.gov.scot/groups/scot…
21 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial impact on integration joint boards of the COVID-19 outbreak, and whether it has any plans to review their funding.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29276 on 8 June 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…
21 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response it to reports that integrated joint boards face emergency budget pressures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is undertaking a detailed review of COVID-19 budget pressures across health and social care, and as part of this we will ensure that Integration Authorities have the resources that they need. The Scottish Government has made available…
15 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many unpaid carers it estimates will not receive the recently announced additional Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment of £230.10, and for what reason they are not eligible.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: According to the latest estimate around 690,000 people in Scotland are providing regular unpaid care to family members, friends, neighbours or others, for one or more hours a week, and on a range of incomes. The Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement will b…
13 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will be making the first payments to hospices in the Central Scotland region from the £19 million that it announced on 28 April 2020 to support such facilities in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including Kilbryde Hospice in East Kilbride, which is reportedly at risk of closur…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: On the 29 June, I wrote to Scottish Hospices to confirm that their funding requests (totalling £10.1m) related to loss of income during the pandemic during the first financial quarter of 2020 would be met in full. Integration Authorities and NHS Boards were a…
11 May 2020 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide clarification on the current COVID-19 testing policy for people being discharged from hospital to care homes, and what clinical guidance is currently in place for care homes.
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many COVID-19-related deaths in each NHS board area have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences regulations.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not have access to this information as it held by the Health and Safety Executive which is reserved. The total number of deaths in each health board where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate is published weekly by the…
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding staffing-to-patient ratios in intensive care unit settings during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Information on staff to patient ratios in intensive care unit settings during COVID-19 outbreak is not centrally held by ISD or NES. A joint statement on developing immediate critical care nursing capacity, produced by the four United Kingdom Chief Nursing O…
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many mental health patients have died in hospital from COVID-19.
Answer · Clare Haughey: This information is not held centrally. It may be available on request from individual health boards.
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Tiger Eye protective goggles and frames form part of the country's pandemic personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies, and, if so, (a) how many items there are and (b), in light of the Health and Safety Executive's assessment, what action has been taken to review the supply ch…
Answer · Clare Haughey: Tiger Eye goggles and frames were part of the standing pre Covid-19 national pandemic stockpile. The UK Department for Health and Social Care contacted us on Saturday 9th May advising that there was an issue with the Tiger Eye protective glasses. This product…
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether communal activities in care homes that do not maintain two-metre physical distancing should be happening during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Guidance from Health Protection Scotland and the Scottish Government is clear that physical distancing measures must be followed by everyone, including those in care homes . It recommends that residents remain in their rooms as much as possible; that communal…
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings, discussions or correspondence there have been between the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, (b) Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing and (c) Minister for Mental Health and the Care Inspectorate in 2020, and what was discussed.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 3 April a joint letter from Mr Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, and myself was sent to Local Authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships, Chief Social Work Officers, Social Work Scotland, COSLA, and the Ca…
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the resilience plans of the health and social care partnerships in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: All Health and Social Care Partnerships have submitted mobilisation plans, setting out how they intend to assure resilience in delivery of existing health and social care provision and manage expected increases in demand for these services. These plans have …
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason people with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia are not on the COVID-19 shielded list, and when they might be included.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Haematologists across Scotland continue to advise that shielding for every patient with a diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia is not necessary. There are significant downsides to shielding, and it is not something we want to ask of anyone unless clinic…
10 May 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government Care who the members of the care home rapid action group that has been set up in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; when it has met, and what was discussed.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The remit of the Care Home Rapid Action Group is to bring together representatives from across the care home system to monitor data on developments in the sector, enabling a swift reaction to any developing issues. The Group meets twice a week, once in plenar…