Michelle Ballantyne

Answer · Humza Yousaf · 24 Mar 2021

The Scottish Government has for some time been examining how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the justice system, including information about incidents of domestic abuse reported to police, and introduced a series of monthly data reports from June 2020. The Scottish Government also published reports in June, September, and November 2020, which explored the impact of COVID-19 on people experiencing domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls. Further research expected in Spring 2022, in relation to the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, will include questions which will offer an opportunity to capture information about the impact of COVID-19 on the experiences of victims and witnesses of court.
Absolutely no one should have to suffer domestic abuse and it is deeply concerning that services have reported an increase in referrals during the pandemic. Police Scotland’s recovery planning has been underway throughout the crisis and responding to domestic abuse has remained a priority during the pandemic. To ensure frontline services can meet demand the Scottish Government has allocated an additional £5.75 million to support organisations such as Scottish Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland. We continue to work with justice partners and victims organisations to fully understand the impact of COVID-19 on domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls.

Answer · Jeane Freeman · 11 Feb 2021

Throughout the pandemic NHS Boards have worked hard to minimise the cancellation of elective surgery and continue to balance all clinical requirements to ensure emergency trauma, urgent patients can be accommodated. This, on occasions, has meant the postponement of surgery, and we apologise to any patients who has been affected in this way.
The national Clinical Prioritisation Framework for Supporting Elective Care across NHS Scotland was published on 16 November 2020. The Framework sets out the principles that NHS Boards should follow when considering decisions on prioritising cases on their elective care waiting lists during the pandemic.
Whilst the need to protect non COVID-19 healthcare activity remains paramount, it will inevitably be affected by the degree to which we can suppress the virus. Consequently, given the differing levels of virus prevalence we are seeing across the country, we need to give our clinicians and NHS Boards flexibility to manage the demands of this continuing emergency situation.
The expectation is that NHS Boards will follow the principles of the Framework to categorise patients based on their particular clinical needs, and will step back non-urgent routine procedures to held enable the Framework to be followed. This will allow NHS Boards to ensure that the patients with the greatest clinical need are treated quickest.
In relation to capacity issues, The NHS Golden Jubilee are continuing to provide support and mutual aid to all the territorial Health Boards throughout the pandemic and winter period. The Board are also working flexibly to support urgent national demands, including surgery.
In addition, the Scottish Government have secured further capacity from the private healthcare sector in Scotland to help support this work. Our strategy for using the private sector is to ensure that there is a green pathway for those patients who require vital planned care. The private sector hospitals will provide support for breast surgery, urology, and gynaecology.

Answer · Jeane Freeman · 25 Nov 2020

The Scottish Government is aware of reports which alleged that bin liners were being repurposed to make PPE aprons. On the same day that these reports emerged on social media, officials in NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) checked and confirmed that these were not bin bags and are in fact PPE. Specifically, these are ‘smock style aprons’ that had unfortunately been mislabelled as white tint polythene bags.
NSS procure a range of aprons that vary in style and design and it may have been the first instance of the practices in question receiving this style of apron. These smock style aprons fully comply with all regulations and have passed rigorous quality assurance.
This is a rare instance of mislabelling and NSS worked with supply partners to remedy the problem as swiftly as possible. Additionally, NSS have said to health boards that if any staff would prefer to have a different style of apron, then a replacement request can be raised through their local board supplies team and an alternative will be provided.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn · 18 Nov 2020

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. Data is not readily available for Hunterston as the area is not specifically defined by standard statistical geographical classifications.
 

Answer · Michael Russell · 16 Nov 2020

Our existing network of external offices play a critical role in supporting delivery of Scotland’s international objectives, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our current external network of offices, located in China (Beijing), Germany (Berlin), Belgium (Brussels), France (Paris), Ireland (Dublin), UK (London), the USA (Washington DC) and Canada (Ottawa), have been working hard to attract investment to Scotland and helping Scottish businesses to enhance and expand on their ability to trade internationally.
They also continue to play a vital role in improving Scotland’s international profile, and protecting and enhancing Scotland’s interests in the EU and beyond. With so much uncertainty over what the UK’s future relationship with the European Union will be, this will be absolutely critical for Scotland. In this light, we will communicate any decision to expand or develop the network at the appropriate time.