Seòmar agus comataidhean

Work on the Global Affairs Framework is continuing and the Framework will be published in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05487 on 21 January 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The number of confirmed strokes discharged during 2021 showing total length of stay and length of stay in a stroke unit is in the following table.

For some of the figures, the length of stay in the stroke unit are longer compared to stay in the audit. The patient may have completed the stroke part of their journey, but they did not have a discharge plan, so would be discharged from the audit. However, they are still in the stroke unit, for example if they have another condition that is more important than stroke.

As of 28 February, general population self-isolation guidance states that if you test positive, you should pause routine LFD testing for 28 days after self-isolating. Count the 28 days from the day your symptoms started, or the date of your positive test if had no symptoms. If you are identified as a close contact during this time, you do not need to test or self-isolate as long as you do not have any new symptoms, regardless of vaccination status. If you develop new symptoms, self-isolate and book a PCR test.

Throughout the pandemic, the Scottish Government has kept self-isolation policy under review in line with the most up to date scientific evidence and clinical advice. We continue to balance the need to dampen transmission of the virus whilst limiting the impact on the economy and critical public services.

While we do not currently have such plans under consideration, we always keep such matters under review. However, we do continue to engage with MOD as it seeks to further embed the Armed Forces Covenant into legislation through the Armed Forces Act, which received Royal Assent on 15 December. We worked closely with MOD in advance of its introduction to ensure it is fit for purpose in Scotland and continue to work with MOD as they develop the statutory guidance. However, we are satisfied that the Covenant provisions in the Armed Forces Act do not fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

Guidelines are intended as an aid to clinical judgement, not to replace it. The ultimate decision about a particular clinical procedure or treatment will always depend on each individual patient’s condition, circumstances and wishes, and the clinical judgement of the healthcare team.

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) have taken the opportunity to take a four nations approach and collaborate with the Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party on the 6th edition of the Royal College of Physicians National Clinical Guideline for Stroke which is expected to be published in February 2023. This will be a collaborative national guideline which will be applicable for use in Scotland.

There are a wide range of definitions for Stroke Units and it is understandable that stroke units will look very different between, for instance, a large city hospital and island NHS Boards

The core criteria for defining a stroke unit are well described in the academic literature, including in Langhorne et al (2002). Professor Langhorne is a member of the Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) Team and has been influential in defining different models of stroke unit care.

NHS Boards are expected to describe their stroke unit models through the SSCA processes and the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme Team review this information during Board Reviews (now occurring at least twice annually). This ensures that optimal and evidence based services are being delivered and demonstrates that stroke units are viewed as a core component of care.

We are supporting the National Advisory Committee on Stroke to develop a progressive stroke pathway document which will set out the vision for what stroke services across Scotland should deliver across the whole patient pathway, including access to stroke rehabilitation, and access to support for people who have experienced a stroke.

Scottish Government will work closely with the Stroke Improvement Programme Team and stakeholders throughout 2022 to develop an implementation plan to deliver the vision set out in this document.

We will continue to take steps to introduce a high quality and clinically safe thrombectomy service in Scotland. A Scotland wide service is expected to be operational by 2023.

Devices are being procured by individual local authorities to ensure they can be used in line with local digital learning strategies. We do not have detailed information on how they are currently being procured and decisions on their use and distribution are taken by councils themselves.

Connectivity packages are being procured by individual local authorities to ensure they can be used in line with local digital learning strategies. We do not have detailed information on how they are being procured across all areas and decisions on their use and distribution are taken by councils themselves.