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The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government, due to the possibility of patient identifiable information.

Ministers are not notified of every patient death by suspected hospital acquired infection, due to the possibility of patient identifiable information.

However, Ministers are routinely notified of incidents of hospital infection outbreaks (involving two or more patients) with management information regarding the organism of infection, number of patients involved in the outbreak, investigations and any suspected deaths associated with the outbreak. 

The information requested relating to how many patients a) contracted and (b) died from fungal infections at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is not centrally held by the Scottish Government, due to the possibility of patient identifiable information.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government, due to the possibility of patient identifiable information.

The number of Consultants with a specialty of Obstetrics & Gynaecology working in NHSScotland have increased by 12.8% (from 574.3 WTE as at Sept 2006 to 647.8 WTE as at Jun 2021).

The number of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Consultants working in NHSScotland can be found on the NHS Education for Scotland website on the following link: Medical and Dental | Turas Data Intelligence (nhs.scot)

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde report that maintenance work requests for wards 4a and 4b were mainly in relation to paint and floor damage. Reactive works requests are general requests direct from the Ward and can include issues such as broken equipment, heating, cooling lights, broken beds, electrics etc.

Planned maintenance activities are also carried out which include checks of Ventilation, Emergency lighting, Fire Alarm, Thermal Mixing Taps, Showers and Fire Doors etc.

Scottish Government officials are continually engaging with NHS Boards to identify particular areas of concern. This includes the gathering of daily capacity and weekly absence reporting from all territorial Health Boards.

Through this ongoing engagement, NHS Highland advise that they have embedded an established structure for daily clinical and care huddles which are designed using the principles of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme. These forums are used for reviewing staffing and escalating any concerns in relation to patient safety and quality and staff wellbeing.

We are fully aware of the unprecedented pressure that the pandemic is putting on services within NHS Highland and across Scotland. That is why we have announced a record £300 million of investment to support Health Boards and their staff over the coming months.

As part of this investment, NHS Highland is receiving additional in-year and recurring finance to support international recruitment of registered nurses and additional Healthcare Support Workers for acute services. The Board has also received a share of in-year investment to provide additional support to its recruitment team and to recruit an international recruitment lead.

Our reducing risks in schools guidance sets out the current COVID-19 mitigations in schools.

Current guidance reflects the best scientific and clinical advice, as well as the current state of the pandemic and the anticipated trajectory of infections. The restrictions, which limit non-essential visitors in schools and early learning and childcare settings, include attendance by parents for nativity plays and similar events. However, we know that many schools and settings plan to use other creative means to present these activities, such as streaming them online or holding them outdoors.

The September 2019 Programme for Government commitment to develop proposals for a new medical school was paused in March 2020 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are currently considering how this commitment can be implemented or linked to the new Programme for Government (PfG) Commitment to increase medical undergraduates by 100 per year and to double the number of Widening Access places over the lifetime of this parliament.

The questions in the census are derived from existing health and wellbeing surveys which have been tested and ethically approved. The questions are completely age and stage appropriate. Local authorities are required by law to plan for children's services in their local area, they have a legal basis to ask children and young people about their lives and wellbeing to help them with this. Local authorities need this data about the health and wellbeing of children and young people in order to:

• plan and deliver better policies for the benefit of all children and families, or specific groups;
• better understand some of the factors which influence the outcomes for children;
• target resources better;
• enhance the quality of research to improve the lives of people in Scotland; and,
• provide a window on society, the economy and on the work and performance of local and central government.

The Scottish Government worked with stakeholders to carefully consider and design a set of sample questionnaires – with each set of questions being age appropriate. The content was developed by representatives and experts from across academia who are experts in conducting research of this nature – experts from public health, Education Scotland, local authorities and schools. The Census has also been ethically approved by independent researchers within the Scottish Government.

The questions, therefore, are considered entirely appropriate for the age ranges they cover.