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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-06595

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how accessible the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme is for people who have a learning disability, including on the accessibility of information about how to access the programme, and whether it will provide details of the system that is in place to identify people with a learning disability who are eligible for a vaccination.

Adults and children with a learning disability who were coded in their GP systems as such, have now been invited for vaccination as at-risk groups. Criteria from the Green Book (GB) was used to develop queries to run across GP IT systems to identify and extract data on those identified as being eligible based on GB criteria. In addition, the Scottish Government has worked across carers and disability policy areas to cascade information via the third sector to organisations who support people with a learning disability – to further highlight this offer.

It is vital for vaccination programmes to reach everyone and that no one is left behind, both for individual health and our collective community wellbeing. We have increased our efforts to ensure the vaccination programme reaches everyone and is fully inclusive with a range of outreach activities and partnerships to engage with under-served groups.

On 25 February 2021, a letter from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer offered the expertise of local learning disability nurses in providing reasonable adjustments for the COVID-19 Immunisation programme: Coronavirus (COVID-19): immunisation programme for people with learning disabilities - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

We have ensured our COVID-19 vaccination communications are suitable for everyone in Scotland, with the production of translated information and assets in multiple languages, a range of formats on NHS Inform and the development of a vaccine explainer video, informed by insights from organisations representing various under-served communities. Easy read versions of our leaflets are available from Public Health Scotland: COVID-19 vaccine information in Easy Read (healthscotland.com) . These include accessible social stories explaining the process from arriving at the clinic to leaving. Some of the larger vaccination centres also have access to a quiet area for individuals, including extended appointment times for example at The Event Complex Aberdeen. A number of health boards also have “vaccine clinic walk-through” videos to support people who are anxious about the experience.

We embed inclusion in our approach and ensure that people who may experience barriers, or feel less confident, are able to come forward for vaccination. This includes the provision of quieter spaces, smaller clinics and appropriate staff training to support the needs of people with Learning Disabilities and other conditions. Particular adjustments, such as quiet rooms, can be organised in advance of or at the appointment by contacting the local Health Board.

Question reference: S6W-06597

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it is providing to ensure that anyone with a learning disability, who wishes to, can access the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme, including through home visits where required.

I refer the member to the answer to the earlier question S6W-06595 on 1 March 2022. In addition, procedures are in place for when the nature of an individual’s condition means they cannot travel, so that a home appointment can be organised. On the first instance, people should contact the number on their appointment letter. Further information on how to request support with interpretation, or get help with travelling to appointments offered by local health boards can be found here: NHS Inform site - https://www.nhsinform.scot/transport-and-interpreter

Local health boards have a list of people currently registered as housebound with their GPs, and are in the process of contacting them all to receive their flu and COVID-19 booster in line with eligibility.

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

Question reference: S6W-06594

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether everyone who has a learning disability has now been identified via GP practice data in relation to the COVID-19 booster programme, in light of the announcement in February 2021 that people with a learning disability were to be included in priority group 6 for the vaccine, and what steps have been taken since February 2021 to enable this.

Adults and children with a learning disability who were coded in their GP systems, have now been invited for vaccination as at-risk groups. Criteria from the Green Book (GB) was used to develop queries to run across GP IT systems to identify and extract data on those identified as being eligible based on GB criteria. In addition, the Scottish Government has worked across carers and disability policy areas to cascade information via the third sector to organisations who support people with a learning disability – to further highlight this offer.

Question reference: S6F-00854

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2022

To ask the First Minister what urgent steps will be taken to address lung disease in Scotland, in light of the reported comments of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland that “the state of lung health in Scotland is shameful, with over 7,000 people dying a year".

Question reference: S6W-06471

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what capital investment plans are in place for the delivery of new health and social care centres in Gourock and Port Glasgow.

The Scottish Government does not create investment plans for specific healthcare facilities in particular health board areas. The creation and implementation of such plans is properly the role of the local health board, in this case NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The Scottish Government's NHS Capital Investment Group meets on a monthly basis to consider investment proposals submitted by health boards. The Scottish Government understands that Port Glasgow Health Centre is one of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's priorities for investment in community infrastructure. However, no proposals have been submitted to the Scottish Government to date. We will review any proposals which are submitted in due course. The member may wish to seek further information directly from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as regards its plans for the delivery of healthcare facilities in Gourock and Port Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-06292

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training in schools.

Scottish Government is a key partner in the Save a Life for Scotland (SALFS) partnership. Since 2015, the SALFS has equipped more than 640,000 people in Scotland with CPR skills. Over the same time period the rate of people surviving an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Scotland has increased from one in 20 to one in 10.

In March 2021, the partnership published an updated strategy, which can be found at: Out of hospital cardiac arrest: strategy 2021 to 2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Within this, there is a clear commitment to working closely with Local Authorities to ensure that all school aged children have the opportunity to learn CPR. SALFS partners continue to work collaboratively to implement the strategy.

Question reference: S6W-06426

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and (b) Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport last met the (i) Chair and (ii) Lead Clinician of the National Advisory Committee responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Respiratory Care Action Plan.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has not met with the Chair or Lead Clinician of the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee.

Respiratory policy falls under the portfolio remit of Ms Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Public Health, Women's Health & Sport. The Minister has not met with the Chair or Lead Clinician of the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee.

However, officials meet regularly with the Lead Clinician of the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee to discuss the implementation of the Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06291

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to installing defibrillators in all schools.

Decisions on whether to install defibrillators in schools are a matter for Local Authorities to consider at the local level.

Scottish Government recognises the important role of defibrillators in the chain of survival from Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA). We are a key partner in the Save a Life for Scotland (SALFS) partnership, which published an updated strategy in March 2021: Out of hospital cardiac arrest: strategy 2021 to 2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This includes the aim of increasing the percentage of OHCAs which have a defibrillator applied before the arrival of ambulance service from 8% to 20%.

To achieve this, the strategy’s focus is to ensure that defibrillators are publicly accessible, are registered with the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) so they can be directed to in instances of OHCA, and that people feel empowered to use them. The strategy identifies a number of actions to take in order to achieve these goals.

It is important to support evidence based placement of defibrillators in areas where OHCAs are most likely to occur. To support the OHCA strategy, the Resuscitation Research Group at Edinburgh University are working to develop a tool to show where defibrillators are most likely to be required in order to support organisations and communities with optimal placement.

Question reference: S6T-00500

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent National Records of Scotland report, Healthy Life Expectancy in Scotland, showing that healthy life expectancy has decreased in each of the last four years for females, and in each of the last three years for males.

Question reference: S6O-00715

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider a complete ban on fox hunting.