Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-35471

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to assist NHS boards with the implementation of systems and record-keeping procedures to ensure patient safety in hospitals.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS Boards to record and report incidents through their existing adverse events reporting systems and investigate as required including escalation to Police Scotland, if necessary.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland are working with all NHS boards and partner organisations to standardise the reporting of adverse events and have developed a ‘National Framework for Reviewing and Learning From Adverse Events’ which was published in February 2025.

Question reference: S6W-35470

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to issue guidance to the management of NHS boards regarding improving safety in hospitals and minimising any risk of sexual assault, and if this is the case, whether such guidance will address (a) preventative practices and (b) how to improve management policies and staff guidelines, and how it monitors the effectiveness of any measures put in place to protect patients and staff.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS Boards to record and report incidents through their existing adverse events reporting systems and investigate as required including escalation to Police Scotland, if necessary.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland are working with all NHS boards and partner organisations to standardise the reporting of adverse events and have developed a National Framework for Reviewing and Learning From Adverse Events which was published in February 2025. We are also working with Equally Safe at Work, who have developed an accreditation programme for Health Boards, as part of the Equally Safe Strategy.

The Managing Health at work policies include guidance on preventing, reporting and dealing with violence and aggression. This staff policy is being refreshed under the NHSScotland Once for Scotland Workforce Policies Programme.

A Sexual Harassment Guide is also in development to supplement the Gender Based Violence Policy which is currently being refreshed.

Question reference: S6W-35475

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to research effective safeguarding and risk management procedures in relation to sexual assault in psychiatric hospitals.

Health Boards are responsible for effective safeguarding and risk management procedures, assessing patient safety and staff risks within their facilities, and for taking appropriate local action.

We expect that local governance arrangements should include clear oversight, regular reporting, and continuous improvement in line with national guidance and patient safety standards. We have published Core Mental Health Standards which set out what is expected from services they deliver.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland have recently extended their Safe Delivery of Care inspection programmes from acute hospitals to include NHS mental health in-patient services

We have commissioned NHS Assure to develop and implement a standardised App based tool to assess factors that impact the quality and safety of care in the built environment of our in-patient wards in mental health services across Scotland. Every Heath Board with adult in-patient services will be expected to complete these assessments and to act upon the findings where a need for improvement is identified.

Question reference: S6W-35473

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide guidance to NHS boards regarding accurate data collection for any reports of sexual assault within their board, including in relation to the age and biological sex of any victims and alleged perpetrators.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS Boards to record and report incidents through their local reporting systems and investigate as required including escalation to Police Scotland, if necessary.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland are working with all NHS boards and partner organisations to standardise the reporting of adverse events and have developed a National Framework for Reviewing and Learning From Adverse Events which was published in February 2025.

We strongly encourage patients and staff to report all instances of violent and aggressive behaviour, including sexual violence. Police Scotland will record crimes through their Crime Management System.

Question reference: S6O-04746

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the Caledonian System.

Question reference: S6O-04712

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve waiting times for audiology appointments.

Question reference: S6W-37073

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it had with women’s rights groups in relation to the For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers case.

No meetings were held with organisations or stakeholders to discuss the case of For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers prior to the Supreme Court judgment as it is not appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on live legal proceedings.

Following the Supreme Court ruling on 16th April, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice spoke with Scottish Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland and Engender on 17 April and the Women’s Rights Network on 22 April to discuss the judgment. The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice also offered a meeting to For Women Scotland on 17 April, but they declined the invite. Subsequently, a new invite has issued and both organisations are in discussion regards a date to meet.

Question reference: S6W-37070

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total amount is that has been spent to date on the For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers case.

The Scottish Government has published some information already on costs. Final costs in relation to the case are still being determined and are not yet available. We will publish the total cost of the case when it is fully complete.

Legal costs for judicial review on gender representation on public boards: FOI release - gov.scot

Inner House appeal on the statutory guidance for the Gender Representation: FOI release - gov.scot

Legal costs of Supreme Court case against For Women Scotland: FOI release - gov.scot

Question reference: S6W-37071

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an outline of the legal advice that it received for the For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers case.

Question reference: S6W-37072

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any civil servants were involved in any work related to the For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers case.

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