Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. 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 Scottish Government does not hold the information requested centrally.

We remain committed to the provision of a community hearing service, however, there is no community hearing service at this time; a rephasing of funding has meant that not all the challenges we are facing will be addressed in a single budget. A new model of care suitable for the Scottish context, would address pressing issues faced by all health boards.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. 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 Scottish Government recognises the difficulties facing the audiology sector, as highlighted by the Independent Review of Audiology services, which reported in August 2023. Audiology is now being considered as a clinical priority area, and improvement work is being progressed through the National Planning and Delivery Board led by the Chief Operating Officer – NHS Scotland. This has necessitated re-phasing of our commitment on community hearing. We will continue to work with the NHS, Third Sector, private providers and those with lived experience to identify and inform an appropriate model of community care for any future service.

Food Standards Scotland is not responsible for investigating local incidents of foodborne illness which are potentially linked to restaurants and takeaway outlets. Investigations of sporadic cases of gastrointestinal illnesses, including those suspected to have been caused by food, are led by NHS Health Boards with support from the relevant environmental health departments, which have responsibility for taking appropriate action where a particular food business may be implicated. FSS will become involved in the investigation of these incidents when they involve meat processing businesses for which FSS is the enforcing authority, in circumstances where the implicated food has been distributed across a number of Local Authority areas, or when there has been an outbreak of illness (multiple cases of foodborne illness) which has extended nationally or has the potential to result in a serious public health risk. Where a national outbreak is detected a multi-agency response may be convened through an incident management team involving Public Health Scotland (PHS) and NHS Health Boards (which lead the epidemiological investigations), and Local Authorities and FSS (which lead the food chain investigations). In this situation FSS will ensure the traceability of implicated products and support Local Authorities in their enquiries and sampling activities aimed at identifying the source of the outbreak.

Further information on the management of outbreaks of foodborne illness in Scotland can be found in the guidance document which has been developed by FSS and PHS through the Public Health Protection Network (SHPN); in collaboration with experts from local authorities, Health Boards, Clinical Reference Laboratories, and Public Analyst Scientific Services: Guidance on the management of outbreaks of foodborne illness in Scotland | Food Standards Scotland

As with all decisions on the use of public funding the authorisation to meet costs would be cleared at the appropriate level within the organisation.