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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-18060

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when data on pancreatic cancer survival rates will next be published, in light of the last available data being published in 2019.

Question reference: S6W-17738

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17148 by Michael Matheson on 2 May 2023, whether it has since become aware of any shortages of radionuclide for bone scans in NHS boards, including NHS Tayside, which have reportedly affected prostate cancer patients who require such scans to check whether their cancer has spread to their bones, and, if so, how it is addressing any such shortages.

The Scottish Government can confirm there are no known shortages of radionuclides involved in bone scans.

Medicines shortages can arise for various reasons such as difficulties with manufacturing or with the supply of raw materials. The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. While disruptions in medicine supply can occur, they are often short in nature.

Question reference: S6W-18058

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of nursing students, in light of the reported statement by the Royal College of Nursing that 600 fewer nursing students started university in autumn 2022 than the Scottish Government's recommended target of 4,536.

Fully funded undergraduate programmes have increased in size for 10 consecutive years. Now we will ensure stability in our universities and aid workforce planning by maintaining our intake target for nursing places for 3 years at this all-time high figure of 4536.

We know that there were fewer applications into nursing at the January 2023 UCAS update, however we continue to expect applications to rise over the summer period. Student Awards Agency Scotland and our Higher Education Institutions continue to work hard to promote programmes by visiting schools, attending careers fairs and promoting the range of opportunities via social media channels.

We know that not everyone will begin their career by participating in an undergraduate programme and undergraduate programmes are not the sole solution to filling vacancies. That is why we are already considering alternative progressive career pathways that can attract new candidates and encourage existing staff to join supported education programmes that enable them to reach registration with the relevant professional bodies.

In collaboration with NHS Education Scotland, Higher Education Institutions, practice partners and other key stakeholders we are actively exploring models to increase the pathways into these careers via potential apprenticeships and ‘earn as you learn’ routes. We are also encouraging individuals to return to the NHS following career breaks via our refreshed commissioned Return to Practice programme which commenced in 2020. Since 2020 a total of 152 practitioners - 140 nurses & 12 midwives - have successfully registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This year, 82 have commenced the programme (75 nurses and 7 midwives) with 32 so far completing. These routes will be discussed in more detail at the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce which next meets in June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-18057

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

In June 2022 the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousef published a timetable for the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 on both the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website and Care Inspectorate website .

This timetable is still valid although it is noted the guidance consultation period is now due to start in June 2023, rather than May 2023.

If there is a particular element of implementation you would like further information on, please do not hesitate to contact the Act Implementation Team using HCSA@gov.scot .

Question reference: S6W-18045

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of any hospital wards or units that have (a) closed and (b) been downgraded in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-18044

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly not possible to currently (a) train in paediatric palliative medicine and (b) study for a community children's nursing (CCN) qualification in Scotland.

Given the small numbers of highly specialised trainees in paediatric palliative medicine, training is currently delivered at the UK centre of excellence at Great Ormond Street.

With regards to studying for a community children’s nursing (CCN) qualification in Scotland, the Scottish Government has commissioned education specific to the needs of nurses delivering care in the community in the form of the Integrated Community Nursing Graduate Diploma.

This education provides opportunities to select an optional module, one of which is focused on integrated care of children and young people. In tandem with this, the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland, alongside other colleagues and stakeholders, contributed to the revision of the NMC post-registration education standards, available online here Standards of proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk) .

These standards continue to include provision for the development of community children’s nurses education programmes and higher education institutions in Scotland, and across the UK. We are now considering how best to develop programmes in alignment with the revised standards.

Question reference: S6O-02323

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-18047

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any delays to the network of NHS Scotland's National Treatment Centres; what the (a) original scheduled opening date was and (b) new forecasted opening date is, for each centre, and whether it will provide (i) an update on the recruitment of the 1,500 clinical and non-clinical staff needed for the centres and (ii) a breakdown of any increases in forecasted costs for each centre.

The Scottish Government’s National Treatment Centres (NTCs) programme will provide protected capacity for planned care for orthopaedic, ophthalmic and diagnostic activity. NTC Fife and NTC Highland have already opened this year with NTC Forth Valley and Golden Jubilee Phase 2 due to open later this year.

The original and actual / projected costs, as well as original and actual/projected opening dates are shown in the following table.

	As stated in Full Business Case		Actual / projected
	Cost	Opening Date	Cost	Opening Date
Golden Jubilee – Eye Centre (Phase 1)	£15.8m	July 20	£15.3m	Nov 20
NTC Fife	£33.2m	Sep 22	£34.3m	Mar 23
NTC Highland	£41.3m	Note 1	£48.6m	Apr 23
NTC Forth Valley	£10.2m	Dec 22	£12.7m	Sep 23
Golden Jubilee – Phase 2	£80.9m	Dec 22	£82.3m	Dec 23

Note 1: The Planned Opening Date of July 2021 (and construction completion of May 2021), as noted in the FBC submission, was based on the full business case being approved in May 2019. Consideration of the full business case was deferred until the January 2020 Capital Investment Group meeting and the approval letter issued in February 2020. At the date of approval the revised opening date would have been April 2022.

For the remaining Centres, the costs and dates for opening will be confirmed on submission and approval of the full business cases.

The Scottish Government is providing a range of recruitment support, as well as training and development activity to assist Health Boards with securing the right mix of new and experienced staff for their NTCs.

We are working with Health Boards to publish NTC workforce data alongside the overall NHS Scotland workforce statistics in June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17979

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) annual, (b) monthly and (c) hourly remuneration is for the Women's Health Champion.

Question reference: S6W-17762

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the University of Dundee report, Senior Hospital Doctors' Intentions to Retire in NHS Scotland, which states that nearly half of all senior hospital doctors in Scotland aged 50 and over intend to retire before normal pension age.

I welcome this report and the valuable insight it has given us. The report highlighted that pension taxation was the main driver for Consultant’s seeking early retirement, which is why we continued to press the UK Government to resolve this issue. I am pleased they listened and brought forward changes at the UK Budget on 15 March to the annual and life time allowances that resolve this issue for the vast majority of Senior Doctors, ensuring they have an alternative choice to retiring early and leaving the service.

The report gives NHS Employers a clear understanding of the issues facing our highly valued Consultant staff. It will allow us to work in partnership with BMA Scotland and NHS Boards through our established structures to address the issues raised in this report, ensuring that NHS Scotland is able to attract and retain doctors at all stages in their career.

We have already established the Improving Medical Retention Advisory Group who have made recommendations to improve the retention of senior doctors and are continuing to implement these actions.