Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-15447

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the adequacy of current staffing levels for lung cancer nurse specialists within the (a) West of Scotland Cancer Network, (b) North Cancer Alliance and (c) South East Scotland Cancer Network.

The Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, however the statutory responsibility for delivering or commissioning services lies with health boards. Operational decisions, including whether there is a need for lung cancer specialist nurses, is therefore, a matter for them.

Scottish Government officials have weekly cancer calls with health boards where issues with staffing can be addressed and supported.

Question reference: S6W-15446

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the number of lung cancer nurse specialists.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with lung cancer are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

Clinical nurse specialists make a valued contribution to delivering services and supporting patients and families who require specialist care. The Scottish Government has invested over £2.4 million annually in the Specialist Nursing and Care Fund since 2015.

The Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland; however, the statutory responsibility for delivering or commissioning services at a local level lies with local authorities, NHS Boards and integrated health and social care partnerships. Operational decisions, including whether there is a need for lung cancer specialist nurses, are therefore matters for those bodies.

Question reference: S6W-15449

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of lung cancer nurse specialists who will retire in the next five years in (a) the West of Scotland Cancer Network, (b) the North Cancer Alliance, (c) the South East Scotland Cancer Network and (d) Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-01908

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the number of student nurses.

Question reference: S6F-01727

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government has made in clearing the reported backlog of people waiting for key diagnostic tests.

Question reference: S6W-12891

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many delayed breast reconstruction operations have been carried out in 2022, broken down by (a) month and (b) NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-12818

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, for its (a) Alcohol Harm Prevention Policy Team, (b) Alcohol Treatment Policy Team and (c) Drugs Policy Unit, how many posts there are in each team, and of these, how many are currently filled.

Question reference: S6O-01697

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter signed by over 500 businesses asking for the Deposit Return Scheme to be delayed beyond next summer.

Question reference: S6W-12065

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of patients that have participated in clinical trials in each year since 2015, broken down by (a) clinical speciality and (b) gender.

The total number of participants in clinical studies carried out between 2015-16 and 2021-22 ranged between 32,443 and 45,394 per year. Figures broken down per study type and clinical specialty are outlined in the table. Data broken down by gender is not available centrally.

Table 1. Number of participants by study type and portfolio area per year.

Studies & Portfolio Areas	FY15-16	FY16-17	FY17-18	FY18-19	FY19-20	FY20-21	FY21-22	Total
Audit/Evaluation	5		10	41				56
Cancer	5							5
Cardiovascular			10	41				51
Basic science	3219	3478	4696	6535	6198	17836	6894	48856
Ageing				42	33			75
Anaesthesia			5	39	149	121	13	327
Cancer	1090	834	465	523	482	170	747	4311
Cardiovascular	330	367	471	571	723	723	401	3586
Children	47	160	637	1297	1138	30	41	3350
Critical Care	299	76	29	73	52	767	574	1870
Dermatology		10	61	53	31	12	42	209
Diabetes	132	534	542	454	365	19	99	2145
Gastroenterology			89	396	482	290	486	1743
Genetics	53	41	550	520	117	33	189	1503
Haematology	6	3	8	15	407	1	2	442
Hepatology	140	145		14	0	9	13	321
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	237	9		0	236	14316	2804	17602
Mental Health	160	86	99	83	63	42	48	581
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders	272	88	115	243	108	19	30	875
Musculoskeletal	4	27	80	161	202	32	69	575
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	51	203	208	511	273	150	152	1548
Ophthalmology	3	1	32	97	44	0	10	187
Oral and Dental Health		31	133	35	43			242
Primary Care	25	26						51
Renal Disorders	116	21	41	37	83	26	42	366
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	46	363	287	220	49	20	12	997
Respiratory disorders	78	344	497	247	155	320	374	2015
Stroke	130	94	311	661	644	379	313	2532
Surgery		15	19	30	44	16	11	135
Trauma and Emergencies			17	213	193	340	405	1168
Uncategorised					82	1	17	100
Combined	3	18	3			0	20	44
Cancer	3							3
Cardiovascular		18				0	20	38
Hepatology		0	3					3
Respiratory disorders							0	0
CTIMP	3669	3854	3629	6168	5220	7665	5677	35882
Ageing	10	44	85	33				172
Anaesthesia	3			0	3			6
Cancer	863	945	1072	1121	965	474	779	6219
Cardiovascular	630	706	919	1833	1778	674	862	7402
Children	43	465	181	639	81	40	76	1525
Critical Care	2	13	14	24	78	231	165	527
Dermatology	41	42	35	29	50	12	1	210
Diabetes	247	96	111	768	877	85	36	2220
Ear, Nose and Throat	18	33	3	51	33	0	8	146
Gastroenterology	14	9	26	42	29	13	2	135
Genetics	58	14	13	24				109
Haematology	3	6	14	21	5	3	3	55
Hepatology	67	99	99	140	106	22	36	569
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	4	6	49	5	40	5083	2379	7566
Mental Health	20	2	0	7	6	25	27	87
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders	12	0	7	22		0	0	41
Musculoskeletal	97	143	59	98	40	303	566	1306
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	256	163	118	130	94	128	146	1035
Ophthalmology	14	16	4	5	10	24	14	87
Oral and Dental Health				358	170		5	533
Pain				0	40	15	16	71
Primary Care	44	20	18	0				82
Renal Disorders	195	65	31	51	183	64	37	626
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	360	347	223	148	93	16	91	1278
Respiratory disorders	232	149	185	292	255	284	131	1528
Stroke	321	335	248	252	219	145	189	1709
Surgery		54	38	53	65	23	23	256
Trauma and Emergencies	115	82	62	22	0	0	82	363
Uncategorised			15			1	3	19
Data	336	260	678	628	321	1214	495	3932
Anaesthesia		101			18			119
Cancer	21	16	48	24	23	71	136	339
Cardiovascular	78	33	14	0	7	34	17	183
Children	0	2	0	0	16	0	128	146
Critical Care	1	24			4			29
Dermatology						0	6	6
Diabetes			257	78				335
Ear, Nose and Throat						0	3	3
Gastroenterology		13				4	10	27
Haematology	50	22	25	231			1	329
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	3		2	23	62		144	234
Mental Health					0	0		0
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders			9					9
Musculoskeletal	11							11
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	33	49	175	7	8	45	5	322
Ophthalmology							0	0
Primary Care	0							0
Renal Disorders	8		110	49	17	7	14	205
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	131					247	21	399
Respiratory disorders			4	199	156	0	3	362
Surgery				2	10	10	7	29
Trauma and Emergencies			34	15	0	796		845
Device	3099	4958	5943	3344	8275	2324	6617	34560
Cancer	116	153	63	341	102	4	0	779
Cardiovascular	514	1151	2016	901	4252	1939	4096	14869
Children	9				1		8	18
Critical Care		174	299	11	4	1	3	492
Dermatology	43	20	7	4			0	74
Diabetes	1693	1753	578	46	2473	340	2077	8960
Haematology	236	920	1827	1543	1229	0		5755
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	44	41	87	44				216
Mental Health	4		22	33	0	6	45	110
Musculoskeletal	162	127	229	161	38	3	22	742
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	52	5	5	23	16	0	6	107
Ophthalmology	25	78	89	32	11	0	3	238
Oral and Dental Health		135	44	7	12			198
Renal Disorders	34	134	125	51	3	0	61	408
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	42	74	74	83	45	0	3	321
Respiratory disorders		44	65	32	45	0	1	187
Stroke	125	114	124	13	21	29	34	460
Surgery			8	19	19	2	36	84
Trauma and Emergencies		35	281		4	0	222	542
Other	3065	3211	2228	2093	1139	314	1191	13241
Ageing				32	33			65
Cancer	46	26	17	46	104	13	29	281
Cardiovascular	52	49		53	27	1	46	228
Children	74	80	77	34	30	6	6	307
Critical Care			79	49	7	9	13	157
Dermatology	51	96	28	22	20	0	57	274
Diabetes				6	14	14	21	55
Ear, Nose and Throat	772	372	28					1172
Gastroenterology	265	220	650	457	303	0		1895
Genetics	139	21	2	0	0	0	0	162
Haematology	8	22	6	4	0	0	309	349
Hepatology	7	31	62	30	66	5	24	225
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology						35		35
Mental Health	434	650	469	375	57			1985
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders	184	107						291
Musculoskeletal	204	250	93	158	143	0	139	987
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	252	407	263	263	41	2	46	1274
Primary Care	188	67	15	22	1			293
Renal Disorders	17	0						17
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	293	750	414	471	218	133	407	2686
Respiratory disorders				17				17
Stroke	79	63	25	54	75	96	94	486
Trauma and Emergencies							0	0
Other/randomised CT	8921	5903	4632	5812	4374	1875	4771	36288
Ageing	437	474	410	317	5		172	1815
Anaesthesia		76	141	181	51	26	39	514
Cancer	2906	392	777	840	943	222	276	6356
Cardiovascular	201	311	729	605	861	964	2516	6187
Children	101	9	72	135	286	89	267	959
Critical Care	217	233	79	60	79	31	91	790
Dermatology			93	84	17	14	1	209
Diabetes	42	18	29	54	92	7	5	247
Ear, Nose and Throat	46	60	68	8	0			182
Gastroenterology	20	3		1	10	7	27	68
Genetics	72	14	1	5	2	0	6	100
Haematology	1	1		0	10	2	2	16
Hepatology	71	48	281	26	56	37		519
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	222	2	8	104	53	78	1	468
Mental Health	280	212	265	127	239	7	48	1178
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders	1		9	0	26	39	140	215
Musculoskeletal	106	107	145	264	176	53	63	914
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	172	151	57	60	189	49	42	720
Ophthalmology	42	51	19		0	3	3	118
Oral and Dental Health			356	1092	6		48	1502
Pain							0	0
Primary Care	2493	2277	35	221	99	0	159	5284
Renal Disorders	178	144	132	217	85	35	139	930
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	512	422	527	1060	454	107	122	3204
Respiratory disorders	28	96	118	156	140	20	145	703
Stroke	109	111	63	81	193	41	141	739
Surgery	102	139	130	38	50	35	203	697
Trauma and Emergencies	562	552	88	76	252	9	115	1654
Qualitative	1125	347	603	470	512	794	395	4246
Ageing		20	104		18	0		142
Anaesthesia		2	192	0	0			194
Cancer	134	12	41	74	64	14	84	423
Cardiovascular	34	10					3	47
Children	3	24	0	72	36	57	9	201
Critical Care	20	15		9				44
Dermatology				0	15	0	0	15
Diabetes	33				26	0	19	78
Genetics		1	1	0	0	0	0	2
Hepatology					11	3	0	14
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	141	16	34	118	149	96	20	574
Mental Health	19	14	105	5		502	108	753
Musculoskeletal				0	42	15	74	131
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	259	56	41	13			7	376
Ophthalmology		7					6	13
Oral and Dental Health	16							16
Primary Care	445	42	20	35	59	69	39	709
Renal Disorders	1	13	28	2	2			46
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	5				70	21	10	106
Respiratory disorders	1	111		20		17	2	151
Stroke	14	4	37	82	3			140
Surgery					17			17
Uncategorised				40			14	54
Questionnaires	5517	14109	13875	11428	2562	1776	7177	56444
Anaesthesia		2322		1622			620	4564
Cancer	442	1392	199	310	173	60	375	2951
Cardiovascular	32	95	448	2	1	37	141	756
Children	67	224	42	17	3	62	118	533
Critical Care		43	133	179	188	292	443	1278
Dermatology	20	15	25	2	15	5	14	96
Diabetes	41	75	80	11	47	1000	4	1258
Gastroenterology	53	71	208	54	8	0	43	437
Genetics			15	10	0	0	0	25
Haematology	137	60	19	15	18		4	253
Hepatology	5	9	0	20	108	23	4	169
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	23	4	6	25	18	1	9	86
Mental Health	1675	298	514	756	437	34	94	3808
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders	21	18					0	39
Musculoskeletal	94	86	197	44	161	5	37	624
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	183	8385	1058	336	67	1	37	10067
Ophthalmology	3	18	53	29	8	0		111
Oral and Dental Health	1				0	66	343	410
Pain						4	49	53
Primary Care	673	341	4621	3831	54	19	299	9838
Renal Disorders	24	82	38	9	8	7	7	175
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	1655	85	264	13	37	78	4244	6376
Respiratory disorders	11	4	3108	48	27	13	68	3279
Stroke	356	340	564	154	82	19	30	1545
Surgery				0	39	37	68	144
Trauma and Emergencies	1	142	2283	3888	428	13	126	6881
Uncategorised				53	635		0	688
Tissue Samples	3624	3505	2492	2177	3842	11596	3180	30416
Cancer	983	1321	731	509	762	216	269	4791
Cardiovascular	25	49	54	118	177	80	283	786
Children	170	178	73	31	12	0	1	465
Critical Care			3	22	0	63	48	136
Dermatology	171	122	182	143	131	50	56	855
Ear, Nose and Throat	25	11	4		0			40
Gastroenterology	225	116	25	12	14	436	19	847
Genetics	242	181	90	82	55	25	32	707
Haematology	24	19	14	15	8	0	1	81
Hepatology	19	113	66	12	11	2	9	232
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology	46	65	21	10	1161	10390	1570	13263
Mental Health	123	113	25	9	1			271
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders	1			5	3	6	17	32
Musculoskeletal	670	644	507	377	348	131	324	3001
Neuroprogressive and Dementia	7	80	102	110	100	14	21	434
Ophthalmology			10	8		0	14	32
Oral and Dental Health	53	0	78	0	83		6	220
Renal Disorders	100	45	26	107	13	2	0	293
Reproductive Health and Childbirth	658	380	306	159	269	102	347	2221
Respiratory disorders	60	4	29	32	32	14	37	208
Surgery		12	19	60	115			206
Trauma and Emergencies	22	52	127	356	524	45	96	1222
Uncategorised					23	20	30	73
Total	32,583	39,643	38,789	38,696	32,443	45,394	36,417	263,965

Question reference: S6W-12064

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many ongoing clinical trials there are in the NHS Research Scotland research area portfolio of (a) stroke, (b) cancer, (c) cardiovascular, (d) diabetes and (e) neuroprogressive and dementia.

According to the most recent year for which there is complete data, April 2021 to March 2022, a total of 792 studies were active and open to recruitment across these portfolio areas. Details for each portfolio area are indexed in the following table.

Table 1. NRS studies active between April 2021 to March 2022.

	Cancer	Cardio	Diabetes	NPD	Stroke	Total
Basic science	38	29	7	20	8	102
Combined	1	1				2
CTIMP	339	34	13	29	16	431
Data	15	6	4	5	1	31
Device	2	21	5	6	3	37
Other	5	1	4	2	4	16
Other/randomised CT	32	25	4	9	3	73
Qualitative	10	1	1	2	1	15
Questionnaires	20	6	3	7	4	40
Tissue Samples	33	8		4		45
Total	495	132	41	84	40	792

Bold type rows represent trials .

Normal typerows represent observational studies .

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