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Despite the continued and unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme report, published on 28 June, highlights areas where a high level of care is provided for stroke patients, including improvements in the number of patients who receive brain imagining within 12 hours of arrival to hospital.

We recognise that there are areas within stroke care that have proven particularly challenging and we are committed to continued improvement. We expect health boards to identify aspects of their stroke services which do not meet the Scottish Standards and to work to improve standards of care locally.

The Scottish Government recognises that delivery of the acute stroke care bundle is of crucial importance to the provision of high quality stroke care. Monitoring of performance against stroke bundle standards through the Scottish Stroke Care Audit allows the Scottish Government to identify where challenges are being faced in the delivery of high quality stroke care.

We continue to expect Health Boards to identify aspects of their stroke services which do not meet the Scottish Stroke Care Standards and to work to improve standards of care locally.

The Stroke Improvement Plan has been in place since its introduction in 2014 and has provided the framework for the provision of stroke care in Scotland.

The Stroke Improvement Plan emphasises the importance of the delivery of the stroke bundle, to ensure that all appropriate patients receive timely access to key interventions. The latest Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme annual report (published in June 2022 and available at: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-stroke-improvement-programme/scottish-stroke-improvement-programme-2022-national-report/ ) contains data collected in 2021. This demonstrated improvements in the initiation of aspirin therapy within one day (92% in 2021 v. 89% in 2020) and stroke patients receiving brain imaging within 12 hours (89% in 2021 v. 86% in 2020). Stroke bundle performance data for 2022 will be available in the 2023 national report, due to be published in June 2023.

In line with the Stroke Improvement Plan’s priority relating to the need for a skilled and knowledgeable workforce, in 2022 the Scottish Government has continued to support Stroke and TIA Assessment Training (STAT+), a standardised programme of thrombectomy education for trained healthcare professionals. We have provided funding to enable Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland to continue to deliver these education sessions to NHS Boards across Scotland to ensure increased knowledge, skills and management of thrombectomy patients. The delivery of this education package will support the ongoing rollout of a national thrombectomy service.

Following the publication of the National Advisory Committee for Stroke’s Progressive Stroke Pathway, work is underway to develop a refreshed Stroke Improvement Plan by the end of 2022. This will outline how recommendations in the Progressive Stroke Pathway will be prioritized and implemented, as well as a continued emphasis on the importance of the Scottish Stroke Care Standards.

The Scottish Stroke Care Standards are regularly reviewed in line with current evidence and updated guidelines. We monitor the implementation of these standards through the Scottish Stroke Care Audit to ensure that stroke patients in Scotland are receiving high quality care.

All beavers that have been captured in Tayside and translocated to projects in Scotland, England and Wales are subject to disease screening and appropriate treatment as a licence condition prior to release. This screening ensures that beavers released under licence from NatureScot are not carrying Giardia prior to any translocations.

Dental nursing is not a controlled subject and so the Scottish Government, via the Scottish Funding Council does not specify any intake targets for dental nursing. The Scottish Government has no oversight or control of the dental nursing workforce. Rather, we make arrangements with independent contractor dentists to provide NHS dental services and they then employ dental nurses as required.

Colleges operate independently of Government, and it is for them to decide on the shape of their curriculum, taking into account the needs of the region and communities they serve. Colleges plan their course provision in line with the economic needs of their regions, and through working closely with employers, are able to respond flexibly to the skills demands of their region.

The Scottish Government does not hold all the data requested. However for 2020-21 (and 2021-2022 for modern apprenticeships), the number of students studying towards a dental nursing qualification was:

Modern Apprenticeships;

• In 2020-21, there were 312 starts on the dental nursing framework.
• In 2021-22, there were 343 starts on the dental nursing framework.

Colleges;

• In 2020-21, there were 420 enrolments on dental services courses at Scottish colleges.

Universities;

• In 2020-21, there were 25 enrolments on dental nursing courses at Scottish universities.

2021-2022 figures for colleges and universities will not be available until January 2023.

Where NHS dental services are provided by independent dental contractors, staff including dental nurses are employed by the practice, and not the NHS Board. Terms of service and pension arrangements are set by the practice owner(s).

Where NHS dental services are provided by the Public Dental Service, the dental team is employed by the Board on appropriate NHS terms of service.

We are committed to engaging with the profession on a reform programme for NHS dental services. As part of that commitment we have recently issued a profession-wide survey asking for comments on a list of possible treatment items for inclusion in a future NHS model.

We have also asked for nominees for a NHS dental reform advisory group to the Chief Dental Officer. NHS Boards are currently reviewing the nominations and will put forward the nominees for each Board area in due course.

The Scottish Government is extremely thankful for the generosity of all those who have expressed an interest in hosting people displaced by the current conflict.

Scotland is now providing a place of safety to more displaced people per head of population than any other part of the UK. The Scottish Government is providing accommodation that is safe and sustainable whilst people are waiting to be matched suitable longer term accommodation. Significant action is underway to increase the temporary accommodation capacity as well as boost the matching system to maximise the number of people who can be placed with volunteer hosts who have completed the necessary safeguarding checks.

We want Scotland to be a safe, secure home for as long as people need and thank the people of Scotland for their continued offers of support to help us in that aim. Those homes offered are still very much needed. We are keen to see more people in Scotland volunteer as hosts if they think that they can provide a welcoming home for a displaced person or family.