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This is a matter for NHS National Services Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.

Hassockrigg Ecopark is currently not operating as a waste processing plant. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) are carrying out essential works on the site to allow the site to operate as an NHS Scotland waste resilience plant. The site has a license and NSS are currently in a process of application for the license to be transferred under the control of NSS.

Yellow Stream Waste, which makes up less than 20% of clinical waste in Scotland, requires High Temperature Incineration (HTI). There are no healthcare waste HTI disposal facilities in Scotland.

This is a matter for NHS National Services Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.

The cost to purchase Hassockrigg Ecopark in Shotts was £4,920,000.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to build a high temperature incineration plant in Scotland.

I refer the member to the NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 which sets out the Scottish Government’s plans to help reduce carbon emissions from clinical waste in NHS Scotland. This publication is available at: .NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy: 2022-2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Specifically, the strategy sets out that each Health Board should set appropriate targets for reducing the volume of clinical waste it produces through measures including; greater use of reusable items, improvements to waste segregation and increased recycling of recyclable materials. The Scottish Government will review the need for a national target for clinical waste reduction.

In addition, the strategy requires that Health Board waste management officers ensure that arrangements are in place for the safe treatment and disposal of all waste streams. It is the responsibility of Health Boards to manage the NHS clinical waste contract while NHS National Services Scotland’s National Procurement and Logistics Service manages the NHS’s relationship with the clinical waste contractor.

The Scottish Government supports Health Boards with their net zero commitments and monitors progress towards these targets. This information is published through the Annual NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Report - Annual NHS Scotland Climate Emergency & Sustainability Report 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The key group responsible for co-ordinating the national cancer registries of all the UK nations, as well as the Republic of Ireland, is the UK and Ireland Association of Cancer Registries (UKIACR). Achieving consistency and comparability in the collection, analysis and reporting of cancer data are among the UKIACR’s Terms of Reference. The Director of the Scottish Cancer Registry represents Scotland on this group.

The UK and Ireland cancer registries all adhere, where possible, to the recommendations of the European Network of Cancer Registries (ENCR).

NHS Scotland health care workers supporting those with blood cancer are from a wide range of professions, often supporting patients with other conditions too. There are no plans to model a blood cancer care workforce specifically.

National standards for staffing and facilities providing services are set by guidance such as the Staff Governance Standard. This applies to all staff employed by NHS Scotland Boards. It provides a system of accountability for the fair and effective management of all staff and requires all NHS Boards to demonstrate that staff are: well informed; appropriately trained and developed; involved in decisions; treated fairly and consistently, with dignity and respect, in an environment where diversity is valued; and, provided with a continuously improving and safe working environment, promoting the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the wider community.

The information requested on (a) how many blood cancer clinical nurse specialists are currently employed within NHS Scotland and (b) specialist vacancies there currently are, is not centrally collected.

The information requested on what the Scottish Governments position is on the development of a new blood cancer support role is that it is for Boards to determine roles and job descriptions to deliver services they feel required to meet their local population needs.