Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27146 on 16 May 2024. 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

A real terms uplift to health funding has been prioritised in the opening Budget position for 2024-25. We have invested £2 billion in the 2024-25 budget for social care and integration, which is an increase of over £1 billion compared to 2021-22. This delivers on our Programme for Government commitment to increase social care spending by 25% (£840 million) over this Parliament, two years ahead of our original target.

Despite this significant investment the financial climate remains extremely challenging, and we are working with partners to understand and address the challenges, within the context of a finite budget.

Work is ongoing to progress the national guidance framework on local planning and commissioning of independent hospice care, and to align the framework with our overarching palliative care strategy.

We will continue to work with Chief Officers and independent hospices to support longer term sustainable planning and commissioning for the hospice sector.

The criminal investigation by Police Scotland, supported by other agencies, into this attack is still going on. As such there is a limited amount that I can share at this moment in time. As the investigation progresses the Scottish Government and partners will undertake a lessons identified exercise and share its findings with public bodies so they are able to take preventative steps to defend against similar attacks.

A cyber threat actor was able to gain unauthorised access to NHS Dumfries and Galloway's infrastructure during a targeted and sustained cyber-attack. As the member will understand,NHS Dumfries and Galloway's IT infrastructure contains information that includes patient's medical information.

An update on the work of the multidisciplinary team of senior clinicians within the office of the Chief Medical Officer considering the specific clinical recommendations of the Cass review will be provided to the National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group at a future meeting.

Work to improve gender identity healthcare services remains a priority of this Government. That includes the establishment of a multidisciplinary team of senior clinical advisers to Scottish Government who are considering the recommendations of the Cass Review in the contest of NHS services in Scotland. The Chief Medical Officer will provide a written update to Parliament on the outcome of that clinical consideration process before the summer recess. The outcome of that process will also feed into work on national commissioning of young person’s services.

Established in 2022, the National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group advises on the ongoing implementation of actions outlined in our 2021 Framework. The Reference Group includes NHS Board representation, LGBTIQ organisations, clinicians, academics and people with lived experience of using gender identity healthcare.

This reference group is not a clinical oversight forum. It brings together a wide range of stakeholders for the collective aim of improving provision of gender identity healthcare in Scotland.

The specific clinical recommendations of the Cass Review are being considered by a multidisciplinary team of senior clinicians within the office of the Chief Medical Officer.

The Cass Review is a valid scientific document. The review was chaired by a past president of the UK’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, a senior, and well-respected clinician.

Scottish Government only holds information on meetings between Dr Hilary Cass and Scottish Government officials that are attended by Scottish Government.

Scottish Government has met with Dr Hilary Cass and members of the Cass Review team on a number of occasions. Several of these meetings included clinicians from Health Boards in Scotland. Scottish Government understands separate meetings between clinicians and/or NHS Health Boards and Dr Hiliary Cass and the Cass Review team may have taken place, but does not hold information regarding frequency or dates of such contact.

b) Available information indicates that Scottish Government officials have met with Dr Hilary Cass in her capacity as Chair of NHS England’s independent review of gender identity services for children and young people in either direct meetings, or meetings where Dr Cass was also an attendee, on:

21-09-2022

21-11-2022

17-01-2023

20-09-2023

16-11-2023

22-11-2023

19-12-2023

Dr Cass also updated MSPs on the ongoing work of her review on 29-09-2022. Officials attended that MSP-chaired meeting as observers.