Seòmar agus comataidhean

Scotland’s national health information service, NHS Inform aims to provide the people of Scotland with accurate and relevant information to help them make informed decisions about their own health and the health of the people they care for.

NHS Inform provides health information for people living with long COVID, chest, heart and stroke conditions, including advice on management of common symptoms, health-related anxiety and when to seek further information from healthcare professionals.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22410 on 7 November 2023. 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

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22410 on 7 November 2023. 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

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

Our Heart Disease Action Plan, Respiratory Care Action Plan and Stroke Improvement Plans recognise the importance of timely and equitable access to care for people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions. We are working closely with NHS Boards and people with lived experience, as well as our national advisory groups as we implement these strategies. We have also established a £10 million long COVID Support Fund to support NHS boards to increase the capacity of existing services, develop these into more clearly defined local pathways and provide a more co-ordinated experience for people living with long COVID.

We are aware that people living in remote and rural areas may face disparities in access to health care. To address this we are committed to publishing a Remote and Rural Workforce Strategy and have recently established a National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Social Care.

This Government understands the critical role of rehabilitation in supporting people affected by chest, heart, and stroke conditions, long COVID and other long-term health conditions. We are committed to ensuring that all adults who require rehabilitation have timely access to the right information and services by the end of 2025 through our Once for Scotland Rehabilitation Approach.

Studies looking at the impact of respiratory infections on those with lung conditions have often demonstrated that this cohort are at greater risk of hospitalisation. We recognise that people with lung conditions often have pre-existing reduced lung function and if they become infected with COVID-19 or flu, are at a disadvantage from the onset.

As set out in Priority 5 of our Health and social care: winter preparedness plan 2023-2024, “Protecting people who may be most impacted by severe illness, hospitalisation or death from Covid-19 and flu, through vaccination, is a key means of protecting individuals from illness and reducing demand on our health and social care systems.”

Our successful vaccination programme means many people previously considered at highest risk of infection and severe disease, and the wider population, are now far less likely to become seriously ill from Covid-19 or flu.

However, a group of people do remain at high risk – primarily people who have a weakened immune system. These people should continue to follow the advice of their GP or specialist clinician, who best know their health condition and circumstances.

The Best Start Implementation Programme Board was tasked with taking forward implementation of the recommendations within Best Start. The Programme Board set up the Perinatal Sub Group and asked it to take forward the Neonatal Intensive Care work, including an options appraisal process to identify the final three units. The Perinatal Sub Group comprises clinical experts, including the chair of the Scottish Neonatal Consultants Group, the chair of the Scottish neonatal nurses group, the Scottish Clinical Lead for neonatology, the Scottish clinical representative from the National Neonatal Audit Programme, the neonatal consultant lead for the neonatal transport service, senior management representation from the Scottish Ambulance Service, a Head of midwifery, the Scottish Clinical Lead for Obstetrics, the Chief Executive of the neonatal charity, Bliss and is chaired by a Health Board Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive.

The Expert Group that agreed the short list criteria and weighting for the options appraisal comprised the following experts (representing roles that held at that time):

• Helen Mactier, consultant neonatologist and Honorary Secretary of President of British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM)
• Gopi Menon, consultant neonatologist and President of BAPM
• Alan Fenton, Consultant Neonatologist, immediate past President of BAPM, and Chair of Independent Advisory Group for the National Neonatal Audit Programme;
• Corinne Love, Consultant Obstetrician, Scottish Government Senior Medical Officer;
• Eddie Doyle, Senior Medical Advisor, Scottish Government Paediatrics and Neonatal.