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Social Security Scotland’s most recent statistics show that the majority of people who have applied for Child Disability Payment received a decision within four months, although processing times vary from a few weeks to over six months or more. A key part of the application process, and a key difference from the Department for Work and Pensions’ service, is that Social Security Scotland can gather supporting information on behalf of clients. Whilst this process takes time, it allows Social Security Scotland to make robust decisions.

Work is underway to speed up processing times. This includes liaising with organisations who most often provide supporting information. For example, an option for GPs to upload supporting information online was recently introduced. In addition, work continues with clients and stakeholders to ensure they understand the kind of information needed to make decisions and how to provide this at the earliest opportunity.

The Scottish Government requests annual data on overall Young Patient Family Fund claims from territorial Health Boards and this allows uptake and cost within each Board area to be tracked year-on-year. This includes detail on the type of claim being made.

We do not ask Health Boards to routinely collect data on patient condition as this is not part of the eligibility criteria for making a claim. Similarly, Health Boards are not asked to report on the age of the patient. As part of our routine monitoring we do however ask Health Boards to report on the number of young inpatients associated with claims who were admitted to neo-natal units.

It is for NHS Boards, in this case NHS Ayrshire & Arran, to plan and provide healthcare services that best meets the needs of local people; consistent with national guidelines and policies.

The Health Board has confirmed that, other than the interim arrangements for the three Intensive Care Unit beds, there are no current plans for the transfer of services.

The Health Board's interim plan to transfer the three ICU beds to University Hospital Crosshouse is to ensure adequate consultant medical cover. Patient safety remains of paramount concern.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran has provided assurances that all feasible options will continue to be explored to maintain the ICU beds at University Hospital Ayr; and that local communities and their representatives will be kept fully updated as this work progresses.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran advises that no services have transferred during this period. The Health Board has an interim plan to transfer the three Intensive Care Unit beds to ensure safe medical cover.

A total of 494 people have benefited from an interim care placement procured using our additional funding offer. The total number of people in interim placements as of 3 April is 545.

This information is published at Interim care placement uptake - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information regarding the number of the interim care beds acquired through the announced additional funding that are still being used as of 1 April.

The Scottish Government recognises and values the importance of tourism to the Scottish economy and local communities, but it is important we take action now to ensure all short-term lets comply with basic safety standards which many hosts will already be following as a matter of compliance with existing law or best practice. Many hosts have applied for, and obtained a licence, and we encourage those yet to do so to apply well in advance of the extended deadline.

We have committed to review short-term licensing and an update will be provided to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee on the timings and scope of the review in due course.

We are not waiting for the licensing review to take action, and have already demonstrated we have been responsive to concerns raised by businesses, by engaging with licensing authorities to discuss areas of concern such as floor plan requirements. We will continue to work with stakeholders to monitor the ongoing implementation of the scheme, and respond to facilitate common processes where possible to do so.

We did consider alternatives to licensing as part of our 2019 consultation and as legislation was being developed, including registration proposals put forward by the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers. Registration does not offer the same protections to guests, neighbours and local communities as licensing does. To be robust and effective, a registration scheme would need to make much the same requirements as the licensing scheme does.

Further to the answer provided to question S6W-11404 issued on 4 November 2022, I can confirm that all Health Boards now have access to Clinical portals within acute services.

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 yet have complete YPFF data for the whole period of 2022-23 so we are unable to state the percentage of successful claims across the 12 month period. We expect Health Boards to have provided this data by the end of May 2023.

NTC Forth Valley will open in summer 2023 at a projected cost of £12.7 million.

NTC Golden Jubilee Phase 2 - will open in winter 2023 at a projected costs of £82.3 million.

The business cases for the remaining National Treatment Centre in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Grampian, NHS Tayside, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Lothian, including the new Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, are under development and costs/opening dates will be confirmed when final business cases are submitted.