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The phased resumption of visiting and communal activity in care homes was referred to in ‘Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis’. On the 25 th June, the Scottish Government published the Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult care home visiting guidance. This guidance sets out a new 4 stage pathway on how care home visiting restrictions are to be gradually lifted.

Effective on the 3 rd July, care homes which have been COVID free for 28 days will, subject to the agreement of the local Health Protection and Care Home Clinical and Care Professional Oversight teams, be able to move to stage 2 of the pathway which allows for outdoor visits to care home residents by a designated visitor of their choice.

Stages 3 will subsequently allow indoor visits by the designated visitor and greater freedom for outdoor visits and communal activity, whilst stage 4 will see the introduction of indoor visits by visitors Progression along the pathway to stages 3 and 4 will be dependent on whether the scientific evidence indicates that is it safe to do so.

The phased resumption of visiting and communal activity in care homes was referred to in ‘Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis’.On the 25 th June, the Scottish Government published the Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult care home visiting guidance. This guidance sets out a new 4 stage pathway on how care home visiting restrictions are to be gradually lifted.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Public Health Scotland publishes weekly statistical information on the Test and Protect system every Wednesday. The most recent publication is available at:

https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/covid-19-statistical-report/ .

The Scottish Government has no role in individuals’ power of attorney arrangements.

Where an individual has concerns about handling of a power of attorney, these are dealt with via local authorities’ and NHS complaints procedures, and through the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman if necessary.

Where a local authority or Health Board has concerns about the decision of an attorney with relevant powers, they can apply for directions from the Sheriff under section 3 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. If concerns persist, the local authority can apply to the Sheriff to appoint the Chief Social Work Officer as welfare guardian to replace the attorney.

Contract tracers working as part of NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect service are employed by the NHS, either within local Health Boards or by NHS National Services Scotland, they are not employed by an agency or agencies. These workers are paid on NHS terms and conditions.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that those living with respiratory conditions can access clinically appropriate, safe and effective person-centred healthcare treatment and support.

The draft Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland contains a set of commitments to drive improvement in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea, bronchiectasis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

As we continue to develop our understanding of the impact that Covid-19 has had on the health of the people of Scotland, including those that have developed long-term respiratory problems as a result of contracting Covid-19, the final Respiratory Care Action Plan will play a key role in responding to the implications and consequences for many aspects of respiratory care going forward.

It is not possible to definitively quantify the current CT scanning capacity as it is not a fixed number but is dependent on the daily availability of equipment and staff which has been affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, diagnostic services have been running at reduced capacity levels, as Health Boards take account of Covid-19 related physical distancing and additional health and hygiene measures for staff and patients as they provide these services.

During the pandemic, Diagnostic Imaging services have continued to be provided for urgent referrals, and all those who have an urgent suspicion of cancer.

To support the recovery of diagnostic services additional mobile CT and MRI capacity has been secured to support the existing services which are operating at reduced levels due to the requirements of PPE and physical distancing. This capacity will be available for six months and will provide an additional 15,000 CT and 11,000 MRI scans.

The data is not centrally available.

Public Health Scotland have pre-announced that Acute Hospital Activity and SMR01 data to end March 2020, is scheduled for publication in September 2020 and that data for April to June 2020 is scheduled for publication in November 2020.

https://beta.isdscotland.org/forthcoming-publications/

The investigation into the safety and operation of the A702/A703/Old Pentland Road junction has identified a number of options to reduce vehicular conflict at this location. As the A703 and Old Pentland Road are the responsibility of Midlothian Council, Transport Scotland is collaborating with them to ensure effects on the trunk and local road networks from potential interventions are fully considered.

The site constraints at this location are extremely challenging, with topography and the presence of adjacent housing making it difficult to develop a solution that would meet current design standards. Improvements are therefore likely to be complex and further investigation will be required to understand their feasibility and buildability. Improvements may also require public consultation, with any objections to proposals having potential to delay or curtail alterations to the junctions.

Once a preferred option has been confirmed by Transport Scotland, following engagement with Midlothian Council, delivery will then be subject to prioritisation with other road safety schemes in the South East trunk road area, and the availability of sufficient funding for a scheme of this scale.

The Scottish Arthroplasty Project https://www.arthro.scot.nhs.uk/ will publish their annual report providing information on the numbers of hip and knee replacement surgeries taking place during 2019 in September 2020. As there is less than 12 weeks before publication data release of this information is currently embargoed.

The information that is available is given in the following table, which was supplied by National Records of Scotland (NRS). The figures were produced from NRS’s records of the deaths that were registered in Scotland in each year. The latest year for which NRS’s statistical data on causes of death have been finalised, and a definitive breakdown of the numbers of deaths by cause can be provided, is 2018.

In this answer, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been taken to refer to thrombosis of the deep veins of the leg. Deaths from DVT frequently occur from complications of the DVT, principally pulmonary embolism, so deaths from pulmonary embolism have been included in these figures.

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) system, which is used in the UK to classify deaths, does not allow deep venous thrombosis to be separated from phlebitis (inflammation of a vein), so these figures may include a small number of deaths due to phlebitis.

Deaths attributed to deep vein thrombosis (DVT)* registered in Scotland, 2014 to 2018