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The Scottish Microfinance Fund aim is to provide access to affordable business finance for those with viable business propositions but who are unable to obtain finance, either wholly or in part, from mainstream lenders. Responsible lending is at the core of the Fund and individuals need to demonstrate the ability to maintain payments over the period of the loan. To date, the Fund has provided £925,141 of loans creating 131 new jobs and safeguarding 37 existing jobs.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges those with a low credit rating can face when trying to source finance and is working hard to address this and to promote financial inclusion. That is why our Fairer Scotland Action Plan, published in October 2016, set out a commitment to making affordable credit more easily available. We are working together with Carnegie UK to deliver this commitment through their Affordable Credit Action Group, which has cross-sectoral membership, including from the banking sector, and a remit to deliver Carnegie’s Fairer Scotland Pledge to help Scotland’s not-for-profit affordable credit providers to grow, to reach many more people, building financial capability and improving wellbeing.

On issues related to ocular melanoma, the Scottish Government relies on the clinical expertise of the National Specialist Scottish Ophthalmic Oncology Service. On 12 May 2017, there was a Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) meeting where ocular melanoma issues were discussed. At this meeting, it was agreed that a UK wide group would be formed to develop UK wide guidance and recommendations on surveillance. This work will ensure there is a national, consistent approach to screening and surveillance for people in the UK, regardless of where they live.

NHS Lothian’s resource budget allocation for 2017-18, is £1,342.0 million. The Board’s budget has increased in cash terms by £473.3 million (54.5%) from 2006-07 to 2017-18.

Since September 2006, all staff (whole time equivalent) has increased within NHS Lothian by 12.4%, or 2,229.6 (from 18,022.2 to 20,251.8.)

As employers NHS Boards have full delegated powers in relation to employment issues, including recruitment. While the Scottish Government works in close partnership with all Boards to provide the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality health care in Scotland, it is for each NHS Board to decide how best to deliver those services to meet the needs of the population.

Recruiting from Scotland and elsewhere is the UK, and also European Economic Area, is the most common route for taking on new staff. Generally via advertisement either online or through specialist medical journals. Where there are no suitably qualified staff from the UK or EEA, Boards may seek to fill vacancies from out-with these areas. Boards can either use the UK or the Scotland only Shortage Occupation List (SOL) that notes certain nursing and medical specialists where evidence of shortages exist. In using either of these list, Boards are free to recruit internationally to any of the medical occupations listed on the UK or (SOL) List, without the need to go through a Resident Labour Market Test.

The Scottish Government published Part 1 of the National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, which will strengthen and harmonise workforce planning practice, take full account of the future demand for safe and high quality services for Scotland’s people and work to accurately identify gaps in supply. These are complex issues which will require an incremental approach. The production of a National Plan will be the first step in this process, with future benefits and improvements impacting on all service users across Scotland.

The content of the Excel publication tables has not changed – all information previously available is still available within the Excel tables.

The content of the chronic pain waiting times publications is determined by the Information Services Division (ISD) of NHS Scotland, who publish the information. ISD keeps the format of its publications under review and is currently considering different approaches to publishing, including greater use of visuals to aid user interpretation. ISD is planning a programme of user engagement for the later part of 2017 to seek user views on the format of its publications.

The content of the chronic pain waiting times publication is determined by the Information Services Division (ISD) of NHS Scotland, who publish the information.

ISD adheres to the Code of Practice for Official Statistics which is underpinned by the Statistics and Registration Services Act (2007). This is achieved by listening to users of their statistics through consultations and adjusting their statistical outputs accordingly, ensuring their statistical reports are protected from any political pressures, and presenting statistics impartially and objectively.

For example, changes to their Chronic Pain publication summaries were made recently as a direct result of feedback from users and patient representatives. Officials met with ISD on 13 January 2017 to provide feedback from patient representatives of the Ministerial Steering Group (MSG) on Chronic Pain. This was following discussion of the waiting times at the MSG on 4 October 2016, and is captured in the minutes from the meeting which are available on the Scottish Government website:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/Chronic-Pain/MSGCP/MSGCP-Minutes

ISD ‘s Head of Profession for Statistics has responsibility for deciding on statistical methods, standards and procedures, and on the content and timing of statistical releases. ISD can be contacted directly by any user of their statistics by emailing NSS.isdSHIS@nhs.net

The National Health and Social care Workforce Plan will help to address workforce planning requirements for the NHSScotland workforce, ensuring the delivery of safe and sustainable local, regional and national clinical services.   NHS Lothian continues to implement the new model of care agreed with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and we can advise that five consultants are now in post working between the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and St John’s Hospital.   We have also asked the Chief Medical Officer, National Clinical Director and NHSScotland Director of Performance to support NHS Lothian to ensure the services it provides including the in-patient paediatric ward remains safe and sustainable in the long term.

The Scottish Government will set the overall intake number for the new graduate level medical course. The first intake is expected to be around 40 students. In line with academic freedom, the selection and recruitment of individual students admitted to the course is a matter for the universities concerned, however.

In order to encourage Scottish domiciled students to apply, the Scottish Government will, by way of exception to the normal position for applicants who already hold a degree, pay the course fees of all successful Scottish domiciled and EU applicants.

In order to encourage retention of Scotgem graduates in NHS Scotland, it is the Scottish Government's intention that the course will have an element of bonding. Details of the bonding scheme will be announced shortly.

Families in receipt of social security benefits, who are on a low income, should be entitled to help with travel costs to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children Hospital (RHSC). In that instance, when families attend the RHSC, they should request a certificate of attendance from reception in the department they are visiting. This certificate should then be taken to the Cashiers Office within the RHSC where they will be reimbursed.

The RHSC also has a Family Support Team who work with families and are able to support families to arrange travel and offer additional support.

In the event that families attend RHSC by ambulance, and had no transport to return home, then NHS Lothian would normally arrange, and pay for, a taxi for them to return home.

The Scottish Government fully expects NHS Lothian to ensure services are staffed appropriately to meet their service provision responsibility and to deliver high quality and sustainable services to meet the needs of the local population, in this instance, West Lothian.

NHS Lothian is engaging with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to evaluate progress against the College’s Report of 2016 and to receive input and advice on possible future solutions. The St John’s paediatric consultants will have a central role in the consideration of possible solutions going forward.

The Scottish Government will continue to support NHS Lothian to ensure the services on offer at the in-patient paediatric ward remains safe and sustainable in the long-term. This includes the Chief Medical Officer, the National Clinical Director and the NHSScotland Director of Performance will providing support to the Board over the coming weeks.

Workforce planning arrangements in NHS Scotland are in place at national, regional and local level to ensure that the right staff are in the right place at the right time; and it is the responsibility of NHS Boards to ensure services are staffed to support the delivery of safe, effective and person-centred care.