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The following table shows the estimated number of long stay care home residents with learning disabilities, by age group, in Scotland as at 31 March 2017, the latest time period for which data are available.

This information is not centrally collected.

National Records of Scotland produce a weekly publication which includes figures for the number of deaths associated with COVID-19 that occurred in various settings, however deaths in hospices are not reported separately. Hospice deaths are included in the hospital statistics where the hospice resides in hospital grounds, or included in care home statistics where the hospice is situated in the community.

The most up to date NRS statistics related to Covid-19 deaths can be accessed via the following link: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/covid19stats

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29039 on 25 June 2020. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

We are always looking to make more information relating to COVID-19 in Scotland publicly available, where appropriate. We need to be confident that data is accurate and robust, within legal guidelines and protecting people’s right to confidentiality.

In line with new statutory reporting requirements, the Care Inspectorate now provide a weekly report on the total number of death notifications they receive from adult care homes to the Scottish Government, which is laid before Parliament and also published on the Scottish Government website. https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-additional-data-about-adult-care-homes-in-scotland/ .

Care services across Scotland are working tirelessly under very challenging circumstances. The Care Inspectorate works closely with care providers, health and social care partnerships, care industry leaders and the Scottish Government to ensure services get the support they need during the pandemic.

The Scottish Government have been working with the Scottish Commission for Learning Disabilities (SCLD) and People First Scotland to create easy read versions of all official Government Coronavirus related advice and information relevant to people with learning disabilities. Information on COVID-19 symptoms, access to testing and social distancing in an easy read format can be found on NHS Inform's website .

The link for (a) COVID-19 symptoms can be found at https://www.nhsinform.scot/media/3549/20-21-coronavirus-easy-read-nhs-inform-1-overview-9-june-2020.pdf . The link for (b) access to testing can be found at https://www.nhsinform.scot/media/3556/20-21-coronavirus-easy-read-nhs-inform-10-testing-9-june-2020.pdf . The link for (c) social distancing can be found at https://www.nhsinform.scot/media/3178/v3-coronavirus-covid-19-nhs-inform-guidance-part-4-social-distancing-9-apr-2020.pdf . Additionally the link to the easy read version of the advice on testing can be found at the bottom of the door drop leaflet on Test and Trace.

Easy read documents are the most effective methods of written communication for people with learning disabilities and the easy read documents are the most accessed alternative formats of Government advice on NHS Inform’s website.

The criteria agreed by the four UK Chief Medical Officers to identify people at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19, did not include people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Clinicians and GPs have been using their clinical judgement to add individuals to the shielding list if they deem it clinically necessary. It is not possible to provide information on the exact reasons why individuals have been asked to shield within each specific shielding group as this is not recorded in the list of people who have been asked to shield. Anyone that has been advised to shield by NHS Scotland is eligible to receive delivery of free weekly grocery boxes or priority access to online supermarket delivery slots, if they do not have a network of support to assist with this.

For anyone in the increased risk group who is unable to access the essentials they need, and have no support available to do so, they should contact the national helpline on 0800 111 4000.

Guidance on support and information is available on the Scottish Government website here Coronavirus: Guidance on support, information, food and other essentials .

We expect GPs and Health and Social Care Partnerships to assess people's needs and provide care and support accordingly, including home visits, taking account of relevant national and clinical guidance for operation during COVID-19.

Our mental health and wellbeing response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be led by emerging evidence as it becomes available. The Mental Health Research Advisory Group has been established to follow research developments to understand the medium and long term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health and will allow us to put evidence-based services and support in place to help meet the mental health needs of the population. Minutes from their meetings are published on the Scottish Government’s website.

A survey of the experiences of almost 13,000 shielded people carried out by Public Health Scotland, which closed on 14 June, will also inform our approach. A full report on the findings will be published later in the summer.

On 18 June, the First Minister announced that we are able to move into Phase 2 of the route map. This saw adjustments to the number of households able to meet outdoors and those who are eligible, to form an extended household.

This now means that people from up to 3 different households will be able to meet outdoors. However, we are still advising no more than 8 in any group. This will allow children from up to three households to play together outdoors, with physical distancing.

We also announced changes that will allow the formation of an ‘extended household group’ with one other household. This will allow those who live alone (or those living only with children under the age of 18) to be connected to another household to provide mutual social support. Children within an extended household group will be able to play together without the need to stay 2 metres apart.

We have funded Carers Scotland to run the Carer Positive scheme since it was launched in 2014. Information on the scheme, including Carer Positive employers are published on the Carer Positive website: http://www.carerpositive.org/

As of 16 June there are 194 Carer Positive employers in Scotland covering a total of 437,666 employees. This comprises 149 at the ‘engaged’ level, 27 at the ‘established level’ and 18 at the ‘exemplary level’.

Considerable efforts have been and continue to be made nationally and locally to rapidly increase workforce capacity across social care, including care at home, and healthcare. A national online recruitment portal has been developed to enable those with relevant skills and experience to support social care and healthcare services. As of 8 June there have been over 3,000 expressions of interest for social care roles.

There is already flexibility in the registration system for social services staff to move to another service or start to work in another type of registered service, but more has been done to clarify and implement minimum training requirements and enable redeployment of staff as necessary. The SSSC has developed a minimum training package for social care for redeployment and volunteers, who will play an essential role in the delivery of day-to-day services. Further information can be accessed via the SSSC website: https://www.sssc.uk.com/

We have been supporting care at home providers’ normal supply routes for PPE through additional supplies from national stocks. These arrangements have been in place since March, and are supporting the social care sector with all of its PPE needs where normal supply routes fail, including unpaid carers and Personal Assistants.

An initial £50 million to help the social care sector deal with the financial implications of coronavirus pandemic has been confirmed. The funding will help address immediate challenges faced in the social care sector and support ongoing provision of social care. Health and Social Care Partnerships across Scotland have all put in place mobilisation plans to ensure the health and social care system is as well placed as possible to address this pandemic. This funding is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to support resilience in social care provision and ensure that any increasing need for social care as a result of the pandemic is met. Guidance on the principles of Social Care sustainability payments can be found here .