Seòmar agus comataidhean

I expect NHS Boards to continue to implement the extant Scottish Health Planning Note (SHPN) 04-01: Adult in-patient facilities (October 2010) file:///C:/Users/u440390/Downloads
/1476379336-SHPN%2004-01%20for%20web.pdf which sets out bed spacing requirements. The Note states that:

“ Bed space 1.7 In relation to the issue of bed spacing for multi-bedded rooms, the current advice remains unchanged. That is, taking account of ergonomic criteria, primarily the space required for patient handling and other activities which take place in the immediate vicinity of the bed, it is recognised that the minimum bed space should not be less than 3.6m wide x 3.7m deep. ”

This meets the current requirements to meet COVID-19 physical distancing requirements.

A UK sub-group of SAGE, which includes Scottish representation, are currently looking at environmental aspects of COVID-19, which includes bed spacing. The outputs from this group will inform any decision making in terms of guidance changes in Scotland.

Supply of PPE

The Scottish Government continues to work with NHS National Services Scotland, Health and Social Care Partnerships, the social care sector, and with colleagues in other UK nations to procure and distribute necessary supplies of the types and levels of PPE required to safeguard frontline health and social care workers.

The Scottish Government has its own supply, procurement and logistics arrangements in place working with manufacturers in Scotland and globally to ensure we have adequate supplies and this will continue.

We have introduced measures to improve the distribution of PPE, including a single point of contact for all health boards to manage local PPE supply and distribution. Since the start of March to 3 June 2020, over 158 million items of PPE have been delivered to hospitals in Scotland ( counting individual gloves as single items, as they are purchased in boxes of single gloves ).

The Scottish Government also has a dedicated email address for staff, MSPs or members of the public to raise specific supply issues. The email box is monitored continuously and allows us to act to resolve any supply issues more quickly.

Guidance from Health Protection Scotland and the Scottish Government is clear that physical distancing measures must be followed by everyone, including those in care homes . It recommends that residents remain in their rooms as much as possible; that communal activity and the use of communal spaces are avoided especially where there is an outbreak; physical distancing measures are applied; and where there are suspected or confirmed cases there should be strict enforcement of these measures. The use of a risk assessment to determine the approach is also recommended.

We have had no discussions or contact with Nike or the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on this issue.

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) were alerted on 2 March that an individual overseas who had been at the conference had tested positive. On Tuesday 3 March, HPS informed us that one of the cases that tested positive related to attendance at the Nike conference and they convened an incident management team (IMT) to seek more information.

That case and the details of the potential outbreak was confirmed to ministers that evening. Details of that case were then included in a news release we issued on 4 March and included on our normal case reporting schedule.

The IMT should produce a report for the NHS board Clinical Governance Committee in due course. This IMT report once produced will be made publically available in a redacted form following the approval process of the members of the IMT and clearance by the internal processes of the host organisation of the chair of the IMT.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 allows for temporary relaxation of local authority assessment duties in relation to needs assessments and preparation of adult carer support plans. Section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 gives local authorities a core duty to provide care and support to people in need of assistance which remains in place.

Our arrangements for monitoring implementation of the Coronavirus Act, as it relates to social work assessments, includes requesting information from local authorities who have chosen to make use of the powers under the Act about the number of full and partial assessments undertaken during the emergency period, and how this compares with the equivalent period last year. This is part of a survey that will support our reporting to the Scottish Parliament on the Coronavirus Act.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29378 on 10 June 2020. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government is undertaking a detailed review of COVID-19 budget pressures across health and social care, and as part of this we will ensure that Integration Authorities have the resources that they need.

The Scottish Government has made available £50 million as an initial tranche of funding for Integration Authorities to meet immediate pressures, and has provided reassurance that further funding will be provided.

All Health and Social Care Partnerships have submitted mobilisation plans, setting out how they intend to assure resilience in delivery of existing health and social care provision and manage expected increases in demand for these services.

These plans have been reviewed and considered and an initial £50 million of additional Scottish Government funding has been issued to help address the immediate challenges faced in the social care sector and support ongoing provision of social care.

I meet with Councillor Stuart Currie, COSLA Spokesperson on Health and Sport, on a weekly basis to jointly monitor progress. In addition, my officials meet on a weekly basis with Chief Officers of Integration Authorities to discuss immediate issues.

NHS Scotland terms and conditions are discussed in partnership through our well established negotiating structures, which always include staff side representation. NHS Boards actively support flexible working patterns, and there are agreed process in place for staff to access these. However, there have been no discussions about the introduction of a four-day working week.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29276 on 8 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

The Scottish Government receives scientific advice from the Scottish Government COVID19 Advisory Group. Information about the group, including membership and notes of the discussions which have taken place, is available here: https://www.gov.scot/groups/scottish-government-covid-19-advisory-group/ .

The Scottish Government is committed to being as transparent as possible and will begin to publish evidence documents produced by group members for discussion shortly.