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Scottish Government is working in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) and Modernising Patient Pathways Programme to explore the feasibility of further national action to improve early detection and treatment of liver diseases.

Health Boards across Scotland currently have different pathways in place to promote the early detection and management of patients with liver disease.

A consistent approach to technology used across laboratories in Scotland is needed to support national roll out. A National Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) which will be able to deliver iLFTs is currently being rolled out across Scotland.

The GP contract regulations require all GP practice partners to be sufficiently engaged in providing primary medical services in Scotland. It is for the partners to determine how best to meet the clinical needs of their patients and to ensure there are sufficient GPs onsite to provide necessary face to face appointments and home visits.

Health Boards and Health & Social Care Partnerships are responsible for monitoring their contracts with GP practices.

This information is not held centrally.

There are no GMS practices in Scotland without a partner and only a handful of 2C practices, mostly providing services to niche population groups, without a permanent GP.

Patient safety is our utmost concern and the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that patients continue to receive high quality Out of Hours services. Officials work closely with Out of Hours services across Scotland, including NHS Dumfries and Galloway to support them in delivering a safe, resilient and sustainable service. Whilst the Out of Hours service in NHS Dumfries & Galloway remains under pressure – as it does across Scotland – the Scottish Government receives regular assurances that there are robust arrangements in place to maintain a safe Out of Hours service and that the Board are working to make the service more resilient for the future. This includes the recent recruitment of two salaried GPs and a sessional GP. I understand that the Board are also working with Scottish Ambulance Service to recruit Advanced Paramedic Practitioners.

Patient safety is our utmost concern and the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that patients continue to receive high quality Out of Hours services. My officials have been in contact with NHS Dumfries and Galloway and have been advised that, on 26 September 2022, all shifts were filled and that the Out of Hours service was maintained through this time. I would expect that the Board continues to make every effort to fill all shifts to ensure the resilience of its Out of Hours service.

The Scottish Government regularly discusses the quality of GP services with clinical and management leads for NHS boards.

The Scottish Government expects GPs to provide face to face appointments where clinically required within a timescale determined by the need of the patient.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10773 on 
23 September 2022.

As committed to in our Programme for Government, the Public Health (Restriction of Promotions) Bill will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament in the 2022-23 parliamentary year.

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

Scottish Ministers are committed to developing a Scottish school milk scheme to replace current subsidy arrangements. We are working with stakeholders and local authority partners to develop a fully funded universal school milk scheme for primary and special schools, and a pilot in secondary schools within the current parliamentary term.

Somerville: Scottish Ministers are committed to developing a Scottish school milk scheme to replace current subsidy arrangements. We are working with stakeholders and local authority partners to develop a fully funded universal school milk scheme for primary and special schools, and a pilot in secondary schools within the current parliamentary term and stakeholder engagement will form part of that work.