Seòmar agus comataidhean

This is an operational matter for Scottish Natural Heritage and I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the Member to provide details.

The Scottish Government is required by law to review lockdown restrictions every three weeks. The next review falls on 10 August. On the basis of the scientific advice, and subject to all other risk mitigation measures being appropriately implemented, the current guidance in relation to school settings is clear; there is no requirement for physical distancing between children in primary schools and secondary schools. The guidance is available here: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance on preparing for the start of the new school term in August 2020

The Covid-19 Education Recovery Group, which brings together councils, teachers’ representatives, parent bodies and trades unions, continue to meet to discuss the next steps as we plan for the safe re-opening of schools and on the 30th of July we published detailed guidance for the full time return to schools in August.

The Scottish Government has published guidance for the community learning and development sector, developed in partnership with local authorities and youth work providers, setting out health and safety guidance to ensure a safe return to normal provision of youth work activity. Youth work activities can take many forms, for example outdoor youth work, which has, in line with the route map, been able to resume from 13 July.

The decision to permit youth work activities to take place in local authority venues is a decision for local authorities, who will take into account their own health and safety needs and whether they can safely meet government guidelines and guidance on the resumption of educational activities.

The licensing of medicines is reserved to the UK Government.

A small number of the 56 research projects funded through the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) rapid research in COVID-19 call are investigating potential treatments for COVID-19. These projects are examining either existing, or are an early stage exploration of new, therapy. If the results of these studies are promising, further research evaluations will be needed beyond the CSO funded projects before application in routine clinical practice could be considered. In line with CSO’s standard conditions of grant, responsibility for any exploitation of research results from these projects rests with the grant holding Institutions and these Institutions must inform CSO of any proposed discussion or negotiation on commercial exploitation of the results.

We continue to work with key partners across Scotland to ensure that information is available to all staff when and where they need. This includes work to develop Regional Clinical Portals and the roll out of HEPMA ( Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration ) systems across Scotland, with NHS Lothian starting their implementation of HEPMA during July. These projects support interoperability of data sharing between existing electronic systems, and improvement in the quality of electronic information shared amongst clinicians.

For the longer term, and as part of the Digital Health & Care strategy, a National Digital Platform is being developed and has started to bring together service data that is appropriately accessible to the workforce regardless of where they are based. This includes an open source electronic patient record called ‘Openeyes’ for ophthalmology that enables asynchronous (non-real time) consultations with patients, supports Emergency Eyecare Treatment Centres and shares the information needed to treat patients between optometrists and ophthalmologists. This is currently being implemented within the National Digital Platform for use in NHS Forth Valley and NHS Grampian prior to further expansion across Scotland.

The regulation of medicine pricing is reserved to the UK Government The Scottish Government continues to keep open all lawful options, including the use of Crown Use Licensing, to ensure the Scottish population can access the treatments they need.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-30838 on 31 July 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

I recognise that children and young people with additional support needs, including those with complex needs, will require support to return to school. Schools and local authorities are best placed to identify how to meet the individual needs of their pupils and have been working hard to develop plans to do so for the reopening of schools.

In June, we published continuity in learning guidance, which sets out what education authorities and schools should consider for pupils with additional support needs, including those with complex support needs. This focuses on reviewing individualised plans in discussion with parents, carers, children and young people, with support from partner services. It also recognises that some children and young people will have new needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the guidance outlines, individual provisions and interventions will require constant review to ensure they continue to meet children and young peoples’ learning and wellbeing needs as schools reopen.

The Scottish Government has been working with partners to publish expert advice and good practice in supporting children and young peoples’ learning throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. My answer of 24 June outlined the ways in which this information has been made available.

Schools and local authorities are best placed to identify how to meet the individual needs of their pupils and have been working hard to develop plans to do so for the reopening of schools.

The supply of medicines is reserved to the UK Government, and is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The DHSC has advised Scottish Government officials that is confident there is sufficient supply of remdesivir in the NHS to support current demand.

The Scottish Government will continue to take every available option to ensure that patients in Scotland can access the medicines they need.