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The training programme described in the integrated plan aims to upskill consultant interventional radiologists (known as interventional radiologists) to deliver the new and innovative treatment of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for stroke patients. As such it will not be available for all current consultant radiologists. In the first instance, the aim of the training programme is to enable the specialist interventional radiologists based in NHS Tayside to deliver MT for the North of Scotland region.

The training curricula and pathways for trainee doctors in radiology is determined and agreed on a UK basis and is unaffected at this stage.

The proposed training for MT is competency and capability based and participants will be supervised and mentored by an experienced neuro-interventional radiologist. Participants are required to have extensive previous endovascular experience in vascular interventional techniques and training will include practise on state of the art simulation facilities, and is supported by the University of Dundee for the clinical training aspects and post-procedure care. The knowledge-based element has been developed based on an international training guideline that requires certification of both the operators and the proposed stroke centre. MT for stroke is currently being considered by the GMC for recognition as a credential. This means that the GMC as the Regulator will need to be satisfied that the training meets its standards.

The training programme will be evaluated to ensure it meets the needs of patients, service providers and clinicians and, subject to satisfactory outcomes, to make this training more widely available to clinicians from other Health Boards to upskill them in preparation for delivering stroke thrombectomy across Scotland. When the initial 6 interventional radiologists are trained in MT, service will commence in Dundee and for the North of Scotland region by Autumn 2020, with MT services based in Edinburgh from 2021, and rolling-out across Scotland from 2022.

Transport Scotland anticipates receiving the draft one-year after evaluation report in the Spring. A technical review of the evaluation will then take place to ensure its robustness and the report will be finalised as soon as possible thereafter. Timescales depend on the review outcomes and approval process, both of which are undertaken routinely by Transport Scotland prior to publishing technical reports. Further evaluations will be undertaken at 3 and 5 years after motorway opening.

We welcome Shelter Scotland’s ‘Are You With Us’ campaign and its alignment with the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring that Scotland is a modern, inclusive nation which protects, respects and realises internationally recognised human rights.

Scotland has some of the most progressive homelessness legislation and rights in the world and a strong track record of taking meaningful action to ensure everyone can access adequate housing.

Our five year Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan, published in November 2018, demonstrates our commitment to housing as a human right and sets out practical actions to achieve our vision that everyone has a home that meets their needs and that homelessness is ended. The Action Plan is backed by a £50 million Ending Homelessness Together Fund, which includes £32.5 million to support local authorities with the implementation of their Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans and Housing First.

In July 2019, we published a draft vision for how we want Scotland’s homes and communities to look and feel in 2040. This includes an important principle (Principle 15) that ‘Everyone has the right to an adequate home’. We are consulting widely on the Housing to 2040 draft vision and principles, and how to make them a reality, and aim to publish our final vision and route map to 2040 this summer.

The 2019-20 Programme for Government commits to the National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership continuing its work to establish a legislative framework for a Scottish Bill of Rights. The Taskforce will develop a new statutory framework which will help to safeguard the human rights of everyone in Scotland.

Scotland, via the UK, is party to seven core United Nations human rights treaties. By ratifying them, the UK Government has made a formal commitment to honour these treaties meaning both the UK and Scottish Governments must uphold the rights contained in them. The Scottish Ministerial Code expresses the responsibility of Scottish Ministers “to comply with the law, including international law and treaty obligations.”

The Scottish Government has not had specific meetings in connection with the development of the old Corus Hotel site in South Queensferry in the context of the local tourism strategy. Representations have been received from Queensferry & District Community Council and these have been discussed by the Forth Bridge Forum and its members.

There was a delay to the supply of a proportion of the children’s flu vaccine (Fluenz Tetra) which led to some school vaccination programmes having to be rescheduled. This delay affected the whole of the UK and was due to issues with routine quality assurance testing of the vaccine by the manufacturer, Astrazeneca.

The full allocation of vaccine arrived in Scotland in early December and NHS Boards have been working with partners to ensure all eligible children get their flu vaccine as soon as possible.

Vaccination is the best protection against flu and we would encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.

Whole time equivalent (WTE) numbers of consultants with a specialty of Radiology working in NHS Scotland have increased by 48.7%, from 223.5 WTE as at Sept 2006 to 332.4 WTE as at Sept 2019.

WTE numbers of Consultant Radiologist vacancies by NHS Board and length of time of the vacancy are set out as follows:

I met with Breast Cancer Now in December to discuss their survey, and agreed several areas of work for collaboration over the coming months. We are taking forward a range of actions that align with the recommendations from the survey report by Breast Cancer Now including: gathering existing datasets on secondary breast cancer; raising public and professional awareness of symptoms; and supporting clinical trials through investment in the NHS Research Scotland infrastructure.

I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-26681 on
‎ 8 January 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 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK wide authority has the primary function to regulate what products are safe and what products are a risk for public use. This includes matters relating to the appearance of tablets such as shape, size and colour.

Packaging regulations require that each medicine is accompanied by a Patient Information Leaflet containing important information for the safe and effective use of the medicine.

We know that breast screening save lives and we want our programme to be as effective as possible. That is why we are committed to further increasing our work and focus on the importance of breast screening. It is welcome that recent figures from the Scottish Breast Screening Programme show over half a million women across Scotland participated in breast screening, and uptake rates continue to exceed the Healthcare Improvement Scotland standard for uptake of 70%. We will however continue to look at what more can be done to ensure women appreciate the importance and value of taking up the offer of breast screening.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with the NHS and third sector groups like Cancer Research UK and Breast Cancer Now to look at ways to increase uptake further.