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The SG agrees that access to the medical profession, including GP, must be widened.

That is why we are taking forward a number of actions that will contribute towards a more secure and sustainable medical workforce which is more representative of the communities it serves.

We have invested £23 million in the medical education package. 50 additional ring fenced widening access places focused on SIMD 20 applicants were added in 2016. Two pre-medical entry programmes for those from less advantaged backgrounds commenced in 2017 with 40 places. Places have been increased to 50 for 2019 following the success of the first year of the programme.

There is emerging evidence that that widening access students are more likely to proceed directly to specialty training and more likely to become GPs.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23664 on 13 June 2019. 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 agrees with the College that there’s a need to enhance the quality, content and locations in which competency-based GP training is delivered, and work is already underway to deliver such improvements, within the existing GMC-approved 3 year training programme, with a particular focus on acquiring the relevant capabilities defined by the College and required by the GMC.

We are also supporting a number of pilots designed to enhance the competencies of GPs to assist them become more competent, confident practitioners with the skills to work within integrated care services. The emphasis is on GPs who have completed their training, thereby meeting the increasing demand for more flexible career options, complementing integrated service delivery models, and helping to support retention. The pilots will be evaluated and the results shared.

The Scottish Government also agrees with the need to increase the learning time medical undergraduates spend within GP practices, but this is dependent on a range of factors, and is an issue under active consideration by the increasing undergraduate education in primary care group Chaired by Dr John Gillies, and which is due to report shortly.

We agree that practices in deprived areas must be adequately represented in undergraduate and postgraduate training for GPs. That is why the SG offers 20K GPST bursaries for “hard to fill” posts. “Hard to fill” includes areas of socio-economic deprivation. 101 bursary posts filled in 2018, an increase of 41 from 2017.

In terms of undergraduate teaching, recommendations of the Increasing Undergraduate Education in Primary Care Group, chaired by Dr John Gillies, will be published shortly. The report will make recommendations with a view to increasing the number of undergraduate teaching practices including in areas of deprivation.

The SG has also funded 60 new places at Aberdeen and Glasgow Universities, both of which will offer placements in GP Deep End practices.

In order to avoid any conflict of interest there is a clear separation of duties between the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and the Fund Trustees.  Under Schedule 1, Part B, Rule 8 of the Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Act 2009 (the 2009 Act) the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is responsible for the appointment of Fund Trustees.  Under Schedule 1, Part D, Rule 32 of the 2009 Act the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is also responsible for providing the funding for the employer pension contributions. 

Under Schedule 1, Part B, Rule 5 of the Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Act 2009, the Fund Trustees are responsible for the governance, management and administration of the Scheme and for the management of the Scheme's assets, including decisions around setting the Scheme's investment strategy.  I understand the Trustees discussed the investment strategy at their recent quarterly meeting.  Given their lead responsibility and the statutory position which requires them to operate independently of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Member might wish to raise this matter directly with the Fund Trustees.

The Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan set out that, if no action were taken, levels of child poverty in Scotland could rise to affect one in three children by 2030. The independent analysis behind these projections noted that the key reason for these projected increases was the announced UK Government cuts, primarily the benefit freeze and the two child limit. The impact of these cuts was predicted to be most acute in the period to 2020.

To address this challenge, we committed to a range of concrete action within our first Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan. This includes new support such as: a new minimum School Clothing Grant of at least £100 for every eligible child; a new Financial Health Check service, and; enhanced support through the Best Start Grant.

We will publish our first annual progress report by the end of this month and provide an update to Parliament on activity underway and future activity planned.

The “Other (known)” category is used by local authorities where the outcome is known but does not fit into any of the other outcome categories listed in the following table. The Scottish Government does not collect any further information regarding what these outcomes are.

Under the Carers Act, young carers have the right to a personalised plan to identify what support they need. This could include the need for bereavement support where they are caring for someone with a terminal illness. We have just finished consulting on regulations to set priority timescales for preparing such plans for young carers in this situation.

Every Health and Social Care Partnership area must also now have a local information and advice service for carers. These must provide information and advice on a range of carers’ rights and support, including on bereavement support available to carers.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has committed to appointing a National Childhood Bereavement Coordinator for Scotland over the next two years until April 2021. The position is currently being advertised and we hope to have someone in post before the end of the summer. The coordinator will act as the national champion for understanding the needs of all children who have experienced bereavement and work in partnership with key stakeholders to drive forward improvements in bereavement services support for children and young people across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not made any assessment of the option to deliver the Young Carer Grant in a form other than money as it is being delivered as an annual grant of £300.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on supplies held by NHS Boards in their stores. It is for NHS Boards to manage supplies and to ensure that they support the delivery of quality health care.