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As set out in the August 2021 Plan the establishment of a Women’s Health Research Fund is a long term action with a delivery timescale of three years or more from publication.

Establishing a Women’s Health Lead in every board is a medium term action in the Women’s Health Plan due for delivery by September 2024 . NHS Boards have begun the process of identifying their Women’s Health Lead.

A Sexual Health Digital Group has not yet been established, in recognition of the pressures facing the NHS as it recovers from the pandemic, and to avoid further demands on the time of the clinicians and NHS professionals who would be required to join.

However, to maintain momentum, the Scottish Government has continued to support digital solutions, including online testing and ePrEP. Additionally, much of the anticipated work that the Group would have taken forward will be addressed through other forums, such as the forthcoming update to the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework or through the refreshed Digital Health and Care Strategy. However, the establishment of the Group will remain under review and be stood up, should the need arise and resources permit.

A number of high-calibre candidates have been interviewed for this important role and the appointments process is in the final stages. Ministers will provide an update to Parliament shortly.

A short life working group to look at Hepatitis C treatment in people who inject drugs was established in early 2021.

Membership comprised the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and clinical representation from NHS Tayside, which was one of the first areas in the world to effectively eliminate Hepatitis C 11 years ahead of the 2030 World Health Organisation target of 2030.

The group recommended exploring the development of a national service, delivered through the community pharmacy network, to provide Hepatitis C testing and treatment to people who inject drugs, and thereby support elimination of Hepatitis C as a major public health threat in Scotland by 2024. Discussions will be taken forward with the representative body, Community Pharmacy Scotland, to explore how the community pharmacy network can support this work.

The Government looks at its entire capital programme on an on-going basis. This includes looking at phasing of, and the delivery arrangements for projects, including Ferguson Marine, in order to allocate resources accordingly to meet our commitments.

During 2020, national treatment targets were suspended in recognition of the necessary response to the covid-19 pandemic, before being reinstated in 2021.

We know that the covid-19 pandemic had a major impact across our health services, including the detection and treatment of Hepatitis C. In considering the re-instatement of Hepatitis C treatment targets, both the impact of COVID and associated steps to manage it were considered by the SHPN Hepatitis C Elimination Group, which comprises clinical expertise from Scottish Health Boards.

A recent PHS report shows that the number of new diagnoses made in 2020 and 2021 were the lowest recorded in the last decade. Encouragingly, however, it also shows that major progress has been made despite the pandemic. For example, there is evidence to indicate that Scotland has already achieved one of the WHO targets set for 2030; 80% of those ever diagnosed having received treatment.

The full PHS report can be found here: Surveillance of hepatitis C in Scotland (publichealthscotland.scot).

The Scottish Government remains committed to eliminating Hepatitis C as a major public health concern by 2024.

We must recognise the impact the covid-19 pandemic has had on services, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of HCV data.

However, despite that impact, PHS recently published a report (“Surveillance of hepatitis C in Scotland”) which shows that major progress has been made on a number of key targets including a large drop in cases in people who inject drugs, with some parts of Scotland seeing as much as a 70% reduction. This is hugely encouraging. As we continue to recover from the pandemic, we must build on that progress and continue to work with key stakeholders to remove this public health threat.

It is for each Board to decide how to deliver healthcare services in line with the needs of their local populations. However, following the suspension of treatment targets in 2020, and after advice from the Scottish Health Protection Network Hepatitis C Elimination Group, national treatment targets were reinstated in 2021 at a level of at least 2000 new treatment initiations for 2021-22 rising to 3000 in 22-23.

The Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS), ‘Batteries Are Better Recycled’ campaign ran in late February and early March 2021. The original campaign cost £7777.87, and reached just under 340,000 people through print and online, and around 192,500 people through social media. Analysis showed the campaign reached people in 15 out of 32 Scottish local authority areas.

Zero Waste Scotland expanded the campaign’s messaging in the first half of 2022 to include an additional focus on the fire hazards associated with incorrect disposal of batteries, for use by local authorities. This additional campaign material cost £3438.60, and was well-received by local authority partners.

No data is held on the campaign’s direct impact on battery recycling rates. As part of evaluation for campaigns, media coverage, social media tone and sentiment, use of campaign assets and toolkits, and qualitative feedback from key stakeholders and partners, including local authorities, are all routinely reviewed to assess campaign impact and uptake.

We do not hold information centrally on the Environment Services Association’s ‘Take Charge’ autumn 2022 campaign.