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Discussions on vaccine certification are conducted via the night time sector and wider hospitality’s trade representatives at a national level, the most recent of which took place with Ministers on 12 October 2021.

Sports sponsorship entails a range of alcohol advertising and promotional activity, which we know is seen by children and young people across Scotland. The findings of this report undertaken by researchers at the University of Stirling highlight just how much children and young people are exposed to alcohol marketing in a sports context.

We know this exposure creates positive attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage them to start drinking alcohol or to drink more alcohol.

Whilst recognising the impact Covid-19 has had on the sporting sector as well as the importance of sponsorship income, we would encourage sports teams and organisations to diversify sponsorship away from alcohol brands. We applaud Scottish Women’s Football for the stance they have taken not to accept sponsorship from the alcohol or gambling industries.

We have committed to publicly consulting on a range of potential alcohol marketing restrictions to protect children and young people in Scotland. We are considering all methods of alcohol advertising and promotion in developing proposals for the public consultation which will be published in 2022.

Consideration for people who do not have digital access has been built into our vaccination programme from the start. Communication has gone out via non-digital channels and we have also undertaken a door-to-door paper leaflet drop with important information on vaccines. COVID-19 vaccine leaflets are available in audio, BSL, easy read and large print as well as other languages.

Those who do not have online access can call the COVID-19 National Helpline on 0800 030 8013. The helpline allows people to check and, where required, reschedule appointments. All information and services on NHS Inform are available via this phone line. We encourage people to double check their GP holds correct address details, to make sure that any appointment letter reaches them.

For those who are eligible for flu and/or COVID-19 booster vaccines, we have ensured that:

• Those aged 70 and over or those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will receive a vaccine invitation by post or may be contacted by their GP.
• Letters will be sent to those aged 60-69 years of age inviting them for vaccination from late October.
• When the online booking portal becomes available for those in stage 2, people who do not have access to digital booking will also be able to book their vaccinations via the COVID-19 National Helpline.

Our forthcoming national marketing campaigns for both flu and COVID-19 booster will direct people towards both the online booking system as well as the phone line so no one should be left out.

The previous International Travel Regulations were due to expire on 20 September 2021 but were instead revoked and replaced with new, consolidated regulations that came into force on that date. We have reviewed the border health measures closely over the last 28 days and have assessed that there continues to be a requirement for the regulations to remain in place to reduce the risk of imported transmission and safeguard public health in Scotland. The regulations continue to be an important and proportionate part of the Scottish Government response to managing the pandemic. As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue discussions with UK Government and the other devolved administrations and continue to seek to take a four-nations approach to future changes to regulations and the travel regime.

The Scottish Government is committed to the early detection of cancer. We are in currently in the process of establishing Scotland’s first Early Cancer Diagnostic Centres which will see the creation of a person-centred fast-track pathway for patients with non-specific symptoms (i.e. weight loss, nausea, fatigue) suspicious of cancer. These centres have been in operation since June 2021 and are continually taking patients with plans for equitable access across Scotland over the course of this parliament.

An estimate of the number of patients who have missed an early diagnosis of melanoma can be made by using data from the Public Health Scotland (PHS) Covid Wider Impacts Dashboard ( https://scotland.shinyapps.io/phs-covid-wider-impact/ ). The data indicates there were a total of 1,131 individuals with pathologically confirmed specimens for malignant melanoma of the skin between 1 April 2020 and the week ending 21 st February 2021. This was 398 individuals fewer than in the same period one year before.

Therefore, the data suggests there have been around 400 fewer melanoma diagnoses overall during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are working with NHS Scotland Health Boards to put in place delivery models for the 2021-22 seasonal flu vaccination programme to suit local circumstances, whilst maintaining a COVID-19 safe environment and maximising efficiency.

If someone is unable to attend for their flu vaccination, they can rearrange their appointment to a more convenient time or location on line at Rearrange your flu vaccine appointment | The flu vaccine (nhsinform.scot). If invited by their GP practice or local Health Board, they should rearrange their appointment with them directly. If cancelling the appointment, the Flu Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 can assist with this.

Information on the current number of face to face appointments is not held centrally by the Scottish Government as GP practices are responsible for their own patient appointment and consultation arrangements. We are currently working with stakeholders to improve data collection.

The Scottish Government regularly reviews performance data from the Scottish Ambulance Service which includes data on response times across the country.

This information is normally reviewed weekly, however, given the current pressures being experienced we are receiving twice daily sit reps from the Service on performance.

Like all areas of Scotland, and indeed throughout the UK, we are aware that some patients are experiencing delays in response times from the ambulance service. This is why we have already taken significant action both prior to and since the pandemic to input measures to ensure our Ambulance service has the full resources and range of support in place to deliver services.

We announced an additional package of support for the Service, backed by an additional £20 million of investment, which will help increase capacity and improve response times and staff wellbeing, including assistance from over 100 military personnel.

We have also previously taken action to help with the situation, including an additional investment of £20m as part of the £1bn NHS Recovery Plan. This investment comes from continued involvement with the SAS Demand and Capacity programme which this Government has been involved in since its inception in 2019. It will deliver almost 300 additional Ambulance Service staff by April 2022.

This breaks down as 69 staff in the North of Scotland, 139 in West of Scotland and 88 in the East of Scotland. The additional staff are a mixture of paramedics, newly qualified paramedics (NQPs) and technicians. Extra ambulances and vehicles will also be introduced over the coming months, including two in Edinburgh.

Officials meet with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s (NHS GG&C) Cancer Team on a weekly basis to ensure every urgent suspicion of cancer (USC) patient is moving timeously through their pathway. These discussions are based on management information, not in the public domain.

The majority of cancer treatments have continued throughout the pandemic. Where changes have been made to a patient’s treatment plan, due to COVID, the decision is made jointly with the clinical team and patient.

NHS GG&C treated 97.1% of cancer patients within 31 days of a decision to treat being made in Q2 2021. Latest statistics are available via:

https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancer-waiting-times/cancer-waiting-times-1-april-to-30-june-2021/

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03321 on
‎ 18 October 2021. 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