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As set out in answer to question S6W-28317 on 19 July 2024, any unnecessary delay in hospital is unacceptable and below the standard we would expect. The Scottish Government recognises the relationship between crowding in A&E and increased risk of harm which is why we remain committed to delivering improved A&E performance.

Action is being taken to improve patient flow through our acute sites which will in turn reduce congestion within A&E and bring down waiting times. Through our Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative Programme, we are working with Boards across Scotland to implement a range of initiatives such as improved escalation process and increased clinical support for care home and ambulance crews to avoid unnecessary admission to hospital.

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 .

The Scottish Government works closely with local teams and expert groups to develop appropriate alternatives to attendance at A&E, minimise the need for admission, reduce length of stay and increase options and processes for timely and appropriate discharge which would in turn improve occupancy levels.

Decisions on capacity levels are ultimately for local health boards and their planning partners to make however, the Delayed Discharge and Hospital Occupancy Action Plan has been put in place to support systems to create the necessary capacity to deal with emerging pressures.

In August 2020, the Scottish Government launched an interactive website, fairdeliveries.scot, which provided users with information allowing them to measure the fairness of delivery pricing, improve transparency, and drive positive behavioural change from parcel delivery companies.

In January 2023, fairdeliveries.scot was decommissioned as the low levels of traffic did not represent best value for money. As an alternative, Highland Council Trading Standards runs the Delivery Law UK website which provides comprehensive information for consumers and businesses on their rights and obligations in relation to parcel delivery.

Postal services is a reserved policy which places a limit on any actions that the Scottish Government can take. We will continue to work collaboratively with our partners in Consumer Scotland and Trading Standards to advocate for a fair approach to parcel delivery for both households and business.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the safety regulator, considers there to be a robust regulatory regime covering the fire risks associated with battery energy storage systems (BESS). A range of UK Government legislation is applicable to health and safety at BESS sites including the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002; the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

When the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service receive information on BESS proposals they will consider and provide a response where appropriate.

In May 2023, information on Primary Care Improvement Fund (PCIF) spend during 2023-24 was collected by Scottish Government alongside workforce numbers and access to NHS board provided services, which was published in June. Data is provided directly by Integrated Authorities and may be revised. Primary care improvement plans: implementation progress summary - March 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Table one provides a breakdown of the PCIF allocation and spend in 2023-24. Where spend is higher than allocation, Integration Authorities and Health Boards have used additional resources to support Primary Care Improvement Plan implementation. To note, for the purposes of reporting, some Integration Authority areas provide combined returns.

Table 1 - PCIF allocation and spend by Integration Authority 2023-24

This Government is committed to ensuring the people of Scotland can access NHS services that meet their needs and provide the highest standard of care in the right place, at the right time.

Health services continue to face sustained pressure, and this is not unique to Scotland - with similar challenges being felt right across the UK. The 2024-25 Scottish Budget provides more than £19.5 billion for health and social care and an extra £500 million for frontline boards. Additionally, we continue to grow our NHS workforce and as at March 2024, NHS Staffing levels are at record high.

We also continue to grow our capacity through the expansion of Hospital at Home services. By providing care in this way we’re enabling more people to receive treatment in the comfort of their own home rather than on an acute ward, relieving pressure on frontline services in traditional hospital settings.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland report h-h-progress-update-march-2024.pdf (ihub.scot) that H@H services prevented over 14,400 people spending time in hospital during April 2023 to March 2024. This represents an increase in bed days of 52% compared to the same period in the previous year.

The Scottish Government has an existing improvement Programme informed by evidence-based best practice. Through this approach we are working with Health Boards and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) to implement actions that will improve patient flow through our acute sites, in turn reducing A&E waiting times.

We are working with boards to focus on the greatest areas of productive opportunity, many of which, are in line with the recommendations set out in the RCEM guidance, such as strengthening Same Day Emergency Care services, improving access to clinical decision makers from other services and enhancing the escalation process.

We regularly meet with RCEM to discuss this approach and to collectively improve experience for staff and patients.

Any unnecessary delay in hospital is unacceptable and below the standard we would expect. The Scottish Government recognises the relationship between crowding in A&E and increased risk of harm which is why we remain committed to delivering improved A&E performance.

The Scottish Government is committed to progressing a Fairer Funding approach for the third sector to improve the transparency and consistency of our funding relationships.

Improving grant-making practices across the Scottish Government is a significant undertaking and we are at the beginning stages of this process. The measures that we have prioritised to date – early notification of funding, increased multi-year agreements, improved relationship practices and grant conditions – do align with the SCVO’s principles. However, we have been clear that the implementation of Fairer Funding within the current financial context is challenging and that our ability to deliver on every aspect of SCVO’s ask is constrained.

I set out progress towards our priorities, the challenges that we have met and our next steps, in a letter to the Social Justice and Social Security Committee of 20 May and have committed to keep them updated as our work continues.

Social Security Scotland services were designed in consultation with clients and stakeholders. In shaping the design and Policy underpinning the service, staff consulted with the Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group. As benefits launched the Agency Implementation Group and latterly the Operational Reference Group were created to ensure that they continually learn from those who interact and use their services. Social Security Scotland has also engaged with the clients that use the service, initially through Experience panels and then as benefits launched, the Client Experience panels. Their Inclusive Communication Group worked with clients to understand the challenges they face in dealing with Organisations and the barriers to getting the support they need. Through this direct feedback, and understanding of client’s needs, Social Security Scotland have built a client led, flexible service that supports clients in a way that meets their individual needs.