Seòmar agus comataidhean

The last meeting of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce was held on the 6 December 2023 and was chaired by myself. The next meeting is scheduled for the 13 March 2024.

The NCS TOM reference group last met on the 19 May 2022. The meeting was a workshop focused on review of the current system and potential options for future systems. Consideration was given at this meeting to the potential approaches for the structure of the NCS.

Health and Social Care Management Board (HSCMB) last met on‎ 24 January 2024, and it discussed strategic, tactical, and operational matters which contribute to the delivery of health and care service across Scotland.

Health and Social Care Assurance Board (HSCAB) last met on‎ 8 November 2023. At this meeting, the Co-Director of Social Care and NCS Development, provided an update on the progress of the National Care Service.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is not planning to review the European Water Framework Directive.

The Water Framework Directive is implemented in Scotland by the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Water Environment (River Basin Management Planning: Further Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2013. Any review of this legislation would be carried out by the Scottish Government.

Through the Water Framework Directive’s River Basin Management Planning process we continue to protect and improve the water environment in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s rivers, lochs and coastal waters.

The Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) was introduced in 1997. Over the course of this period, areas of NHS Dumfries and Galloway included within the scheme have varied depending on the access to NHS dental services at a particular time.

The whole NHS Dumfries and Galloway Board area was added for inclusion to the scheme from 20 December 2021.

From Jan 2020 to Jan 2024, over £6 million has been paid in grants to smaller businesses through the LEZ Support Fund.

This funding has resulted in over 1,000 high polluting vehicles being taken off our roads, and over 400 taxis retrofitted to become LEZ compliant.

The Scottish Workforce and Staff Governance Committee last met on 24 January 2024.

Meeting minutes will be published once agreed. These will be available to view at Scottish Workforce & Staff Governance (SWAG) Committee Agenda and Minutes — NHS Scotland Staff Governance

The Central Scotland Regional Equality Council (CSREC) is based in Falkirk and is focussed on promoting equality and diversity and fostering good relations amongst ethnic minorities and other communities in Central Scotland. The CSREC was awarded funding in 2020 under the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) for their ‘One Planet Communities’ project (CCF-6544).

The objectives were as follows:

• Providing Carbon Conversations to 150 people in their community to increase their awareness and understanding of Climate Change and enable them to make informed choices in their buying habits and change to more sustainable consumer behaviour.
• 800 members of the community will develop more sustainable consumer behaviour and save 67.33 tCO2e by participating in 20 monthly pop-up swap shops over the duration of the Project.
• 420 people will save 5.65 tCO2e by diverting clothing and textiles from landfill by learning how to sew and upcycle them into new items.
• 80 people will upcycle 1680 kg of furniture into new pieces and save 3.4 tCO2e.
• 600 people will use the One Planet Communities online hub to learn about sustainable consumption, the effects of textiles and waste on the environment, upcycling skills and where to go for more information and workshops locally in the Forth Valley.
• 1440 people will divert 4.32 tonnes of waste from landfill, and save 15.81 tCO2e via a Community Fridge.

The Scottish Government regularly makes evidence-based representations to the UK Government on reserved tax issues. Alcohol sales are already subject to VAT, whilst any profits made by retailers selling alcohol will be already be subject to Corporation Tax. The Scottish Government, as set out in December’s budget announcement, is exploring the reintroduction of a Public Healthy levy using devolved powers.