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From March 2020, a series of Temporary Special Leave Measures (specifically through https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2020)05.pdf and https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2020)30.pdf )were introduced to both support NHS Colleagues and assist in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading across our NHS Sites.

In particular:

• Since March 2020, NHS Staff who have been absent due to COVID-19 have been paid in full as if they had been at work; and,

• Those absences have not counted towards normal sickness absence triggers for those staff.

As we are now at a different stage in dealing with COVID-19 it was confirmed (on 24 June), and in broad alignment with other UK Nations, that all Temporary Covid Policies (including Special Leave) will be removed ( https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2022)21.pdf) .

In particular, from 1 September 2022, NHS colleagues who are absent due to COVID-19 will revert to contractual sick leave entitlement.

I can confirm that on that date, no-one will see their Sick Pay stop with the vast majority receiving six months full pay followed by six months half pay.

Rent Service Scotland does not hold official data on Landlords leaving the Private Rented sector.

The following table shows the number of properties purchased in the last 5 years in each category under the Open Market Shared Equity scheme. This information is voluntarily provided by the purchaser and in some cases, purchasers may fall into more than one category.

Thirteen Health Boards submitted proposals to the Strategic Network on managing the long term effects of COVID-19 for how they intend to utilise long COVID Support Funding across 2022-23.

Following review by the Network’s Strategic Oversight Board, funding allocations were confirmed to all 13 Health Boards on 19 May to support the delivery of activities identified within their proposals.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09460 on 13 July 2022. 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 Agri Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) has supported the conversion of over 34,000 Ha of land to organic standards over the life of the Scheme and the total area under management in 2022 is 85,077 Ha. To date a total of 495 organics contracts have been approved, with £28.8m committed. Historically very few applications for organic conversion have been denied where they meet the eligibility criteria, and approvals from the 2021 round in particular have seen the area of organic land receiving support increase by a fifth from the previous year.

Applications for organic conversion support in the AECS 2022 round are currently being assessed and no approval decisions have been made, however I can confirm that SG received applications from 34 businesses. Once assessed, this has the potential to put more than 8,000 Ha into organic conversion from 2023, across all land type options under the Scheme.

We are committed to extending AECS up to the end of the period of stability in 2024. This will continue to underpin the ambition for organic farming set out Programme for Government 2021-22, alongside a suite of other measures aimed at promoting low carbon farming and protecting the environment. We also will seek new opportunities to prioritise local and organic produce in public sector menus, and we are committed to seeing more organic farming and organic produce for sale in Scotland. We will work with the sector to establish a new Organic Food and Farming Action Plan.

Scottish Government has not undertaken a recent assessment of mixed sex wards in NHS hospitals.

Since 2005 the Scottish Government has expected Boards to ensure that all of their facilities comply with the guidelines and recommendations on the elimination of mixed sex accommodation produced in 1999 and 2000 following a review of mixed sex accommodation, as well as relevant legislation including the Equality Act 2010.

This Government supports the appropriate use of the separate and single-sex exceptions contained in paragraphs 26, 27 and 28 of Schedule 3 of the Equality Act 2010 by service providers, where it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. When taking decisions on where a person should be accommodated in the NHS, account should be taken of the rights of all.

Responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 rests with individual organisations. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced guidance to support separate and single sex service providers.

The Scottish Government expects everyone to be treated fairly and equally and with respect when seeking healthcare. NHS staff will make every effort to ensure that the privacy and dignity of all patients are maintained in Scottish hospitals.

Fulfilling the commitment made within the Housing to 2040 route map, we are currently in the process of reviewing the Housing for Varying Needs design guide. The guide offers good practice in the design of homes in order to help them achieve a good standard of accessibility and flexibility. Where possible, all new affordable homes delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme are built to Housing for Varying Needs standards.

Over the coming months, we will publish a consultation on proposed changes to the guide. As part of this consultation we plan to seek views on the introduction of building standards in 2025-26 to underpin a new Scottish Accessible Homes Standard, which all new homes will need to achieve, regardless of tenure.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with epilepsy are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

That is why in 2019 we published a Neurological Care and Support – National Framework for Action 2020-25, which sets out a vision that everyone with a neurological condition, including epilepsy, can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms. Since October 2020, we have invested £324,500 in funding via the Framework to projects that specifically improve the health and wellbeing of people with epilepsy in Scotland.

The Scottish Government and COSLA published a National Workforce Strategy on 11 March 2022. The Strategy commits to publishing new workforce projections in the autumn, once we have had the opportunity to consider Health Board and Health and Social Care Partnerships' three year workforce plans. The staffing needs for services and professional specialities across NHS Scotland such as epilepsy care will be, in partnership with stakeholders, factored into the development of these projections. As part of this work, we are actively listening to colleagues to understand where the current pressures are, and what actions can be taken to mitigate their impact on staff. Decisions on local staffing requirements are, however, the responsibility of individual NHS Boards.

NHS Board’s baseline revenue allocations are set out annually in the Scottish Budget, as published on the Scottish Government’s website. In addition, resource and capital spending limits are reported in Board’s annual accounts, which are published on their websites.

Since 2018-19, funding for frontline boards has increased by 17.4%.

The Scottish Government allocates funding to territorial NHS Boards based on the NRAC formula. The NRAC formula takes into account factors in addition to population levels, including relative deprivation and need for healthcare in different NHS Board areas.

Since 2012-13, almost £2.6 billion additional funding has been committed to those NHS Boards below their NRAC parity levels, bringing all boards to within 0.8% of parity.

More information on the NRAC formula is available at: Resource Allocation Formula in Scotland - Finance - Data & intelligence from PHS (isdscotland.org)