- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to urgently provide equitable access to prehabilitation, especially for patients with a less survivable cancer.
Answer
The Cancer Action Plan 2023-2026 sets out our ambitious programme of work to ensure access to cancer prehabilitation.
The Scottish Government is working with experts across health and social care to ensure timely access to all services providing the multi-modal, tiered and personalised interventions that make up prehabilitation. This includes developing the frameworks to screen, assess and signpost people affected by cancer to the relevant services as soon as possible. A national website has been created in partnership with those with lived experience to provide universal and accessible information and advice. A new primary care cancer education platform for NHS Scotland that will feature prehabilitation advice will also go live early 2024 to enable effective decision-making and support earlier diagnosis efforts.
Prehabilitation is a key part of the Optimal Cancer Diagnostic Pathways and Clinical Management Pathways (CMPs) that have been developed for Lung Cancer and the CMP for Adult Brain Cancers, also in development. The Scottish Government has also provided £350,000 to develop and implement universal prehabilitation workshops for the Maggie’s Centres. Further funding has been allocated to support each board area to adopt the nationally provided tools to reinforce care pathways, directly benefiting those affected by cancer, including less survivable cancers.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that patients who require targeted and specialised prehabilitation, as stated in its report, Key Principles for Implementing Cancer Prehabilitation, are accessing prehabilitation, and what the outcomes are for these patients.
Answer
The Centre for Sustainable Delivery is leading improvement and pathway redesign work via their Macmillan National Improvement Advisor for Cancer Prehabilitation. This will see core outcome measures agreed for use across Scotland, and introduce processes for data collection and reporting.
Some targeted and specialised prehabilitation has been developed within NHS settings and further services are being developed with funding from the Macmillan and Scottish Government’s Transforming Cancer Care programme to ensure people can access the right care in the right place at the right time.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support will be made available to farmers in 2024-25.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2024
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the gaps in service provision for people with ME, as identified in the report, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Services in Scotland: Findings from an analysis of surveys issued to NHS Boards in Autumn 2022, published in May 2023.
Answer
Our published analysis of health board data on ME/CFS care has established a clearer picture of the variation in service provision around Scotland.
We are considering these findings in identifying areas where there is the potential to further explore or support aspects of service development, and the resource required to do this.
In doing so, we are seeking to ensure that learning from the introduction of models of care for Long COVID is used to benefit the management of other long-term and complex conditions, including ME/CFS, where appropriate.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the lack of services for children and young people with ME, as highlighted in the report, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Services in Scotland: Findings from an analysis of surveys issued to NHS Boards in Autumn 2022, published in May 2023, in which no services for children and young people were identified in Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23717 on 19 December 2023. 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 .
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is planning any new infrastructure investments in the next financial year in connection with City and Regional Growth Deals.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2023
To ask the First Minister what work is being done to support the expanding role of the GP surgery.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2023
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 14 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what targeted communications are being used to encourage more people with weakened immune systems to get their COVID-19 winter booster vaccination.
Answer
This year’s COVID-19 vaccine marketing and communication plan utilises a number of communication channels to reach those with a weakened immune system, under the “Don’t let your protection fade” campaign. The accompanying marketing toolkit includes a range of assets directed at those who are at higher risk of COVID-19. This toolkit has been shared with Health Boards and stakeholders for them to promote via their own communication channels. The national campaign has also promoted vaccination for those at clinical risk.
All those eligible for winter vaccination have been sent an invitation letter with either a scheduled appointment or instructions on how to book an appointment. Included with this is a leaflet which includes information around why those eligible are being offered a COVID-19 vaccine this winter.
Specific leaflets have been produced for the clinical at risk child and infant groups. These leaflets are designed to help parents/carers make an informed decision about getting their child vaccinated.
All programme patient leaflets can be viewed on NHS Inform.
Winter vaccines briefings for professionals working with people at higher risk are available on the Public Health Scotland website. These explain the importance of the winter vaccines and encourage healthcare professionals to speak to their patients about being vaccinated.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether its guidance for people with weakened immune systems regarding the COVID-19 winter booster vaccination has been adapted from previous vaccine programmes to reflect any benefit of repeat vaccines for at-risk groups.
Answer
Information and resources on vaccination are regularly updated to reflect the most recent scientific data and evidence.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice for those at risk, including those with a weakened immune system, is that protection from the COVID-19 vaccines is best during the first three months after vaccination. Protection from the COVID-19 vaccines does not stop after three months, but slowly begins to fade. This is why those at risk are invited forward for their booster vaccinations during seasonal programmes. These messages are reflected in our winter vaccine resources. The “Don’t let your protection fade” public marketing campaign also focuses on the importance of revaccination.
Individuals who develop severe immunosuppression may be at high risk of COVID-19 and less able to sustain any protection from previous vaccination or exposure. These individuals can be considered for additional doses of vaccination, outside of seasonal campaigns, based on clinical judgement.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that the reported shortage of the drug, Antabuse, will end, and what action it can take in the future to avoid shortages of drugs such as Antabuse from occurring.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware that there was a UK-wide supply issue with the availability of Antabuse® (disulfiram) tablets earlier this year. The supply disruption has now been stabilised and supplies of Antabuse® (disulfiram) tablets are returning to normal levels.
The pricing and the supply of medicines is currently reserved matter for the UK Government. We continue to engage with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and we will continue to monitor the situation.
In the event of a medicine shortage, the NHS in Scotland has robust processes in place to manage supply issues when they do arise. Normally there are alternative products which can be prescribed and dispensed.