Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-35256

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what research has been conducted on the feedback received regarding the first 30-minute reduction in working hours in 2024 for Agenda for Change staff in the NHS, and what assessment has been made of the impact of the reduction.

Extensive research was undertaken on the impact of the first 30 minute reduction of the working week for Agenda for Change staff. This included its impact on maintaining system performance, meeting legislative requirements around safe staffing and the delivery of planned initiatives to support service recovery.

On review of this research it was clear that, to avoid unacceptable levels of risk to service resilience and patient safety, introducing the remaining hour on 1 April 2026 would be the most appropriate option. This also upholds the Scottish Government's commitment made in the 2023-24 Agenda for Change pay deal.

Question reference: S6O-04434

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the implementation of its temporary accommodation standards framework, in light of reports that children are living in properties affected by mould, vermin and overcrowding.

Question reference: S6W-35416

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it calculates the average per person funding for the purposes of the policy, as stated in the Scottish Public Finance Manual, that each local authority receives at least 85% of the Scottish average revenue funding per head.

Question reference: S6W-35418

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it first began including assumed council tax revenues in its calculation of average per person funding for local authorities as part of the policy, as stated in the Scottish Public Finance Manual, that each local authority receives at least 85% of the Scottish average revenue funding per head.

Question reference: S6W-35085

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many calls have been made to the now defunct musculoskeletal helpline since 2020.

Question reference: S6W-35083

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with the clinical director of trauma and orthopaedics at each territorial NHS board.

Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with the leadership of all NHS Boards to provide support and scrutiny whilst reinforcing national priorities, including further action to reduce waiting times.

In addition, the Scottish Government commissions ‘The Trauma and Orthopaedics National Planned Care Performance’ Team in the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) to support both scheduled and unscheduled orthopaedic service delivery through the implementation of sustainable improvements in NHS Scotland. Further details can be accessed at https://www.nhscfsd.co.uk/our-work/planned-care/planned-care-specialties/trauma-and-orthopaedics/

It provides support to all regional Health Boards and regularly engages with local Clinical Management teams, including Clinical Directors and/or Orthopaedic Leads, around a number of orthopaedic performance and improvement workstreams. Policy officials and the CfSD leads meet weekly and feedback/follow up these discussions.

The team meets with all health boards either monthly, bimonthly, quarterly or as needed.

All Clinical Management Teams are also invited to attend the Scottish Orthopaedic Services Delivery Group (SOSDG) which is the established T&O delivery group. This is run quarterly on the 1st Thursday in March/June/September/December and has been in place for circa 15 years.

Finally, Scottish Government officials and the CfSD national planned care team meet monthly with Chief Operating Officer and/or Acute Directors from all mainland Health Boards to review performance and delivery across all Planned Care specialities, including T&O. Meetings with island Boards are generally on a bimonthly basis.

Question reference: S6W-35084

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with the clinical director of musculoskeletal services at each territorial NHS board.

Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with the leadership of all NHS Boards to provide support and scrutiny whilst reinforcing national priorities, including further action to reduce waiting times.

Scottish Government officials do not routinely engage with speciality clinical directors in territorial boards. They do meet with the Scottish Association of Medical Directors with representation provided by the Executive Medical Director for each board, both special and territorial rather than individual clinical directors.

In addition, the Scottish Government commissions the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) manage a Rheumatology Specialty Delivery Group, which includes nominated multi-disciplinary representation from all Health Boards providing Rheumatology services.

Finally, Scottish Government officials and the CfSD national planned care team meet monthly with Chief Operating Officer and/or Acute Directors from all mainland Health Boards to review performance and delivery across all Planned Care specialities, including rheumatology. Meetings with island Boards are generally on a bimonthly basis.

Question reference: S6W-35082

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with the clinical director of rheumatology in each territorial NHS board.

Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with the leadership of all NHS Boards to provide support and scrutiny whilst reinforcing national priorities, including further action to reduce waiting times.

Scottish Government officials do not routinely engage with speciality clinical directors in territorial boards. They do meet with the Scottish Association of Medical Directors with representation provided by the Executive Medical Director for each board, both special and territorial rather than individual clinical directors.

In addition, the Scottish Government commissions the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) manage a Rheumatology Specialty Delivery Group, which includes nominated multi-disciplinary representation from all Health Boards providing Rheumatology services.

Finally, Scottish Government officials and the CfSD national planned care team meet monthly with Chief Operating Officer and/or Acute Directors from all mainland Health Boards to review performance and delivery across all Planned Care specialities, including rheumatology. Meetings with island Boards are generally on a bimonthly basis.

Question reference: S6W-35081

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 6 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on a musculoskeletal digital pathway for Scotland since November 2023.

Question reference: S6O-04358

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of police officer and police staff working days lost due to mental health illness has risen in recent years.

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