A Sexual Health Digital Group has not yet been established, in recognition of the pressures facing the NHS as it recovers from the pandemic, and to avoid further demands on the time of the clinicians and NHS professionals who would be required to join.

However, to maintain momentum, the Scottish Government has continued to support digital solutions, including online testing and ePrEP. Additionally, much of the anticipated work that the Group would have taken forward will be addressed through other forums, such as the forthcoming update to the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework or through the refreshed Digital Health and Care Strategy. However, the establishment of the Group will remain under review and be stood up, should the need arise and resources permit.

As set out in the August 2021 Plan the establishment of a Women’s Health Research Fund is a long term action with a delivery timescale of three years or more from publication.

It is for each Board to decide how to deliver healthcare services in line with the needs of their local populations. However, following the suspension of treatment targets in 2020, and after advice from the Scottish Health Protection Network Hepatitis C Elimination Group, national treatment targets were reinstated in 2021 at a level of at least 2000 new treatment initiations for 2021-22 rising to 3000 in 22-23.

Yes, the Scottish Government has taken significant steps to promote the use of video, through NHS Near Me, and telephone consultations where appropriate to support access to services for women.

Key actions have included:

• Targeted social media campaigns via the NHS Near Me Twitter account throughout 2022, including a targeted campaign in March for International Women’s day and Endometriosis month to establish stronger partnership engagement.
• Direct engagement with women and health services; the initial focus has been on Endometriosis with the view to expand this further.
• Partnerships with third sector organisations such as Endometriosis UK, Endo Warriors, Endo Bonds, Endoborders, ALLiance, Lets Get on With Scotland and Sports Scotland.

The rollout of the Women’s Health Plan also sets out commitments to ensure that all women enjoy the best possible health throughout their lives. The Near Me programme aims to ensure that healthcare services are responsive and adaptive to the individual needs of women, with practitioners adequately trained to be able to help women, particularly those who have been affected by trauma or adversity and where choice of appointment is offered routinely.

In addition, use of remote consultations continues to be explored within Family Nurse Partnerships and community maternity services.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. However, information regarding PrEP uptake is published by Public Health Scotland and can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/hiv-in-scotland/hiv-in-scotland-update-to-31-december-2021/ .

A short life working group to look at Hepatitis C treatment in people who inject drugs was established in early 2021.

Membership comprised the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland and clinical representation from NHS Tayside, which was one of the first areas in the world to effectively eliminate Hepatitis C 11 years ahead of the 2030 World Health Organisation target of 2030.

The group recommended exploring the development of a national service, delivered through the community pharmacy network, to provide Hepatitis C testing and treatment to people who inject drugs, and thereby support elimination of Hepatitis C as a major public health threat in Scotland by 2024. Discussions will be taken forward with the representative body, Community Pharmacy Scotland, to explore how the community pharmacy network can support this work.

The most recent surveillance data has been published by Public Health Scotland, and this includes treatment levels since 2007-08. The report can be found here: https://hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/surveillance-of-hepatitis-c-testing-diagnosis-and-treatment-in-scotland-2019-update/ .

Work to widen eligibility for PrEP in Scotland is well underway. This has been progressed by a dedicated PrEP Short Life Working Group, comprising clinical and third sector representatives, which is developing guidance for new eligibility criteria. The goal is to ensure that anyone who is at risk of acquiring HIV is eligible to receive PrEP.

Widening eligibility will also require ensuring appropriate capacity to provide PrEP. In December 2022, the Scottish Government committed to support a pilot for an online service providing access to PrEP. Work on this is now being taken forward. If successful, in the long term, an online service could improve access, including for those living in remote or rural areas.

We have commissioned the Health and Social Care Alliance to take forward a programme of work on ‘lived experience’ to inform women’s health policy and ensure women are meaningfully involved in decision making and priority setting going forward.

Through Reset and Rebuild - sexual health and blood borne virus services: recovery plan, published in August 2021, the Scottish Government provided an additional £0.5m of funding to assist sexual health and blood borne virus services to begin recovery from the covid-19 pandemic.

Amongst the numerous projects funded through the Recovery Plan was the SHARE project launched by HIV Scotland, further details of which can be found here:

https://www.hiv.scot/stories/share-study-launch .

In addition, the Scottish Government has supported the Conundrum project, which was designed to understand factors shaping young people’s experiences of contraception, and provided insight into how young people’s access to condoms and contraception was disrupted during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Details of the project can be found here: University of Glasgow - Schools - School of Health & Wellbeing - News - CONUNDRUM project .

Understanding the impact of the pandemic will require on-going support, and it is expected that the next iteration of the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Viruses Framework, which will be published this year, will continue this work.