I announced on 4 October that the Scottish Government would be devolving powers to NHS Boards to utilise local flexibilities within NHS Pension arrangements, and offer ‘pension recycling’. This means NHS Boards will have the ability to assist staff affected by annual and lifetime allowance pension taxation issues. This action is intended to support the retention of staff and support service delivery as we approach winter.

Wider issues relating to pensions are a reserved matter and the power to fully resolve deficiencies with the current system are a matter for the UK Government.

All NHS Scotland Boards are providing assessment and support for people with long COVID, delivered across the full range of services provided by our NHS.

In 2022-23, funding of £18 billion is provided for the health portfolio. This substantial investment is already benefitting a range of services that are supporting the needs of people living with long COVID.

In addition, we have established a £10 million ‘Long COVID Support Fund’ and are investing an initial £3 million from the fund over this financial year to enable NHS Boards to continue to develop and deliver the best models of care for their local populations.

For 2022-23, the funding allocations to thirteen of the fourteen territorial Health Boards (NHS Orkney did not request funding), I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09934 on 23 August 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 Scottish Government is not aware of any practice by pharmacy chains offering work to Scottish locum pharmacists in other parts of the UK while agreeing to closures across the Scottish pharmacy network.

Neither the Scottish Government or Health Boards are responsible for the terms or contractual arrangements put in place between pharmacy businesses and those who provide a pharmacy locum service.

The Scottish Government is aware of the impact that the UK Government’s pension annual and life time allowances policy is having on the GP workforce in Scotland. There is limited action we can take to mitigate the impact as issues relating to pensions are a reserved matter. We have written to the UK Government on a number occasions to urge them to take action, and we have highlighted our concerns about the risks to delivering in-hours general practice as well as out of hours services.

The Scottish Government is not considering the introduction of powers for Health Boards to take over community pharmacies that are struggling to meet required standards.

Any challenges faced by community pharmacy contractors in delivering existing pharmaceutical care services should be discussed with the Health Boards who will be able to consider actions to support service provision.

The Scottish Government holds routine and ongoing discussions with all Health Board Directors of Pharmacy on a range of operational and policy issues regarding the delivery of NHS Pharmaceutical Care services. These include discussions on any proposed changes to contractual framework arrangements as set out in the Achieving Excellence in Pharmaceutical Care strategy recommendations.

£10 million of funding was announced for long COVID in 2021 for a 3 year period, with the first year’s expenditure being £3 million. We will monitor the progress of the initiatives being funded by this investment and use this to inform expenditure in the remaining 2 years to best meet the needs of people living with long COVID.

In 2022-23, funding of £18 billion is provided for the health portfolio. This substantial investment is already benefitting a range of services that are supporting the needs of people living with long COVID.

Around the world, science has begun the work of trying to find an explanation, and treatments, for long COVID. We are investing £2.5 million in 9 Scottish-led research studies through our Chief Scientist Office. These studies aim to improve the understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19 on physical and mental health and wellbeing in Scotland, and inform clinical interventions to support recovery and rehabilitation.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the UK's independent regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises and ensures pharmacy services are delivered in accordance with the required standards. There are no plans to instruct the Care Inspectorate to regulate this sector.

Health boards can take a range of actions in response to any breach of terms by a pharmacy contractor. Community pharmacy contractors are required to meet the Terms of Service as set out in Schedule 1 of the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) (Scotland) Regulation 2009. Should, in the opinion of the Health Board, a community pharmacy contractor breach the Terms of Service, they can consider taking any appropriate action in line with the noted Regulation and the National Health Service (Discipline Committees) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10043 on 24 August 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 .