Information on consultant numbers, of which consultants working in surgical specialities is a sub category, is published by ISD Scotland and is available at the following web links:

Data from 1997-2007 can be found here: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Historic-Data/WFB03_B04_HB_REG.xls

Data from 2007-Dec 17 can be found here: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2018-03-06/Medical_Trend_D2017.xls

Numbers of Consultants working in Surgical Specialities have increased by 41.7% during the lifetime of this government.

Information on consultant vacancy figures, of which consultants working in surgical specialities is a sub category, is published by ISD Scotland and is available at the following web links:

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2018-03-06/Consultant_Vacancies_D2017.xls .

and

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2012-11-27/Consultant_Vacancies_S2012.xls?40942485 .

Information on how many NHS surgeon positions remained unfilled in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS Board, is not centrally held. Specific local information may be available from individual NHSScotland Boards.

The information requested is not held centrally. This information may be available from NHS Boards.

We are continuing to develop the Health Visiting Services to deliver a consistent enhanced service to all families and grow the workforce to meet additional demands. The Universal Health Visitor Pathway, published in October 2015, outlines a core home visiting programme as a minimum standard to be offered to all families with children under 5 years of age. The pathway is being implemented by NHS Boards on an incremental basis as new health visitors are recruited, and it is expected that full implementation will be achieved by 2020.

The number of health visitors employed by NHSScotland is published quarterly by Board.

• Data from 2015 to the most recent data, published on 5 December 2017, can be found at https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2018-03-06/Health_Visitors_D2017.xls .

Further notes:

• Further information on the statistics, including information on how the data are collected and notes to aid interpretation, is given in the 'FAQs' section of the Workforce Statistics website at http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce/

Data showing the cases of exclusion for each local authority for the academic years 1999-00 -2002-03 is available on the Scottish Government website here:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2004/09/19874/42462

Data showing the cases of exclusion for each local authority for the academic years 2003-04 – 2016-17 is available in table 24 of the supplementary tables, on the Scottish Government website here:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/exclusiondatasets/exclusionsdataset2017

Since 2010-11 the data has been collected biennially so no data is held for 2011-12, 2013-14 or 2015-16.

Cases of exclusion refers to the number of incidences of exclusion, not the number of individual pupils excluded, as a pupil can be excluded multiple times.

The Scottish Government works closely with the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). This independent expert advisory group advises Ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening policy using the international research evidence base and establishing pilot programmes where appropriate to collect additional evidence.

The UK NSC and the Scottish Government recognise that lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK and, unless found at an early stage, the outcome is poor. Nevertheless, the UK NSC does not currently recommend a national screening programme for lung cancer because there is not yet enough evidence that this is a good approach to reduce the burden of the disease. In particular there are concerns around significant over-diagnosis leading to potentially invasive investigations in people who are well.

The policy is due to be reviewed again, taking into account the results of the NELSON randomised lung cancer screening trial. If there is any change to the policy this will be carefully considered by the Scottish Government.

Information on the number of patients who have self-funded their drug treatment in each year since 1999 is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

If accepted by the profession, Phase 2 of the contract will introduce an income range that is comparable to that of consultants and directly reimburse agreed practice expenses.

As these measures would change GP practice funding and GP income they will be subject to negotiation and a second poll of the profession after specific details (including financial details) are available. Negotiations on this phase will include arrangements for the protection of GP income and practice expenses.

The new GP contract, backed by investment of £110 million in 2018-19 and jointly developed with the BMA, will help to cut doctors’ workload and make general practice an even more attractive career. This will include expanding the multidisciplinary team including link workers, vital to improving patient care in deprived communities.

The new workload formula better addresses practice workload, recognising the impact of age and deprivation. It is accompanied by an additional £23 million investment to improve services for patients where workload is highest, and to guarantee that no practice in Scotland will lose money under the formula. This will mean increased funding for c.63% of GP practices.

Future funding uplifts will apply to all GP practices’ share of the total funding derived by the new formula during Phase 1, including the new income guarantee. The annual uplift for 2018-19 will be negotiated in Summer 2018 following the publication of recommendations for the annual uplift by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration.

Through our Detect Cancer Early programme, we aim to increase the proportion of cancers that are detected at the earliest stages.

The Detect Lung Cancer Early campaign fronted by Sir Alex Fergusson was first launched on 6 November 2013. Activity has continued throughout 2017-18 including outdoor advertising, press and PR stories and a new online a new online film fronted by Sir Alex Fergusson was launched in November 2017. This was supported by the existing marketing campaign being on air again in January 2018.

Cancer Staging data released by ISD show that for 2015 and 2016 combined there was a 39.2% increase in the proportion of lung cancers diagnosed at Stage I where treatment is most successful.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting GPs to be more aware of the potential signs and symptoms of cancer and the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer are currently under clinical review, due to publish Autumn 2018.