The Scottish Government believes that EU citizens make a vital contribution to the delivery of NHS services in Scotland. Given the uncertainties presented by Brexit, we are working with all NHS Scotland Boards, and engaging with the professional regulatory bodies, to support on-going impact assessment and workforce planning activity, in line with Boards’ service provision responsibilities.

We know from Annual Population Survey Estimates (2016) indicate that approximately 3.5% of the health and social care workforce in Scotland (c.13,000 individuals) are EU/EEA nationals. Nevertheless, the proportion of the workforce who are of EU/EEA origin will vary considerably from profession to profession, as data from the professional regulatory bodies, including the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council demonstrates.

The Scottish Government has clearly set out the importance of continuing membership of the Single Market, which would be the best outcome for both our NHS and wider public service delivery in Scotland.

The information on current patients is not held centrally. However, previous data on cross-boundary flows for 2016-17 was published in November 2017 and is available from the following link:

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Hospital-Care/Publications/2017-11-07/Cross-Boundary-Flows-Inpatient-Day-Case-and-Outpatient-Nov-17.xlsx

The majority of patients are treated in a hospital located in their own local NHS Board area. However, around 1 in 8 admissions (12%) are to hospitals within other NHS Board areas. The reasons for patients not being treated in their own NHS Board area will include the provision of specialist national and regional services, where an emergency may have occurred, or it may simply reflect the natural ‘catchment’ area of a particular hospital, being the closest to the patient.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14278 on
8 February 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Information on how much the Scottish Government has spent on cessation and related campaigns in each year from 1999 is as follows:

* N-A means information is not held.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14278 on
8 February 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Since publication of the Montgomery Review of Access to New Medicines, we have been working closely with relevant partners, stakeholders, patient representatives, the third sector and the pharmaceutical industry to consider the most appropriate and effective way to take forward the recommendations.

I wrote to the Health and Sport Committee on 16 November to provide an update on the Scottish Government’s progress on implementing the recommendations of the Montgomery Review. I will provide a further update to the Committee in the Spring.

The report of the review of rejected referrals will be published by the 31 May 2018.

NHS Lothian are in the process of developing their business case and it will be submitted as soon as possible.

Agency spend figures for each NHS Board are only available from 2006-7 to 2016-17 and are given in the following table. Information on NHS Board spend on bank staff is not held centrally.

Agency Spend by NHS Board (in £’000)

This information is not held centrally. NHS Information Services Division publishes quarterly workforce statistics which details current vacancy information for consultant grade specialists. The data tables can be accessed via the following link: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2017-12-05/Consultant_Vacancies_S2017.xls