Prior to the formal launch of the Test and Protect system, we asked all NHS Scotland boards to make available up to 2,000 staff to participate in contact tracing activity. As acknowledged at the time, the resource was provided substantially from existing workforce was an estimate of need and it was recognised that not all would be required at any one time. We keep contact tracing capacity under active review, in line with modelling undertaken by Public Health Scotland, with all boards required to maintain a total national capacity commensurate with demand. In commencing 03 August for instance, approximately 836 staff were available within boards to undertake contact tracing activity. The recruitment position within boards is subject to change in line with the national modelling picture, and where local service composition changes as a result of the mobilisation of other NHS services. In line with their service provision responsibilities, the recruitment of staff is devolved to NHS Scotland boards.

Recruitment to the National Contact Tracing Centre (NCTC) is on-going, as week commencing 03 August 2020, the centre had recruited 63 staff, and has a further pool of 66 staff it can readily deploy. Additionally, we continue to make use of the pipeline of candidates identified through national recruitment, with 300 shortlisted applicants currently concluding the interview process. The NCTC is in the process of finalising bank arrangements with NHS Forth Valley to be able to flex the resource into the NCTC; some 200-400 staff will be available through the bank arrangement; this will grow and be kept under review, in line with the modelling, to provide additional resilience.

The Scottish Government recognised that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the third sector and that is why we launched the £25 million Third Sector Resilience Fund (TSRF). This fund was part of a wider £350 million emergency coronavirus funding. Health and social care organisations have received just over £6 million in funding through the TSRF.

The Scottish Government values its relationship with the third sector health and social care organisations. This relationship will continue to support our response to Covid-19 as we consider our ‘Remobilise, Recover, Re-design’ work. We are committed to working with our third sector partners to ensure that there is a person centred approach to re-mobilisation across our health and social care services in Scotland.

Charitable organisations providing hot meals and supplies for those who need it should follow appropriate COVID-19 infection prevention and control guidelines which apply to the catering/food service sector. Food Standards Scotland has published a guidance package for all food businesses which details the measures that should be implemented to protect staff, volunteers and users of these services from COVID-19. The Scottish Government has also produced guidance for the hospitality sector which includes useful advice on measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in settings where food is served.

However, it is also important that those responsible for managing these services contact their Local Authority Environmental Health department for advice on how this guidance applies to their particular circumstances.

The Mobilisation Recovery Group, which I chair, is an advisory group established under Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: the Framework for NHS Scotland ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/re-mobilise-recover-re-design-framework-nhs-scotland/ ) to generate key expert, stakeholder and system-wide input into decisions on resuming and supporting service provision, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The full remit and membership of the Group is available alongside the minutes of each meeting at:

https://www.gov.scot/groups/mobilisation-recovery-group/

The membership of the Group, which includes Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, will be kept under review to ensure that it continues to bring together stakeholders and decision makers; guaranteeing that that the delivery of health and social care services maintains a strong focus on quality, equity and person-centred care, within the necessary constraints of the COVID-19 response.

During the pandemic, emergency and urgent care has been provided, including treatment for pain as a result of emergency, acute presentations, infusion pumps for palliative care services and treatment for complex regional pain syndrome. We remain committed to resuming the full range of pain services as quickly as it is safe to do so, and we will shortly publish a COVID-19 Recovery Framework for NHS Pain Management Services to continue to inform this activity.

Funerals are highly emotional and incredibly difficult events in our lifetimes. They are unique and intimate. Unlike most other gatherings, those in attendance are likely to know or be close to many others in attendance. Because of this, it is much more likely that vital public health measures to help mitigate or break chains of transmission of COVID-19, such as observing strict 2 metre physical distancing between households, will be forgotten. This is completely understandable at a time of grief, when people need the support of their close family and friends more than ever.

This has been the basis for us taking a much more cautious and careful approach when it comes to funeral services when compared to other gatherings, as we continue to seek to suppress the virus.

The Scottish Government appreciates returning to work will be a worrying time for people living with an underlying health condition, such as diabetes.

The health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and the economy is the priority of the Scottish Government. All employers in Scotland should follow the existing Scottish guidance, support workers to follow health protection advice and have a statutory duty to ensure that workers’ health and safety is protected. This includes undertaking risk assessments of their work activity, assessing the risk from Covid-19 spread in the workplace, and putting in place appropriate mitigating measures.

We published guidance for employers and employees to support people who considered themselves at higher risk of contracting Covid-19 on 30 July 2020. This provides practical measures which should be taken, including risk assessments and prioritising their needs in planning phased returns to physical workplaces. This guidance can be found by following link:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-shielding/pages/returning-to-work/

Robust arrangements for public engagement are in place for both NHS Boards and Integration Authorities.

Health Boards are subject to the public involvement duties set out in the NHS Reform (Scotland) Act 2004 and the national CEL 4 (2010) guidance on “Informing, engaging and consulting people in developing health and community care services”.

Integration Authorities have a range of duties conferred upon them through the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, which requires a comprehensive approach to engagement and participation with a range of key stakeholders.

We expect NHS Boards and Integration Authorities to apply the principles of early and meaningful engagement proportionately when making decisions regarding the delivery of arthritis services. Healthcare Improvement Scotland - Community Engagement have also developed guidance to support engagement during this time.

There is already national guidance to support NHS Boards to fulfil their public involvement duties under the NHS Reform (Scotland) Act 2004.

The CEL 4 (2010) guidance to NHS Boards, “Informing, Engaging and Consulting People in Developing Health and Community Care Services”, which is available online at http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2010_04.pdf , sets out how NHS Boards should inform, engage with, and consult with patients and their local communities.

I wrote to all NHS Boards in June this year to remind them of their duties and the national guidance.

We are working jointly with COSLA to develop updated community engagement guidance which will apply across health and social care. This work was temporarily paused due to the pandemic and will restart when it is appropriate to do so.