Tag: Health and Sport Committee

Radical changes needed to deliver primary care fit for the 21st century, says Holyrood Committee

A radical revision of primary care is essential to ensure the next generation of citizens receive the care they need, according to the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee.

In a report published today, the Committee say the traditional 9-5, 5 days a week service must become a thing of the past, replaced with a new model shaped around users’ needs. They urge the health service to fully embrace technology, enabling better data sharing and monitoring, to deliver a 21st century system fit for patients.

The Committee’s report is the culmination of a two-year inquiry into the future of primary care. The innovative inquiry was centred around members of the public with their views shaping the inquiry. The first phase of the inquiry, published in July 2019, revealed the public’s desire and support for a transformation in how services are accessed and delivered.

The inquiry has highlighted the growing costs and demands on the health service due to an ageing population and their more complex health needs, as well as an obesity epidemic and stark health inequalities in Scotland’s most deprived areas.

The Committee’s report questions the Government’s commitment to recruit at least 800 more GPs by 2030. They say the emphasis should instead be placed on committing to appropriate recruitment of professional staff across multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs), including both GPs and other professions, which can deliver the intended benefits to primary care as a whole.

Speaking as the report was published, Committee Convener Lewis Macdonald MSP said: “It is clear that when it comes to primary care the status quo is no longer an option. Existing ways of delivering care are not only financially unsustainable but have failed to keep pace with modern life.

“We need to radically rethink primary care so that we can ensure our citizens receive the best possible care for generations to come.

“We must move away from the automatic provision of prescriptions and towards social prescribing. There must be widespread adoption of a preventative model of delivering care and the health service must fully embrace new technology.

“A fundamental shift is also required in how the public and health professionals view General Practice. Instead of GPs being seen as the provider of all services, a new approach should be adopted where other health professionals, who are often better placed and equipped to help and support people can do so.

“Our inquiry has been driven by hearing directly from the public about the primary care services they want, need and require and the Committee wants to thank all who took part in our public forums and shared their views.”

The Committee say a focus on prevention needs to be prioritised and mainstreamed, but for this to be a success it goes beyond just the health service.

They identify the importance of local communities in delivering good health outcomes and say there is a clear desire amongst the public for connected communities, with spaces that give people opportunities to become active and socialise, and to connect to the local natural environment.

Widespread adoption of video consulting service ‘Near Me’ during the Covid-19 pandemic has been commended although the Committee has expressed reservations that default use could deepen health inequalities.

The report can be found here.

Social Care Reform: Listen to carers, says Holyrood Committee

A Health and Sport Committee report into the future of social care has said those delivering and receiving care must be at the heart of social care reform with the current model described as unsustainable.

The Committee say a national conversation on the future of social care is needed and that the myriad issues facing staff must be addressed in the development of any new system. The Committee’s report says the problems faced by the care sector have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Committee express concern over the lack of value placed on social care and social care staff, in stark contrast to NHS staff. The report emphasises the ongoing difficulty the sector faces in attracting and retaining staff; citing a lack of training and staff development opportunities, alongside low pay as the key reasons for this.

A number of problems with the current care model are highlighted by the Committee including the continued lack of progress on health and social care integration. They also recommend the Scottish Government seek alternative models of commissioning and procurement with the current ones described as ‘counter-intuitive’.

The Committee describe the current model of crisis driven, reactive care as unsustainable and say more must be done to shift the focus to a preventative model, involving local communities in the future planning of health and social care services.


Lewis Macdonald MSP, Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said: 
“Throughout this inquiry the message we have been given from those receiving care, and from paid and unpaid carers, is that they have not felt listened to and have been undervalued. That’s why it is essential that they are at the centre of much needed reform of the social care system.

“There is no doubt the current model of care is unsustainable, with some of the issues facing the sector exposed by the pandemic. We want to see a nationwide conversation held into the future of social care and we hope that the findings of our report, and the independent review, can help in shaping this future.

“We are grateful to all of those from across the care sector who provided evidence to our inquiry and gave their keen insight into how it is experienced in Scotland.

“I’d like to put on record our thanks to the tireless and passionate workforce, both paid and unpaid, who undoubtedly deserve better.”

Community impact of Covid-19 restrictions on sporting clubs and leisure venues to be investigated by MSPs

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has launched an inquiry into the impact COVID-19 restrictions on sports clubs and leisure venues have had on local communities across Scotland.

The Committee’s inquiry is seeking to quantify the various societal benefits that sporting clubs and leisure venues provide their communities. They are asking sport and leisure organisations what support they require to ensure these community services can be maintained.

The inquiry will then examine impacts on individuals and their communities from the reduction or cessation of sporting events, and community-based activities undertaken by sporting organisations. This will include investigating the impact on the mental and physical health of individuals.

Lewis Macdonald MSP, Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said: “Our sporting and leisure clubs are woven into the fabric of our communities providing a wealth of benefits to our society which so many people rely on.

“But with a ban on mass gatherings since March and with leisure centres closed for much of this time, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit this sector particularly hard. In many cases threatening their very existence and their ability to provide vital community services.

“Our inquiry wants to hear from sporting clubs, organisations and leisure venues on the unprecedented financial challenges they are facing and the support they require to come through this pandemic.

“We are also keen to hear how individuals across Scotland who engage with these institutions and the various community services they provide have been impacted.”

To help inform the inquiry, last week the Committee wrote to the Scottish Government seeking detail on when more fans will be allowed back into football grounds and on the financial challenges facing Scotland’s football clubs.

That letter can be found here:

https://www.parliament.scot/S5_HealthandSportCommittee/Inquiries/20201112_Ltr_OUT_to_MinisterPHSW.pdf

More than half of home care was reduced or stopped completely as a result of pandemic, survey reveals

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on home care has been revealed following an online survey by the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee.

Published yesterday, the survey found that 54% of recipients of home care saw their care either reduced or stopped completely. In one instance, a respondent reported having their care stopped for more than six months.  Reduction in care was a recurring theme from respondents with families feeling that they were “left to get on with it”.

The survey, which ran during August and September, sought to hear the experiences of both carers and care recipients during the pandemic. Key concerns raised include: 

  • In the event of a second wave, the most important issue for those surveyed was safety. They told us it was vital to have access to appropriate PPE as well as frequent testing, and that carers should receive adequate training in both infection control and social distancing.
  • Additional pressures and a loss of routine led to increased anxiety for unpaid carers, who stressed the need for respite. Respondents felt “mentally exhausted” and “frightened to let staff back into their homes”. 
  • It was agreed that there needs to be greater recognition of unpaid carers who were often “left to pick up the slack”. There were calls for more support and financial help as well as a ‘professionalisation’ of the system, with a move towards a professional career model.
  • A fear of services shutting down again left respondents feeling determined to “not be forgotten about” or “left to manage entirely on [their] own”.  They called for the continuity of care services and care packages to remain in place in the event of future outbreaks.

Speaking as the findings of the survey were published, Committee Convener Lewis Macdonald MSP said: “The first wave of Covid-19 had a devastating impact on the social care sector in Scotland.

“Now that we’re in the midst of a second wave, and continuing national restrictions, it is vital that we hear the voices of home care workers and those receiving care at home across the country. These findings are deeply concerning suggesting over 50% of those receiving care at home saw their care reduced or stopped completely during the pandemic.

“Other concerns raised around mental health, safety, and the prospect of care shutting down again, make it clear that things must improve. 

“The Committee recognises the hard work of carers, paid and unpaid, who have gone above and beyond during this unprecedented challenge and we also want to thank all those who took part in the survey for sharing their experiences in what are still very difficult times.”

Scottish Government must measure impact of cancelling non-urgent care, says Holyrood Committee

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has called on the Government to measure the consequences of cancelling all non-urgent care at the height of the pandemic. They say this must be done as a matter of urgency with the pandemic continuing to impact every aspect of the health service.

In the Committee’s pre-budget report, they looked into the wider impact of Covid-19 upon individuals’ health and their use of the health service, with the pandemic causing a huge reduction in those seeking use of these services.

Figures suggest just under 60,000 planned operations took place in Scottish hospitals from March to August of this year, compared to 168,000 over the same period in 2019. The Committee has said detail must be provided on when the backlog of NHS work caused by the pandemic will be resolved.

The Committee express concern about the large degree of uncertainty over budgeting for current and future years caused by Covid-19 and are seeking more detail on the implications for longer term funding plans.

In a wide-ranging pre-budget report, the Committee highlight that health and social care spend accounts for over 50% of the Scottish budget, but there is currently no coherent attempt to identify the outcomes of this spending. The Committee say this makes it difficult to tell whether the taxpayer is receiving value for money.

The Committee also criticise the current budget process whereby Integration Authorities, who account for £9billion of health and social care spending, do not provide basic budget details until six months into the financial year to which the budget relates.

Lewis Macdonald MSP, Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said: “Covid-19 has caused a huge disruption to many NHS patients and treatments with Public Health Scotland data revealing hospital admissions, attendances at A&E departments, and people attending out of hours services all falling to around half the average levels seen in 2018-19.

“As the pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our health service, the consequences of cancelling all non-urgent care must be measured and the backlog of treatments and waiting lists resolved as quickly and safely as possible.

“The pandemic has created a huge degree of uncertainty over current and future health and social care budgets and we are keen to be given more detail on the long-term implications of this uncertainty.

“We are also surprised at the lack of information available on potential NHS savings caused by the large number of services which ceased operating during lockdown.

“Since the arrival of the pandemic we have seen a remarkable reduction in delayed discharge numbers and there have been welcome innovations across the health service to help respond to this crisis, but the challenge now is to continue these successes and to ensure we do not revert to the old way of working.”

The report also looks into the impact of the pandemic on GP practices. Concerns are raised by the Committee about evidence received which suggested some GPs were refusing to see patients as a result of the pandemic.

The Committee has said there must be consistency in service delivery and accessibility across all GP practices.

The Committee also calls on the Scottish Government to provide detail on how GP workload has been affected by the pandemic, saying the introduction of community hubs inevitably leads to questions of what GPs have been doing during the coronavirus crisis. Similar questions are asked about non-emergency NHS staff.

The Covid-19 international travel and quarantine regulations were also scrutinised by the Committee and they have recommended that all passengers arriving into Scotland should be tested for the virus as a health protection measure and to potentially shorten the length of quarantine periods.

MSPs on the Committee have said identifying, checking and tracing those persons subject to quarantine should be given the highest priority and the numbers being followed up must be substantially increased beyond current target figures.

The full report is attached.

Today: talking Health at Holyrood

MSPs to quiz NHS Lothian on impact of Covid-19

The Health and Sport Committee will hear from NHS Lothian on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic today.

This will include discussion of the health board’s 2020-21 budget, such as whether costs associated with the pandemic have been offset by savings in other departments.

The Committee will also explore the long-term effects of Covid-19 on health boards, including the funding of Integrated Joint Boards (IJBs). The Committee will also seek to find out what planning has been carried out in anticipation of a potential second wave of the virus.

Appearing before the Committee for this evidence session will be:

  • Calum Campbell, Interim Chief Executive, NHS Lothian
  • Susan Goldsmith, Director of Finance, NHS Lothian

The NHS Lothian session follows the appearance of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf MSP, will also give evidence on the latest travel regulations relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. This will be the first item on the Committee’s agenda, which starts at 9.45am.

Full meeting papers:

 https://www.parliament.scot/S5_HealthandSportCommittee/Meeting%20Papers/20200915_HS_PUBLIC_PAPERS.pdf

You can watch the session live here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/

Care Homes and Coronavirus: Holyrood committee launches survey

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has launched a survey looking into the particular issues faced by care homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

The digital survey is aiming to finding out the preparedness of care homes to respond to this pandemic, and how they have been supported and equipped to deal with its effects. The Committee is seeking views from care home residents, their families and care homes staff.

Over the coming weeks, the Committee will be undertaking a series of short inquiries into the Scottish Government’s response to the pandemic.

As well as looking at the issues faced by care homes, the Committee will be looking at the Government’s testing policy, issues around personal protective equipment (PPE), and the emergency planning and preparation that was in place with a view to supporting the health and social care sector’s ability to manage any potential ‘second wave’ of the virus, or future pandemic.

Lewis Macdonald MSP, Health and Sport Committee Convener, said: “As the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has continued to rise, it has become clear that care homes in particular have suffered many tragic losses.

“The most recent data from the National Records of Scotland shows more than half of Scotland’s coronavirus deaths are now happening in care homes.

“This is shocking and has a devastating impact on residents, staff and their families.

“Our Committee is determined to find out the issues that care homes are facing, how they have been supported by the Government and what can be done now to help them deal with this unprecedented challenge.”

The survey is available here: www.parliament.scot/care-homes-covid

It closes on 20th May.

Holyrood committee backs opt-out organ donation change

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee have expressed their support for a bill which would see Scotland move to an organ donation system with consent to donate presumed unless a person opts out. Continue reading Holyrood committee backs opt-out organ donation change