Drug and alcohol services in Scotland are complex and a clear plan is needed to improve people’s lives and increase transparency around spending, says public spending watchdog Audit Scotland.
Drug-related deaths have been rising steeply since 2013. A record 1,339 people lost their lives to drugs in 2020 – the highest rate in Europe. Alcohol deaths have been decreasing since the early 2000s, but rose by 16 per cent in 2020, when there were 1,190 deaths.
Alcohol and drug partnerships (ADPs) are charged with helping people at the local level. But how services are delivered remains complicated and lines of accountability are not always clear.
Overall funding for ADPs fell over the last few years before returning to 2015 levels by April 2021, but with no real terms increase. The Scottish Government has also provided additional investment for new initiatives, including a drug deaths taskforce and new evidence-based treatments and standards. But it is too early to gauge their effectiveness.
Spending remains difficult to track, including how money is distributed and what it is achieving. For example, in September 2021 the Scottish Government committed to invest £250m to reduce drug deaths – £50m for the next five years.
But details of how much of the £50m will be spent on each local area, or how the funding will be distributed, have not been published. More widely, data gaps around drug and alcohol referrals, waiting times and outcomes persist. And there is a considerable time lag in public reporting.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “We’ve recently seen more drive and leadership around drug and alcohol misuse from the Scottish Government. But it’s still hard to see what impact policy is having on people living in the most deprived areas, where long-standing inequalities remain.
“Drug and alcohol data is not good enough, and there is a lack of transparency about how money is being spent and allocated. The Scottish Government needs to set out an integrated plan, with clear measures showing how extra spending is being used to reduce the tragic loss of life we’ve seen over the last decade.”
William Moyes, Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Delivery of drug and alcohol services in Scotland is complex and difficult to navigate, with many organisations working across different sectors. What we need to see now is clearer accountability across all partners.
“In the longer term, more focus is needed on the root causes of drug and alcohol dependency and breaking the cycle of harm stretching down generations and across communities.”
Spring booster jabs will be offered to those aged 75 and over and people at highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease from today (Monday).
To protect these groups a spring booster dose will be offered at least 24 weeks after the last vaccine dose to:
adults aged 75 years and over
residents in care homes for older adults
individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed
Following recent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), letters are also now being sent out to parents and guardians inviting children aged five to 11 for their first vaccination appointments. Children in this age group with specific medical conditions have already been invited.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We know that those in high-priority groups are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and I therefore welcome the start of the rollout which will offer a further dose to these people.
“Vaccination has been our most effective tool against coronavirus. However, the degree of protection offered wanes over time, which is why booster vaccination is needed to maintain the best protection against COVID-19 for those at highest risk of severe effects of the virus.
“The additional booster dose will improve your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect your health and those around you.
“I continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.”
Following the latest JCVI advice, at-risk groups will be invited as they become eligible from at least 24 weeks after their last booster with the first groups receiving appointments from Monday 7 March.
Revised arrangements will reward dentists for seeing more NHS patients – but dentists remain concerned
Revised payment arrangements for NHS dentists will be linked more closely to the number of patients they see under changes being introduced in April.
The revised arrangements will help ensure patients are able to access NHS services while dentists continue to be supported as they operate under necessary coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. The revised payments replace the emergency top-up arrangements that were introduced to protect the sector from the immediate impact of the pandemic.
Separately, an advisory group will be established to consider long term reform of the sector and future structure of NHS dentistry.
Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on the provision of dental care and our focus must now be on recovery and ensuring we equip the sector to work through the significant dental backlog.
“From April, the new system will support dentists to see more patients while avoiding a cliff-edge for practices and ensuring a soft transition during what is still a constrained period for dental teams.
“Importantly, this means dentists could earn more than they do now through COVID-19 payment support.
“We’re delivering record investment in dentistry – with a 9% increase in the budget for NHS dental services in 2022-23 – and there has been a 39% increase in the number of high-street dentists in Scotland between 2007 and 2021. Last year there were 55.6 dentists per 100,000 of the population providing NHS care in Scotland compared to 39.9 in England.
“We are absolutely committed to improving oral health, including the removal of NHS dental charges during the lifetime of this Parliament.”
Chief Dental Officer Tom Ferris said: “We know how important it is that NHS dental teams get the right support to carry on providing the services patients need. We’re confident that these revised arrangements are a step in the right direction to improving access, by linking financial support to seeing patients.
“We have been sharing our proposals with the British Dental Association from before Christmas, listening to the concerns of the sector and the need to avoid the cliff-edge when the emergency support payments come to an end.
“These revised arrangements are in addition to £50 million of financial support for dentists during the pandemic, along with £35 million of PPE. It also comes on top of new and increased fees for dentists for a range of treatments including enhanced appointments from 1 Feb 2022.”
However The British Dental Association Scotland has warned that dental practices will continue to face grave uncertainty, as the Scottish Government moved to impose an interim funding model for the service without meaningful negotiation.
While the BDA has welcomed the introduction of a ‘multiplier’ to be applied to dental fees, dentists have significant concerns that the planned 3-month review will have serious implications for patient care and will leave practices unable to plan.
The union remains steadfastly opposed to the return to the unworkable high volume/low margin model of care that operated pre-COVID, and has urged the Government to apply the multiplier until new contractual arrangements are in place.
The BDA had argued that the Scottish Government needed to significantly increase the current inadequate fees for extractions and denture repairs. Increased lab fees mean that dentists often provide these treatments at a loss, and the treatments are particularly prevalent in more deprived areas so any reduction in provision may further widen oral health inequalities.
The announcement follows a bruising debate in Holyrood last week, in which all opposition parties accused the Scottish Government of failing to heed the warnings from the BDA on the potential collapse of NHS dentistry in Scotland.
A BDA survey from late last year reported that 80% of dentists expect their practices will reduce their NHS commitment should the Scottish Government withdraw emergency support and return to pre-COVID models of care.
Dentist leaders have also warned that comments made yesterday by the Public Health Minister fly in the face of the facts, given the tight restrictions practices continue to work to.
Maree Todd MSP incorrectly stated that “from April, the new system will support dentists to see more patients”: an impossibility without meaningful change to COVID operating procedures.
Both the Scottish Government and the BDA recognise the urgent need for long-term contractual reform. The Government has committed to start discussions as soon as the interim funding model is in place. The BDA stress the negotiations must include all practice activity – including work on prevention that is currently unremunerated – and adopt an evidence-based approach to address the current low fees.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“Bruised by the political pressure that’s been brought to bear in recent weeks Ministers have railroaded through a package that will leave practices totally unable to plan.
“The idea this package is the result of meaningful negotiation is laughable, and any idea that practices can see more patients from April flies in the face of the facts. Dentists are still working to tight restrictions, and there is no sense we are returning to anything resembling ‘business as usual’. The Government needs to communicate this clearly to patients.
“Applying a multiplier is the right call but the Government should have taken this opportunity to address derisory fees. We have faced the absurd situation where dentists are providing NHS care at a loss.
“What NHS dentists desperately needed was some certainty on what’s expected of them in the year ahead. The choice to put these new arrangements in place for just three months is an exercise in futility.”
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf MSP, announced the appointments of seven new Non-Executive Directors to NHS Lothian Boardyesterday.
They are; Nadin Akta, Philip Allenby, Andrew Fleming, Elizabeth Gordon, George Gordon, Peter Knight and Val de Souza.
Mrs Nadin Akta holds a MSc degree in Intercultural Business Communication and TESOL. Her interests are in cultures, cross cultures, barriers and challenges for ethnic minorities in Scotland and she has a wide knowledge from working with BME communities through her previous jobs in a professional capacity and through volunteering with charitable organisations across the Lothians.
Nadin previously work with East Lothian Council and other charity organisations as an Integration Coordinator and TESOL Teacher. More recently, she has been working at the University of Edinburgh as an Outreach and Projects Coordinator for the BME communities in the Lothians.
Mr Philip Allenby is a Scottish Solicitor and Notary Public, with over 20 years’ international legal and business experience. He was previously Chief Counsel, Governance and Compliance, Europe with BT plc.
Phil is a lecturer and senior tutor at the University School of Law. He holds degrees in mathematics, information technology and law.
Mr Andrew Fleming is a retired senior civil servant with experience in designing and delivering strategic improvements across a range of public policy areas, including health, tax collection, justice, community safety, environment and heritage.
He is currently Convenor of Evaluation Support Scotland – a charity which supports Third Sector organisations to measure their impact. Andrew has a professional background as a social researcher.
Mrs Elizabeth Gordon spent the first 10 years of her career as a Solicitor in private practice in the occupational pensions team of a large Scottish law firm. Her time working in this field included many years of significant and complex legal change as the UK Government transformed regulatory protection for members of occupational pension schemes.
Clients included boards of trustees of UK-wide pension schemes and work involved advising on changes in the law and regulatory compliance, interpretation of trust deeds and pensions aspects of corporate transactions. Elizabeth then took up a new post, with a wide-ranging remit, managing a large, independent provider of NHS dentistry in Edinburgh and has been there for over 14 years.
Her focus has always been to ensure that the dental practices provide a service that prioritises safe, high quality NHS patient care and compliance alongside the wellbeing of the clinical team. Elizabeth looks forward to combining her experience and knowledge acquired in a primary care management setting with the skills developed from her legal education and background.
Mr George Gordon is ‘a longstanding community activist who has instigated and set up numerous groups and organisations within his own community, which has given him a good skill set in the requirements of the local population both in areas of health, wellbeing and services that are vitally important in areas of multi-deprivation and poverty’.
As the Sustainability Spokesperson for the City of Edinburgh Council, he has worked tirelessly to ensure long-term benefit in the capital; and as the Disability and Diversity Spokesperson he has ensured that all people are fairly represented and gain the services tailored to their own individual needs, which is in keeping with NHS Lothian’s patient centric goals and aspirations.
I has served (EH? – Ed.)on various NHS Lothian committees in his Local Authority stakeholder member role and looks forward to continuing his work within the Board in highlighting disability issues that affect services and in ensuring that community and citizens are at the heart of all of our services.
Mr Peter Knight has been a leading information professional for NHSScotland for some four decades and brings wide perspectives on the development and use of data in support of decision making.
His experience has spanned quality of NHS care, future planning, health and social care integration and topics in public health. He has worked at all levels: directly with clinicians and front-line health and social care professionals through to informing the decision-making of Chief Executives and Chief Officers.
He has had spells in the Scottish Government supporting the development of health and social care policy, monitoring NHS performance and advising Ministers. Latterly, his interests have included older people services and the development of information in social care and primary care.
Peter is shortly to retire from NHS employment.
Mrs Val de Souza is a Social Worker by profession and has held a number of senior leadership roles in health, social care and social work in Scotland. She spent the last 5 years as Chief Officer for South Lanarkshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), and Director of Social Services, working across NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council.
In these roles Val was responsible for community health services, primary care, palliative care, allied health professionals and social work services. Prior to this she was acting Chief Officer for Stirling and Clackmannanshire HSCP and the Chief Social Work Officer for these two local authorities, which included responsibility for two national prisons, Glenochil and Cortonvale.
Val was instrumental in introducing and implementing the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 and continues to have a keen interest in all aspects of Public Protection and social justice. With over 30 years’ experience of strategic and operational management she is committed to promoting interagency collaboration and multidisciplinary working.
She is a graduate of University College Dublin, and holds postgraduate qualifications from the Universities of Edinburgh and Robert Gordon Business School. Val has recently been appointed Chair of the Bairns Hoose, and is a professional adviser for Positive Help, an Edinburgh based charity supporting child and families affected by HIV and Hepatitis C.
They new directors ‘will play an important role in helping to set the strategic direction of NHS Lothian as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and remobilise our services’.
By providing purposeful scrutiny and assurance on the decisions the Board makes, Non-Executive Directors ensure the Executive Leadership Team is held to account and supported to manage risks to the quality, deliverability and sustainability of service. They are also important in giving public confidence that the Board acts in the best interests of patients and the public.
Appointment
The appointments for Mrs Nadin Akta, Mrs Elizabeth Gordon, Mr Peter Knight and Mrs Val de Souza will be for three years and will run from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025.
Mr Philip Allenby’s appointment will be for four years and will run from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026.
Mr Andrew Fleming’s appointment will be for four years and will run from 11 April 2022 to 10 April 2026.
Mr George Gordon’s appointment will be for three years and will run from 16 May 2022 to 15 May 2025.
The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.
Remuneration
The appointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £8,930 per annum for a time commitment of one day per week.
Other ministerial appointments
Mr George Gordon is the Edinburgh City Council Local Authority member on the NHS Lothian Board, for which he receives a remuneration of £8,930 per annum for a time commitment of one day per week. Mr Gordon will be standing down from this role on 30th April 2022.
Mrs Val de Souza is Chair of Bairns Hoose, for which she receives a daily rate of £300 for a time commitment of four days per month.
Mrs Nadin Akta, Mr Philip Allenby, Mr Andrew Fleming, Mrs Elizabeth Gordon and Mr Peter Knight do not hold any other public appointments.
Political activity
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.
However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
Mr George Gordon holds the position of Scottish National Party (SNP) councillor for the Forth Ward. In administration in the city of Edinburgh, he has spoken on behalf of the party and council.
Mr Peter Knight has leafleted and canvassed for the Scottish Labour Party and attended the count for the 2019 General Election on behalf of Edinburgh North and Leith Constituency Labour Party.
Mrs Nadin Akta, Mr Philip Allenby, Mr Andrew Fleming, Mrs Elizabeth Gordon and Mrs Val de Souza have had no political activity within the last five years.
The report includes a range of indicators selected in order to monitor health inequalities over time. These indicators include: healthy life expectancy, premature mortality, all-cause mortality, baby birthweight and a range of morbidity and mortality indicators relating to alcohol, cancer, coronary heart disease and drug use. The report investigates both absolute and relative inequalities.
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have had an impact on the most recent data for most indicators included in this report. Where there has been analysis undertaken to assess the impact of the pandemic that is relevant to a specific indicator the details have been included in the corresponding chapter.
MAIN FINDINGS
With the exception of the healthy birthweight indicator, significant health inequalities persist for each indicator covered in the report.
Changes in the gap between the most and least deprived areas in Scotland
For a number of indicators, absolute inequalities (the gap between the most and least deprived areas) have narrowed over the longer term:
Heart attack hospital admissions (aged under 75 years) – the gap in 2020 (63.2 per 100,000 population) is the lowest it has been since 2008 (58.4 per 100,000). The reduction in the gap between 2019 and 2020 has been driven by a 7% decrease in admissions in the most deprived areas and an increase of 13% in the least deprived areas.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths (aged 45-74 years) – the current gap is 47% lower than at the start of the time series (185.4 per 100,000 in 2020 compared to 347.3 per 100,000 in 1997). However, between 2019 and 2020 the CHD mortality rate increased in both the most and least deprived areas (by 14% and 40% respectively).
Alcohol-related admissions (aged under 75 years) – the gap was widest at the start of the time series in 1996 (613.0 per 100,000) and reduced to its lowest level in 2020 (322.0 per 100,000). Between 2019 and 2020 the rate of admissions decreased in both the most and least deprived areas (by 14% and 10% respectively). It is possible that this reduction is a result of hospital admissions policies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alcohol-specific deaths (aged 45-74 years) – the gap has reduced from a peak of 184.7 per 100,000 in 2002 to 71.8 per 100,000 in 2020, the lowest in the time series.
Low birthweight – the absolute gap in 2020 was 3.4 percentage points, the lowest it has been since 2013 (3.2 percentage points).
The gap in healthy life expectancy for males has increased since the start of the time series, from 22.5 years in 2013-2015 to 23.7 years in 2018-2020.
The gap in premature mortality rates increased to its highest point since 2004 (680.4 per 100,000 in 2020 and 683.2 per 100,000 in 2004), although the gap remains lower than at the start of the time series (648.7 per 100,000 in 1997).
In 2020 the absolute gap in cancer deaths was the highest it’s been since 2015 at 353.7 per 100,000.
Whilst the gap for all-cause mortality (aged 15-44) reduced to its lowest level in 2013 (159.6 per 100,000), it has shown an overall increase since then and was 241.1 per 100,000 in 2020.
The gap for drug-related hospital admissionshas increased overall since the start of the time series to reach a high of 696.1 per 100,000 in 2019/20 before falling slightly to 625.1 per 100,000 in 2020/21. This decrease may be due to hospital admission policies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the other indicators in the report, there has either been little change or long-term trends in the absolute gap are less clear:
Healthy life expectancy for females
Cancer incidence
Relative inequalities
The relative index of inequality (RII) indicates the extent to which health outcomes are worse in the most deprived areas compared to the average throughout Scotland. It is possible for absolute inequalities to improve, but relative inequalities to worsen.
There are three morbidity indicators for which the RII can reasonably be compared with one another: alcohol-related hospital admissions; heart attack hospital admissions; and cancer incidence.
Amongst these, relative inequalities in alcohol-related hospital admissions have remained highest over the longer term, though they have been decreasing. Relative inequalities in heart attack admissions have increased in recent years and cancer incidence inequalities have remained relatively stable.
Amongst the three comparable mortality indicators (CHD deaths, alcohol-specific deaths and cancer deaths), relative inequalities in both CHD and cancer deaths have increased over the long term whilst the RII in alcohol-specific deaths have shown more year to year fluctuation and are currently lower than at the start of the time series (2.02 vs 1.80). However, relative inequalities in alcohol-specific deaths remain higher than the other comparable mortality indicators.
Of the other indicators in the report, the two indicators relating to mortality (premature mortality for those aged under 75 and all-cause mortality for those aged 15-44) and healthy life expectancy for males and females have all shown increases in relative inequality over time.
Almost 4,500 people have signed up to learn how to save someone’s life in the event of an opioid overdose.
A nationwide awareness campaign, launched in August last year, encouraged the public to go to the ‘Stop The Deaths’ website to learn how to recognise the signs of a drug overdose, receive training in the use of the life-saving medication naloxone and get a free naloxone kit.
The joint initiative by the Scottish Government and Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) used TV and radio adverts and billboards at transport hubs and shopping centres to promote the message. While the campaign has finished, people can still register their interest in receiving training and getting a kit.
The campaign livery can also be found on a Glasgow Taxi cab and more than 20 of the firm’s drivers are among those who have volunteered to carry naloxone.
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “The response to this joint initiative with Scottish Drugs Forum is really encouraging and it emphasises how everyone can get involved in learning how to save a life.
“The campaign raised awareness of how to respond to an overdose and provide an early intervention which could save a life and is therefore a vital part of the national mission on the drug deaths crisis.
“We hope that the campaign has also helped reduce the stigmatisation of people at risk of overdose and people with a drug problem more broadly.
“Naloxone is one of a wide range of measures being used to address the public health emergency of drugs deaths, but it plays an important role and I hope as many people as possible will visit the “Stop The Deaths” website to find out more.”
Kirsten Horsburgh, Strategy Coordinator for Drug Death Prevention at Scottish Drugs Forum, said: “The ‘How to Save a Life’ campaign has demonstrated that people in Scotland are keen to assist efforts to prevent drug deaths.
“Naloxone is an emergency treatment that can help save someone’s life and it is essential that people are equipped with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to provide help to someone experiencing a life-threatening overdose.
“Taxi drivers may also find themselves in this position and we are grateful to Glasgow Taxis for helping to share this important message.”
Glasgow Taxis chairman Dougie MacPherson said: “Glasgow Taxis is proud to support this very important initiative.
“On a personal level, during the 1980s – before entering the taxi trade – I worked in the north of Glasgow in some of the city’s worst affected areas like Possilpark.
“Heroin and HIV destroyed a generation back then and it left an indelible impression on those who experienced it including me.
“The current drug death figures serve as a stark reminder that the problem has not gone away and any way of reducing the number of deaths is worth supporting.”
The British Dental Association Scotland has greeted the unanimous support of opposition parties, while accusing the Scottish Government of failing to take needed action to halt an exodus from NHS dentistry and restore access to millions.
In a debate in Holyrood today Scottish Government MSPs voted against a motion on support for NHS dentistry tabled by the Scottish Conservatives and backed by both Scottish Labour and Liberal Democrats.
Ministers have been planning to cut pandemic support from April. While the Government has recently indicated that there will be no “cliff edge”, the BDA has consistently warned that the plans to end Covid support payments and return to a low margin/high volume model of care would devastate dental services across the country.
Morale in the profession is at an all-time low, with more than a third of dentists saying they intend to leave the profession in the next 12 months, and 80% planning to reduce their NHS commitment if the Government reverts to pre-pandemic arrangements. Failure to act risks sparking an exodus from the workforce which would mean families across Scotland losing access to NHS dentistry for good.
Over 3.5 million NHS dental appointments were lost in Scotland as a result of the pandemic. As infection prevention and control measures continue to limit the number of patients dentists can see, this unprecedented backlog continues to grow and will likely take years to clear.
The BDA has warned the SNP’s 2021 election pledge of free NHS dentistry for all will be unrealisable without meaningful support and real reform. It is pressing for a workable interim funding model, and long-term change to a system that prioritises prevention, is patient-centred and reflects modern dentistry.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“NHS dentistry in Scotland is facing crisis, but sadly Ministers seem asleep at the wheel.
“Opposition parties are all seeing the plain facts that Scottish Government plans could devastate services millions depend on and widen already unacceptable health inequalities.
“Promises have been made to the voting public that simply that can’t be kept unless we see meaningful support and real reform as we head out of the pandemic.”
Appointments will be sent out to those with parental responsibility
Children aged five to 11 will be offered COVID-19 vaccination appointments in community clinics from 19 March 2022.
This follows the advice last week from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommending the universal vaccination of five to 11 year olds.
Appointments will be scheduled according to age with 11 years olds invited first, followed by those aged eight to 10 and then those between five and seven years old. Where there are siblings efforts will be made to invite them to back-to-back appointments to avoid multiple trips for families.
Details of how to rearrange unsuitable appointments will be included in the letters.
Children in this age group who have specific medical conditions which place them at greater risk from COVID-19 are already being vaccinated and will continue to be prioritised.
Vaccinations for all five to 11 year olds will be delivered alongside second booster jabs for those aged 75 and over and those in specific at risk cohorts following yesterday’s recommendation from the JCVI.
These individuals will be invited as they become eligible from 24 weeks after their last booster with the first groups receiving blue envelopes with appointments from the second week in March.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Throughout the pandemic it has been our intention that we follow the clinical and scientific evidence available to us and I’d like to once again thank the JCVI for their hard work in scrutinising the science and providing clear guidance.
“We continue to prioritise at risk five to 11 year olds. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks for children in this cohort and we urge parents and carers to read all the information available to them on NHS Inform before they make a decision.
“Appointments for first doses for all five to 11 year olds will be scheduled from 19 March with older children invited first and families invited together wherever possible. This will allow for second doses to be delivered before the start of the new school year provided at least eight weeks have passed since the initial dose.
“Of course, as we have done throughout the pandemic we will continue to prioritise the people most vulnerable to COVID-19 and boosters for those aged 75 and over and those at higher risk of severe illness will be scheduled for as soon as possible after 24 weeks have elapsed since their first booster.
“Scotland has one of the highest uptake rates for vaccination anywhere in the world and vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of our battle against COVID-19. The very high vaccination rates achieved so far have helped us considerably on our path back to normality and we urge everyone to take up their invitation when it is offered.”
Second booster jabs will be offered to those aged 75 and over and those at highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease in Scotland following the latest Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice.
Second booster jabs will be offered to those aged 75 and over and those at highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease following the latest Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice.
To protect those groups a spring booster dose will be offered at least 24 weeks after the last vaccine dose to:
adults aged 75 years and over
residents in care homes for older adults
individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed
These people will be invited as they become eligible from at least 24 weeks after their last booster, with the first groups receiving appointments from the second week in March.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We know that these high priority groups are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and I therefore welcome the further advice from the JCVI and confirm Scotland will offer a further dose to these people from next month.
“Vaccination has been our most effective tool against coronavirus, and that will continue to be the case. I continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.”
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Nicola Steedman said: “Our vaccination programme has been highly successful, with 85% of the eligible population having had a booster or third dose vaccinationand the World Health Organisation estimating some 28,000 lives saved to date in Scotland.
“However, the degree of protection offered by the vaccines wanes over time, which is why booster vaccination is needed to maintain the best protection against COVID-19 for those at highest risk of severe effects of the virus. The additional booster dose will improve your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect your health and those around you.
“The primary aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19. I encourage anyone who is still to have any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will update MSPs on Scotland’s plans for recovery from the pandemic in a statement to Holyrood this afternoon.
More than 15 million COVID-19 PCR tests have now been carried out in Scotland since testing began, nearly two years ago.
The tests, which include those carried out by NHS Scotland at the three NHS regional hubs set up around Scotland and the network of Health Board diagnostic labs, have now reached 15,092,074.
They also include the four-nations network of Lighthouse laboratories, partner laboratories and testing sites.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Reaching fifteen million tests is a major milestone and recognition of the hard work and dedication of our testing teams across the country.
“Testing has a vital role to play as restrictions are phased out and we learn to with the virus.
“It may be tempting to think as vaccinations increase and cases drop, that testing will become less important. In fact, this will only make it more important to spot and prevent new outbreaks as cases emerge. We know from our experience just how quickly one outbreak can lead to another.
“The recent changes to testing requirements and self-isolation guidance are helping to maximise testing capacity and ensure a speedier start to the process of contact tracing.
“It is crucial that individuals report their LFD test results online to enable us to understand the prevalence of COVID-19 and allows contacts of those with positive results, to rapidly receive the correct advice to prevent onward spread.
“The ability to quickly identify new outbreaks and put appropriate measures in place will remain at the heart of our strategy to help break chains of transmission.”
Three regional hubs were established last year by National Services Scotland (NSS) in Glasgow (west) at Gartnavel hospital, Foresterhill in Aberdeen (North) and Lauriston Place in Edinburgh (East) to increase capacity.
These facilities complement the testing capacity provided by the UK Government lighthouse lab network in Scotland.
