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In September it was announced that cardiac patients facing delays in north east Scotland had been offered treatment as far away as Newcastle.

NHS Grampian confirmed that an agreement on the treatment of heart patients had been struck with the city's Freeman Hospital.

However, it added that it was a "back-up option" that had never been used.

In May the health board said it could not meet the Scottish government's target 12-week timescale for all patients to be given planned surgery.

It also said it had been forced to start prioritising the most urgent cases.

Read more here

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NHS Grampian accounts for 75% of all locum spend in the north of Scotland, the health board has said.

A workforce plan put to the NHS Grampian board says the amount spent on locum doctors over the past two financial years has risen.

It said it accounts for 75% of the locum spending in Grampian, Shetland, Orkney, Highland and Tayside.

NHS Grampian needs to make savings of £30m in 2017-18 and in each of the next three years.

Lib Dems MSP Mike Rumbles asks the Scottish government, in light of the reported funding problems facing NHS Grampian, what its position is on whether providing the lowest funding share of the national average, per head of population, meets its priorities for health care in the north east.

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Labour MSP Pauline McNeill asks what action the government is taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of ground floor properties in the social housing sector for people with accessibility needs.

Scottish Government's Minister for International Development and Europe says: "It is important to remember Scotland does face a different migration need."

SNP MSP Linda Fabiani asks what discussions the government has had with the Migration Advisory Committee.

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International Development and Europe Minister Alisdair Allan says: "There are no plans to mark the Scottish witch trials but we recognise the episode of this in Scottish history."

On the call for a memorial, he says: "Women are indeed underrepresented in the memorials we have."

Image source, Dundee University

The face of a Scottish woman persecuted for witchcraft more than 300 years ago has been reconstructed by forensic scientists.

Lilias Adie died in 1704 in prison before she could be burned for her "confessed" crimes of being a witch and having sex with the devil.

Locals buried her under a large stone on the Fife coast, perhaps believing it would stop her rising from the grave.

Her remains were exhumed in the 19th Century by antiquarians.

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SNP MSP Ruth Maguire asks the Scottish government what it is doing to mark the Scottish Witch Trials during the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017.

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Minister for Social Security Jeane Freeman says "The best way this government can go improve benefits for older people, is for the Conservatives to put significant pressure on their UK government's discriminatory practices, and therefore improve funding transferred to this government to helps us to do what they are pressing us to do."

Conservative MSP Jeremy Balfour asks the Scottish government what its position is on equality and human rights for older people.

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Health Secretary Shona Robison says: "NHS Fife has refuted the claims. It says it continues to offer full range of appointments needed.

"The retention and recruitment fund covers a huge numbers of area and initiatives. Would then Tories rather we hadn't taken this initiative?

"Everything possible is being done to recruit GPs and undermining by the Tories doesn't help."

Ms Robison lists a large number of projects who have benefited from funding and is complimented by the presiding officer but he asks her to keep her answers slightly more brief.

In June we reported that more than one in four GP practices in Scotland had a vacancy for a doctor, according to figures obtained by the BBC.

The survey from the British Medical Association shows little change in the number of unfilled posts, despite a Scottish government recruitment drive launched last summer.

The crisis in GP recruitment is a problem across the UK.

With increasing workloads, fewer young doctors are choosing general practice.

Read more here.

Image source, PA

The Courier reported last month that they had been contacted by a pair of whistleblowers to lift the lid on the "shocking situation" within the region’s health services.

They said: "Both maintain people’s lives are being put at risk by a situation where unqualified reception staff are having to make decisions about patient care.

"The social work sources, who asked to remain anonymous as they still work in the sector, came forward following a report in The Courier this month which revealed sick people are regularly queuing outside surgeries in the early hours just to get an appointment."

Conservative MSP Dean Lockheart asks government what action it is taking in response to reported concerns by social workers in Fife regarding health problems being caused as a direct result of GP shortages.

Scottish government ministers will be quizzed during general questions.

We'll then bring you extensive coverage of Nicola Sturgeon facing questions, from opposition party leaders and MSPs, during first minister's questions.

Image source, Scottish Parliament/PA

MSPs raise the issue of sexual harassment at Holyrood during Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Questions.

This follows the announcement by the Standards Committee that it is to launch an inquiry into sexual harassment at Holyrood.

MSPs debate the Seatbelts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill, before voting on it at decision time.

The Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee is to launch an inquiry into the MSP Code of Conduct in relation to the protection of individuals from harassment.

The committee has agreed to the Presiding Officer’s request to look again at whether the Code remains fit for purpose in terms of the complaints process against MSPs.

SPPA Committee convener Clare Adamson said: “Our inquiry will want to hear from equalities groups in Scotland, employment law experts and also from trade unions."

Join us for SPCB questions on sexual harassment at 2.15pm.