Pharmacies role in the communitypublished at 11:57 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
SNP MSP Ruth Maguire asks the Scottish government what role it considers pharmacies should play in supporting the health of the communities that they serve.
Summary
MSPs take evidence on petitions relating to parental consent for mental health drugs and prescribed drug dependence
Ministers answer general questions from MSPs
Party leaders quiz the first minister at FMQs
Tory MSP leads a debate on 100 Years of Women in the British Armed Forces
MSPs debate tackling social isolation and loneliness
Pharmacies role in the communitypublished at 11:57 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Scottish Ambulance Service provision in Moraypublished at 11:57 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
SNP MSP Richard Lochhead asks the Scottish government whether it will provide an update on progress towards the expansion of Scottish Ambulance Service provision in Moray.
Labour blames health secretary for NHS Grampian failurespublished at 11:56 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, bbcScottish Labour health spokesperson Anas Sarwar says the failure to meet targets in NHS Grampian is down the health secretary and the goverment.
Ms Robison insists NHS Grampian has the money but is struggling to recruit staff.
Government is working closely with health boards, says ministerpublished at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image caption, Health Secretary Shona Robison
Mr Halcro Johnson calls for continued assistance for NHS Grampian to improve treatment times.
Health Secretary Shona Robison says the government is working closely with all health boards to make improvements against a backdrop of increasing demand.
Investment and reform will improve this, she adds.
Background: NHS Grampian waiting timespublished at 11:51 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
The number of people waiting more than four hours in Scotland's accident and emergency units reached record high levels in the last week of the year.
The latest weekly figures show that just 78% of patients across Scotland were seen within the target time.
This was well below the Scottish government's 95% target, and the lowest since the weekly figures began in February 2015.
NHS Grampian fared well in comparison with other boards at 87.9%.
Image source, Getty ImagesHowever in September we reported that NHS Grampian was offering cardiac patients facing delays in north east Scotland h 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.
Waiting times targets in NHS Grampianpublished at 11:50 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston asks the Scottish government whether it will provide an update on progress towards meeting waiting times targets in NHS Grampian.
Fergus Ewing criticises UK government's contributionpublished at 11:50 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Tory MSP Peter Chapman accuses the government of slashing budgets.
Fergus Ewing says £600m is the largest investment in the UK of a single broadband project in the UK.
He criticises the fact that the UK government's contribution to the programme is 3%.
Minister says Scotland will be one of most digitally connected places in Europepublished at 11:48 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, bbcImage caption, Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing
Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing says the programme will ensure rural Scotland will be one of the most digitally connected rural places in Europe.
Mr Stevenson asks about high speeds and Mr Ewing says the government is seeking to deliver 30mbs across Scotland.
The investment of £600m for 100% access to broadband will create a digital infrastructure allowing companies to modernise and grow, he says.
Background: Scotland's broadband made progress in 2016published at 11:45 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, BTScotland made faster progress on broadband coverage than any other part of the UK last year, according to the Scottish government last October.
More than 800,000 homes and businesses can now benefit from fibre broadband as a result of a £428m rollout programme.
Ministers say the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband scheme is on track to hit its target of supplying 95% of premises by the end of this year.
Their goal is 100% coverage in Scotland by 2021.
R100 superfast broadband programmepublished at 11:45 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson asks the Scottish government what impact the R100 superfast broadband programme will have on rural areas.
Membership of board announced yesterdaypublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image caption, Economy Secretary Keith Brown
Economy Secretary Keith Brown says membership was arranged yesterday.
Mr Smyth welcomes this but raises concerns from stakeholders about limited consultation on membership of the board.
The cabinet secretary criticises Mr Smyth's tweet at about board members.
He says the board will make a big difference, as will the £10m for the south of Scotland.
Background: South of Scotland economic partnership make-up revealedpublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, Getty imagesThe membership of a new South of Scotland Economic Partnership (SOSEP) has been revealed.
Backed by a £10m Scottish government investment, it will pave the way for a dedicated enterprise agency for Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown said the partnership would deliver a "new approach to economic growth".
It includes a "range of key people with business, education, public sector and third sector experience".
Minister criticises tweet from Colin Smythpublished at 11:42 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
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End of X postBackground: South of Scotland economic partnership takes shapepublished at 11:40 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, bbcImage caption, Prof Russel Griggs
Two key appointments have been made to a body aimed at boosting business in Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders.
Prof Russel Griggs will chair the new interim South of Scotland Economic Partnership (SOSEP) with Rob Dickson working as its lead officer.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown said the organisation would be up and running by the end of the year.
It will pave the way for a full South of Scotland Enterprise Agency for the area.
South of Scotland Enterprise Agencypublished at 11:40 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Labour MSP Colin Smyth asks the Scottish government when the full membership of the interim board for the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency will be announced.
General questions is next...................published at 11:38 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, bbc/PA/Getty ImagesThe committee keeps the drug dependence committee openpublished at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, bbcCommittee convener Johann Lamont thanks the minister for her double shift.
Ms Lamont says she assumes the committee will not want to close this petition.
It agrees and also agrees to seek the views of the petitioner Marion Brown.
Anti-depressants often given over significant timescalespublished at 11:27 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt mentions the Distress Brief Intervention pilots, which seeks to provide immediate access to counselors for people that present to A&E or are known to the police.
Tory MSP Michelle Ballantyne notes an increasing number of people are on anti-depressants from an early age.
Dr Mitchell says that if people respond to these drugs, they should stay on them for significant timescales.
They are not the type of medicine which works in a matter of months, he adds.
Background: BMA submissionpublished at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Click here for the BMA submission, external:
Here are its four key policy calls:
- the UK government, working with the devolved nations, should introduce a national, 24 hour helpline for prescribed drug dependence
- each of the UK governments, relevant health departments and local authorities should establish, adequately resourced specialist support services for prescribed drug dependence
- clear guidance on tapering and withdrawal management should be developed collaboratively with input from professional groups and patients
- and better education and training for healthcare professionals.
Minister rejects BMA call for anti-depressant withdrawal helplinepublished at 11:09 Greenwich Mean Time 18 January 2018
Image source, bbcSNP MSP Angus Macdonald says the BMA recognises there is an issue with dependancy on anti-depressants and has called for a 24 hour helpline.
Mr Macdonald asks what engagement the government has had with the BMA on this.
Ms Watt says the government is aware of the BMA's call for a helpline but she says the best person to help with withrdrawal from anti-depressants is the person who prescribed them in the first place.
She points to NHS24 and NHS Inform who are operating in Scotland.