That's it from Holyrood Live on Tuesday 23 October 2018.

The Scottish government announced it is to set up a financial compensation scheme for survivors of childhood abuse in care.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney told MSPs that legislation to establish a redress scheme would be passed inside the current parliamentary term.

Addressing survivors directly, he said: "We believe you, and we are sorry."

In addition, Scotland's health secretary pledged that key NHS waiting times will be met within the next three years.

Jeane Freeman said the Scottish government will invest a total of about £650m over the next three years to make a "sustainable and significant step-change on waiting times".

Public Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick explains the root of the problem facing out-of-hours services across Scotland is a change to GP contracts in 2004, rather than staffing numbers.

This meant working in an out-of-hours setting was no longer mandatory so a significant number of GPs who did have since retired, he says.

The minister recognises the various impacts on communities highlighted by MSPs and he urges the health and social care partnership to consider these going forward.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser says the fundamental issue which needs to be addressed is workforce planning, and questions whether training places for medical students should be capped.

Labour MSP Claire Baker points to additional pressures facing other services in the region as a result of cuts in Dunfermline, Glenrothes and St Andrews.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell calls for primary care to be delivered by multi-disciplinary teams, not just GPs, as recommended by the Richie review.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie urges the health secretary to step in if the Fife health and social care partnership do not "make the right decision".

SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth begins by highlighting the decision to cut out-of-hours GP services was made by the Fife health and social care partnership, not the Scottish government.

What was meant to be a temporary closure due to staffing shortages has been ongoing for 197 days in total, she states.

Ms Gilruth says no equalities impact assessment was undertaken before the decision was made, despite high levels of poverty in her constituency.

She also adds no transport appraisal was undertaken, meaning many patients would be expected to cover the costs of travelling further afield for healthcare.

Image source, bbc

In April we reported that night-time GP services at three Fife hospitals were being cut due to staff shortages.

Patients were no longer be referred to centres in Dunfermline, Glenrothes and St Andrews between the hours of midnight and 08:00.

Instead they were sent to the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

The changes came into force from 9 April and will last for a three-month trial period. Overnight home visits continued for emergencies.

Read more here.

Image source, PA

SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth is leading a member's debate on the decision by Fife Health and Social Care Partnership to close out-of-hours GP services in Glenrothes, St Andrews and Dunfermline.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott says Creative Scotland has to make many decisions across the art sector, with competing financial needs.

This is the reason why the Lib Dems back having an independent screen agency instead, he explains.

Mr Scott insists this would allow for decisions to be more streamlined.

Plans to attract more film and TV productions to Scotland are inadequate, according to this committee, who have called for a radical rethink.

The Scottish government has backed proposals to create a screen unit within the Creative Scotland arts body., external

The committee said this risked being too "cumbersome" and "overly bureaucratic" for such a fast-moving industry.

It has called on ministers to instead set up an independent screen agency.

Image source, bbc

MSPs said the move could help attract more major productions to Scotland, develop its creative sector and boost the country's profile to the rest of the world.

Work to set up the screen unit within Creative Scotland - whose board is accountable to and appointed by the Scottish government - is already under way.

But the committee said fresh plans should now be drawn up "for how it can be transformed into a standalone agency".

Read more here.

Green MSP Andy Wightman suggests there is a lot of confusion about the role of state aid in setting up a studio.

He goes on to highlight the legal battle around planning permission for the studio.

A court recently ruled that a tenant farmer cannot be removed from land which has been earmarked as the site of Scotland's new film and TV studio.

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald says Screen Scotland must be empowered to make its own decisions without needing to seek approval of other agencies.

He expresses concern that for big decisions, the unit has to go through Creative Scotland's board - whereas a standalone agency would not require this.

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton argues a new studio for Scotland is vital to attracting more productions, pointing to such locations available in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scotland's film potential is currently not being realised she states.

She accepts EU state aid rules must be adhered to but she says studios elsewhere in the UK have managed to make progress in line with those rules.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop highlights the creation of Creative Scotland's screen unit, Screen Scotland.

An in-depth skills review will allow for targeted investment in the sector and a tender for a new studio will be launched shortly, she confirms.

She says she is not persuaded that diverting funds away from screen in order to set up a separate agency is appropriate.

Ms Hyslop insists Screen Scotland has the necessary resource and expertise to support the sector.

Culture committee convener Joan McAlpine says that while the Scottish screen sector is growing, it is not growing fast enough.

The committee is concerned that the Scottish Enterprise support model is not suited to the film and TV industry, particularly given the sector's reliance on freelancers, Ms McAlpine says.

She points to the committee's call for a standalone screen agency.

The convener also tells the chamber about the need for a new screen unit, pointing to comments made by Netflix recently about capacity in the UK.

Image source, Outlander/Avengers Infinity/Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Brac Pitt in World War Z.

The culture committee , externalwill now lead a debate on its report 'Making Scotland a Screen Leader', external.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton suggests there needs to be a review into the management of expectations.

He argues the "cruelest aspect" of missing waiting times is patients receiving letters saying the 12-week target will be met.

The health secretary says boards will be instructed to review communications given to patients to ensure this is more consistent.

Green MSP Alison Johnstone asks if any of the changes will help shift focus to prevention.

Ms Freeman says a group is currently reflecting on the recommendations made by Sir Harry Burns, including on prevention.

Image source, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

In August we reported that the number of NHS patients in Scotland who had to wait longer than they should for crucial medical tests had continued to grow.

The Scottish government says patients should not wait longer than six weeks for one of eight key diagnostic tests.

The latest statistics showed that only 78.7% of patients were seen within this timeframe between March and June this year.

This compares with 80.6% in March 2018 and 82.9% a year ago.

The figure stood at 92.2% two years ago.

The six-week standard applies to tests including endoscopies, colonoscopies, MRI and CT scans - which are often used to detect cancer.

• Read the latest NHS Scotland statistics, external
• Check key NHS waiting times in your area
• Read more here

Labour MSP Monica Lennon says there have been one million stress-related sickness days due to the pressures facing NHS staff.

"They deserve better than this," she states.

The health secretary accepts workforce absence is higher "than we would like", but argues there are high levels of satisfaction among staff.

The workforce plan is the product of work with staff themselves, she adds.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs insists the treatment time guarantee has never been met.

He queries what steps will be taken on the recruitment and retention of staff.

Ms Freeman says the Scottish government takes stock annually of staff levels, such as how many will retire or move to part-time.

The challenges faced by the Scottish NHS are challenges faced across the world, she argues.