Image source, SPL

Over a quarter of patients were not seen within the 12 week treatment time guarantee in the last quarter of 2018, according to recent statistics, external.

This is a rise from the previous quarter.

ISD Scotland statistics also indicated varying performance across Scotland, with NHS Western Isles performing particularly well but NHS Highland meeting the target for fewer than 60% of patients.

Ms Sturgeon points out radiology is experiencing shortages worldwide, which is why the government is actively trying to increase recruitment.

The first minister points to a campaign launched last year to address the issue.

She says a letter in the Times signed by 24 health care professionals in Scotland expresses concerns about Brexit leading to crippling staff shortages.

Mr Carlaw says the acute shortage of radiologists was cited in 2014 and by the first minister's logic that was due to the independence referendum.

He adds that public confidence has been shaken by infection outbreaks and asks how many inspections have taken place?

The first minister says she will get that information to Mr Carlaw and insists infection rates have reduced.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw asks how the first minister would characterise her legal guarantee of patients being seen within 12 weeks having been missed in a quarter of all cases.

The first minister cites the waiting times improvement plan and record investment levels in the NHS.

Ms Sturgeon regrets those who are not being seen within the target time.

Mr Carlaw says this is a failure and there has been a 38% rise of the number of patients waiting for diagnostic tests.

SNP MSP Joan McAlpine queries action being taken to tackle the issue of land banking in town centres.

Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham confirms the Scottish Land Commission has included the consideration of options to address land banking in its programme of work.

We know that land banking can remove land from productive use for years at a time, she states.

The commission is looking at various issues that thwart efforts to ensure everyone benefits from land.

Labour MSP Iain Gray says one of his constituent's life was saved by a thrombectomy and he is now leading a campaign to make this procedure routine, as it is in the rest of the UK.

Ms Freeman says it is not routine south of the border, although she accepts Scotland is lagging behind.

She tells the chamber that in the interim measures are being put in place to provide equitable access across Scotland.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says the draft framework on a new thrombectomy services was provided to the national planning board last month.

A revised version of this plan will be considered at the planning board's meeting in May, she adds.

Mr Briggs highlights the benefits of thrombectomy and asks if the service will be up and running in 2019.

The health secretary says it is not for her to second guess clinical opinion.

She agrees to update the chamber after the May meeting.

Image source, SPL

A charity working with stroke patients has said a procedure which could transform their treatment should be more widely used in Scotland.

A stroke thrombectomy has the potential to reduce the harm done by a stroke.

The procedure was carried out 13 times in Scotland in 2017. Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS) said up to 600 patients could have benefitted.

The Scottish government said it was developing a national plan for the procedure.

Read more here.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs seeks an update on introducing access to thrombectomy services in Scotland.

Image source, Getty/Thinkstock

Click here for the full list of questions., external

After FMQs, Tory MSP Alexander Stewart will lead a member’s debate highlighting World Hearing Day and Hearing Awareness Week 2019.

Image source, bbc/Scottish Parliament

The first of two ministerial statements gets underway at 2pm and is entitled: UK immigration policy after leaving the EU: Impacts on Scotland’s economy, population and society.

The second statement will be on the delivery of devolved benefits.

Then MSPs will debate the Census (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill for the first time.

Image source, bbc

Amy-Beth Mia from the Who Cares? Scotland Collective says she is 23 and has just had her first baby, as the committee probably has heard as he is in the room.

Ms Mia tells the committee a big fear of hers is that the state intervenes in her life.

She says she suffered abuse in her family life and was taken from her mum and says she is determined that the state won't have to intervene in her life, so she has read every parenting book going.

When we're hitting and restraining children we are not allowing them to develop into good members of society, she adds.

Tory MSP Annie Wells says the majority of individual responses to the committee on this bill opposed it.

If we put more resource into information and education, would this be a better way to change culture and change public opinion she asks.

Dr Hill accepts that parents need to feel like smacking is not the only option they have.

Some opposition will be a political opinion around how much the state is involved in family life and that is always a tension on child welfare issues, she adds.

Principally we want to work with families and address the pressures surrounding parents, she adds.

Ms Ross says the Evangelical Alliance says investment in education would be a more appropriate way to go than legislation.

I think you need all the pieces of the jigsaw and legislation is one part of it, says Dr Hill.

"It's great that you're doing this," adds the CELCIS representative.

Dr Hill says legislation is one of the enablers for culture change, but on its own it will achieve very little.

The bill will send a very powerful message, she argues.

Clare Simpson says there is huge confusion about what the law currently is and there needs to be clarity.

SNP MSP Gail Ross turns to the question of resources.

Dr Louise Hill of CELCIS says there needs to be investment on public awareness raising and she suggests the £20,000 currently set aside for this is a "very, very small sum".

I worry it won't have the successes that we all hope for, she states.

Ms Ross suggests this should be viewed as a preventative spend measure, with which Dr Hill agrees.

Clare Simpson says we are seeing budget cuts for family support services and adds "we have to guard against that now".

It is these support services which work with families that can drive change, she insists.

Image source, bbc

Dr Louise Hill says bringing in the legislation elsewhere has not increased the prosecution rates, but has reduced the physical abuse of children.

She argues actually there could be a reduction in child prosecutions, because parenting and the level of support could change and evolve.

Clare Simpson points out some of the public opinion is around the fear of criminalisation and the message that it is about support must be gotten across.

The Parenting Across Scotland manager says people who smack say it is not an effective form of parenting.

We have to ways to communicate to parents how to employ positive strategies, she adds.

SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor wonders how often the defence of justifiable assault has been used.

Parenting Across Scotland's Clare Simpson says she doesn't believe it is used often, but also in other countries similar legislation hasn't increased the criminalisation of parents.

Mr MacGregor says the nub of the bill isn't to criminalise parents but to make the law clearer and send a message to parents.

Ms Simpson says she understands the police believe there would still be a screening and assessment mechanism, which would see some cases referred to COPFS and others wouldn't.

As an example she returns to the idea of a parent giving a child a light smack for running across a road, adding this would probably not end up in court.