The health committee begins its inquiry into hospital safety
MSPs ask topical questions on Scottish government reassurance to communities in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attack
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay responds to the UK spring statement from the UK government
Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey delivers a statement on the review of mental health and incapacity legislation
MSPs debate the Damages Bill for the final time
Scottish Tourism Month 2019 is marked by MSPs
David Stewart asks whether there is only routine testing for legionella, citing that's what NHS Fife has disclosed.
None of the panel is able to answer, and Mr Stewart says he'll accept written answers.
HSE director Iain Brodie says his organisation does monitor for the bug, but that it has never had to act on an outbreak of legionella at an NHS facility in Scotland.
Image source, Getty ImagesBy their very nature, hospitals are places with high concentrations of people who are unwell. Many of them have already picked up infections in the wider community.
Bacteria, viruses and fungi are constantly being brought into hospitals by patients, visitors and staff. The challenge for healthcare workers is how to stop these multiplying and spreading.
A complicating factor is that hospital patients often have weakened immune systems and are less well able to fight off disease.
Read more
Iain Brodie, HSE director, Scotland, Health and Safety Executive explains there are agreements in place witth Healthcare Improvement Scotland and highlights collaborative working.
Mr Brodie says HSE does not stretch into clinical care and judgement.
Other regulators are often best placed to look at healthcare acquired infection, says.
Normal service is resumed, rather rapidly. Looks like an alarm glitch.
Unfortunately we have a fire alarm at BBC Scotland at the Tun, but the video stream will continue.
Mr Couser says it is difficult to be precise about the impact of the built environment, but he adds there have been 48 identified cases of hospital infections linked to the hospital environment over the past three years
Mr Macdonald points out the Health Protection Scotland report pointed to concerns about water, and concerns have been raised about ventilation.
Mr Adam asks what Scotland is doing differently in infection control.
"We do better," replies Mr Couser.
"We're certainly right up there with the very best."
He cites the close working between Health Protection Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
Image source, bbc
Mr Macdonald asks how far mortality and morbidity can be linked to the built environment of NHS Scotland.
Phillip Couser, director of public health and intelligence, NHS National Services Scotland, and representative of Health Protection Scotland, says Scotland has made significant advances in this area.
There have been significant, high profile and tragic incidents of late that have merited this meeting today, but the broader picture suggests there is no increase of deaths due to infections, Mr Couser points out.
He says the monitoring systems in Scotland are more comprehensive than the rest of the UK.
Image source, bbcCommittee convener Lewis Macdonald introduces:
A Holyrood committee is to examine hospital safety following the deaths of two patients from an infection linked to pigeon droppings.
The health committee inquiry comes in the wake of the deaths at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The patients died after contracting a fungal infection linked to the droppings.
They included a 10-year-old boy who died in December after contracting the Crypotococcus infection.
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Mr Stewart points out he is really concerned about the impact of this statutory instrument on GPs.
The Labour MSP accepts this is a reserved matter.
"We're facing a GP crisis in Scotland."
Tory MSP Miles Briggs calls for more time to consider this and Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamitlon shares the anxiety of Mr Stewart.
Mr Macdonald says the committee will write to the government expressing this concern and return to this next week.
Health Committee convener Lewis Macdonald begins with consideration of a Scottish statutory instrument relating to NHS pensions.
Labour MSP David Stewart raises concerns about the instrument and asks if the Scottish government will receive a full Barnett consequential for this.
Mr Stewart warns this could lead to redundancies in GP staff and will have an impact on the recruitment and retention of GPs.
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Image source, PAThe £842m hospital opened in 2015
On the agenda for the Health and Sport Committee; Health Hazards in the Healthcare Environment.
The committee will take evidence from:
Good morning and welcome to Holyrood Live on Tuesday 19 March 2019.
MSPs begin their inquiry into hospital safety following the deaths of patients from an infection linked to pigeon droppings.
After topical questions MSPs will debate the Damages Bill for the final time.
Finally, Scottish Tourism Month 2019 is the focus of the member's debate.