Tory MSP Alexander Stewart says Community Pharmacy Scotland represents the healthcare professionals in pharmacies across Scotland.

Community pharmacists play an integral role in care and they are at the heart of every community, he says.

A scheme launched in 2017 aims to reduce the number of people with minor ailments going to GPs unnecessarily and instead approach their local pharmacy, Mr Stewart highlights.

The Tory MSP warns there is a shortage of qualified technicians and pharmacists, however.

Image source, SPL

Tory MSP Alexander Stewart is leading a member's debate on Community Pharmacy Scotland.

Here is his motion.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Labour MSP Monica Lennon says women are less likely than men to be properly diagnosed with a heart attack and twice as likely to die in hospital.

Ms Lennon asks what the government is doing to address women with heart failure.

Ms Sturgeon replies the chief medical officer is looking into this very issue.

She recommends the book Invisible Women which looks at systemising discrimination against women in society.

FMQs draws to a close.

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The first minister says the government is committed to improving care and treatment for heart disease.

She welcomes the report Mr Briggs has referred to, confirming the government and health boards will consider the recommendations carefully.

I expect NHS boards to ensure people with heart failure have access to a range of professionals, she adds.

Mr Briggs says the report found there fewer heart failure nurses than a decade ago.

He asks how much the government will commit to increasing the number of heart failure teams.

Ms Sturgeon says the government will continue to invest in nurse numbers, which are on the rise overall.

She also highlights better outcomes for people with heart failure.

Image source, Thinkstock

There is a "potential crisis" in the delivery of care for patients who have suffered from heart failure, a report has warned.

The Scottish Heart Failure Nurse Forum report, external said there had been "little investment into services" over the last six years, with "no real change" in nursing provision for heart failure since 2012.

The group warned that a lack of specialist services meant there was a serious challenge to be faced by health boards.

It follows research from the British Heart Foundation which found deaths from heart and artery diseases are rising for the first time in five decades.

More than 42 thousand people under 75 died from these diseases in the UK in 2017 - 3% more than in 2014.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Miles Briggs seeks a response to the Scottish Heart Failure Nurse Forum's warning of a “potential crisis in care delivery".

Image source, Getty Images

Campaigners are calling for more funds to ensure people with diabetes can access psychological support.

More than 298,000 Scots have been diagnosed with the condition but many have been unable to access specialist mental health care.

Diabetes Scotland has now issued a series of demands to both the government and NHS boards.

The Scottish government said it recognised the challenges faced by people living with the condition.

Read more here.

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Tory MSP Annie Wells says the target of an extra 800 mental health workers has not been met, with only 106 having been hired in the last two years.

The first minister insists the government is on track to deliver that target.

Labour MSP David Stewart says people with diabetes are twice as likely to suffer depression and asks what is being don to support them.

Ms Sturgeon says there is a range of work being done to support those with diabetes.

Image source, Getty images

BACKGROUND:

A third of adults have felt anxious over their body image, researchers say.

They also found approximately a quarter of those surveyed have felt "disgust" or "shame" at their body image in the past year.

Mental Health Foundation Scotland, which carried out the research, wants the UK government to reform social media and advertising rules.

Meanwhile Scottish ministers announced they a new group to examine the link between body image and mental health.

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The first minister says the theme of the week is body image.

She she says the government has announced an advisory group to examine how body image impacts the wellbeing of young people.

Mr Dornan highlights the work of Dr Denise Coia, who recently had to stand down as chair of the taskforce on young people's mental health.

Ms Sturgeon praises Dr Coia for her work.

The taskforce is meeting today to discuss its next steps, she adds.

SNP MSP James Dornan asks how the Scottish government is marking mental health awareness week.

SNP MSP Gillian Martin says Thomas Cook may not be able to continue as a going concern due to Brexit.

The first minister replies: "It's disgraceful the impact that Brexit is happening."

SNP MSP Keith Brown says the PM’s Brexit deal has been “dead for some months” and suggests a deal with Labour will leave Scotland outside the single market.

The first minister says no MP should be voting to make Scotland or the UK poorer, and confirms SNP MPs will vote against the withdrawal agreement bill.

Labour MSP Iain Gray calls for the first minister to intervene on college lecturer pay.

Ms Sturgeon says it amazes her when Labour MSPs ask her to intervene in bargaining disputes, before adding the Scottish government is funding the harmonisation of payments.

Image source, Getty Images

NHS Grampian's chief executive has said it is not good enough that some waiting time targets for mental health services for children are not being met.

Improvements are said to have been made in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, but some children in Moray are waiting up to 29 weeks to be assessed.

The health board is redesigning mental health services for children.

Amanda Croft told BBC Scotland that ongoing new investment would make a difference.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says a GP told him he had stopped referring patients to mental health services as waiting times are so long or there is no prospect of getting treatment.

Mr Rennie insists some people are never getting any help and asks "why are people still waiting so long?".

Ms Sturgeon says any patient waiting longer than they should is entitled to feel aggrieved.

She adds: "I would apologise to any patient under those circumstances."

The first minister also cites funding of £850m to meet waiting times targets and says budgets and staffing levels are increasing in mental health.