That's all from BBC Scotland's Holyrood Live coverage of the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 11 March 2020.

Scotland's mental health minister apologised to patients and their families following a critical review of NHS Tayside's mental health services.

Clare Haughey told Holyrood that "far too many people" had been let down and praised the "bravery, courage and candour" of service users.

The report was published following an independent review by former chief inspector of prisons Dr David Strang.

Ms Haughey said Dr Strang has committed to conducting a "progress update", which will be published in February of next year.

Older People Minister Christina McKelvie says her own family has been supported by a Marie Curie hospice.

Scotland is a world leader in palliative care and I am proud of the improvements we have made in recent years she says.

The current strategic framework ends in 2021 Ms McKelvie says and she welcomes its success, as indicated for Marie Curie asking for another one.

She says she is unable to make a commitment today but suggests to Marie Curie that an election year is a great opportunity to make it happen.

Laura Goodwin
BBC Innovation Correspondent

Doctors at a palliative care unit in the Borders are trialling a phone app to help prescribe pain relief for patients nearing the end of their life.

Traditionally, when medication needs to be changed, a doctor has to perform a calculation using tables of equivalence to ensure the correct dosage.

Conversion can be complex and an error could see a patient given too little pain relief or be at risk of overdose.

The Safer Prescribing of Opioids Tool (SPOT) app aims to tackle that.

Read more.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur says it is a concern to all of us that 11,000 people in Scotland who need palliative care struggle to access it.

We need to address inequalities in access, he says, and lends his voice to calls for an action plan.

Six people in Orkney were supported by Marie Curie in the last year and all of them were able to choose where they died, he tells the chamber.

Meeting the need in future will require close collaboration between Marie Curie, GPs and other partners he adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Vital conversations about cancer patients' end of life wishes are often not had until it is too late, according to a report published in May 2018.

Almost two thirds of patients (63%) who took part in a Macmillan Cancer Support study saw themselves as "fighters".

However, the charity said this could result in many patients not discussing end of life plans as they tried to remain positive.

It wants more research done into how end of life care can be improved.

Read more.

Labour MSP David Stewart says it's important we appreciate Marie Curie's success in supporting the 7,600 people in Scotland with a terminal illness.

Mr Stewart adds: "Marie Curie has been a fierce advocate for the right to die at home."

He also praises the support nurses and volunteers provide to families.

The Labour MSP finishes applauding Marie Curie for the incredible work they do and offers his support for the Great Daffodil Appeal 2020.

Image source, Getty Images

Almost a quarter of a million people are now living with cancer in Scotland, new analysis has revealed.

Macmillan Cancer Support has urged the Scottish government to show it can meet demand to support patients when the NHS is already facing staff shortages.

The charity used national cancer registry data to calculate the figures.

The number of people living with the disease or its aftermath is expected to reach 300,000 by 2025, a rise of more than a third in a decade.

Read more.

Tory MSP Edward Mountain tells the chamber his father-in-law, mother and father have all died from cancer.

His father died in hospital because it was "too risky" to send him home according to doctors, he says.

"To this day I still struggle to understand what the risks were. We knew where the end of the journey was going. So did he."

We need to see an increase in investment in local services to cope with the ageing population the Tory MSP argues.

He concludes by applauding Marie Curie volunteers.

Image source, Marie Curie

From the Marie Curie website, external:

"One in four people in the UK die without getting the care and support they need.

"Marie Curie provides much-needed expert care, external to people with terminal illness, external, as well as supporting their families. We are there when it matters most.

"Whether you’re donating, external,collecting, external, or fundraising, external you will be raising funds so we can continue our vital work.

"If you're wearing your daffodil in celebration, in solidarity or in memory of a loved one, your daffodil shows that you've made a difference."

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Linda Fabiani says she is glad to see so many of the Marie Curie volunteers in the gallery.

Ms Fabiani says Marie Curie provides support for 7,500 people in Scotland and their families every year.

"I think the volunteers are so crucially important."

Ms Fabiani points out Scotland raises around £700,000 through the Great Daffodil Appeal every year.

She calls for a national palliative and end of life care action plan and for that to be replicated locally.

Image source, Getty Images

SNP MSP Linda Fabiani is leading the annual debate to mark Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Appeal.

Here is the motion...

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Scottish government motion is defeated by 61 votes against to 58 votes for.

The Labour amendment and Tory motion are agreed with 61 MSPs supporting it and 58 MSPs voting against.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, bbc

Beatrice Wishart reiterates the expansion is an important policy the Lib Dems wants to see realised.

The Lib Dem MSP also repeats the point that Audit Scotland have warned flexibility and choice for parents won't be fully implemented by August 2020.

Ms Wishart warns parents won't be satisfied for having to wait for some date in the distant future for hours that suit them.

She calls for parents who exercise their right to defer their child starting school to automatically receive funding.

The Lib Dem MSP warns 83 of the infrastructure projects due in July do not have a contingency plan in place.

Image source, Scottish governmnet

A major recruitment drive is needed to ensure an expansion of funded nursery places is to hit its summer deadline, a spending watchdog has warned.

Audit Scotland said more than 4,000 nursery staff would need to be recruited and half the building work was not yet complete.

The Scottish government said it was confident the deadline would be met.

Read more.