Question reference: S5W-28118
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 26 March 2020
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 March 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how COVID-19 is impacting on the delivery of national screening programmes, immunisation and the implementation of the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Act 2019.
Answer
Due to the rapidly changing situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19) the Scottish Government is to temporarily pause a number of screening programmes. These are:
• Breast Screening (mammograms)
• Cervical Screening (smear tests)
• Bowel Screening (home test kits)
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Screening (ultrasound of abdomen)
• Diabetic Retinopathy (Eye) Screening (images taken of the eye).
Pregnancy and Newborn Screening Programmes, including tests offered during pregnancy and just after birth, will continue where logistically practical.
This means no additional patients will be invited for screening until further notice. Results for those who have recently been screened or who have completed and returned home test kits will continue to be processed.
The suspension is temporary and will be formally reviewed after 12 weeks, or earlier if indicated by the evidence.
Pausing these screening programmes allows staff to be re-allocated to support other essential services, including COVID-19 laboratory testing and covering for colleagues who are unwell or self-isolating.
Vaccination Transformation Programme
The timescale for completion of the Vaccination Transformation Programme, which commenced in 2018 and was due to complete in April 2021, will be extended by one year to April 2022. This will enable the NHS staff whose involvement is vital to the success of the programme, to fully engage with the COVID-19 response over the coming months.
Implementation of the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Act 2019
Implementation of the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Act 2019 has been rescheduled to March 2021.