That the Parliament notes that 18 March 2020 is Swallowing Awareness Day and understands that eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties are potentially life-threatening, leading to choking, pneumonia, chest infections, dehydration, malnutrition and weight loss; considers that early identification and prevention measures in relation to swallowing difficulties results in avoiding hospital admission and avoiding poorer quality of life for individuals and families; welcomes the work of the Care Inspectorate, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and Scottish Care, which on 18 March 2020 will launch joint guidance for care inspectors to enable them and care providers to identify good practice and improvement opportunities to better support people with swallowing difficulties, and supports both promoting greater awareness of the impact that swallowing difficulties have on health and quality of life, and the role of speech and language therapists and other health and social care professionals in preventing, identifying, assessing and managing swallowing difficulties.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes that 18 March 2020 is Swallowing Awareness Day and understands that eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties are potentially life-threatening, leading to choking, pneumonia, chest infections, dehydration, malnutrition and weight loss; considers that early identification and prevention measures in relation to swallowing difficulties results in avoiding hospital admission and avoiding poorer quality of life for individuals and families; welcomes the work of the Care Inspectorate, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and Scottish Care, which on 18 March 2020 will launch joint guidance for care inspectors to enable them and care providers to identify good practice and improvement opportunities to better support people with swallowing difficulties, and supports both promoting greater awareness of the impact that swallowing difficulties have on health and quality of life, and the role of speech and language therapists and other health and social care professionals in preventing, identifying, assessing and managing swallowing difficulties.
Supported by: Joan McAlpine, Stuart McMillan, Mark McDonald, Iain Gray, Bill Kidd, John Mason, Sandra White, Monica Lennon, Brian Whittle, David Torrance, Jeremy Balfour, Gil Paterson, Clare Adamson, Neil Findlay, Ruth Maguire
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That the Parliament congratulates the Stornoway RNLI coxswain, DI Murray, and crew members, Tony Morrison, Kenny Macarthur, Norman Smith and Donnie Mackinnon, on being awarded 20-year long-service badges, and the station's lifeboat operations manager, John MacDonald, who has been presented with a badge for serving the RNLI for 30 years; notes that, between them, the six have contributed a total of 130 years of voluntary service to the RNLI; commends them on this and their commitment to providing life-saving services to the communities of the west coast, and acknowledges the hard work and importance of the Stornoway station-based, and all other RNLI volunteers, to help ensure that the country's rural communities remain safe and can thrive.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the Stornoway RNLI coxswain, DI Murray, and crew members, Tony Morrison, Kenny Macarthur, Norman Smith and Donnie Mackinnon, on being awarded 20-year long-service badges, and the station's lifeboat operations manager, John MacDonald, who has been presented with a badge for serving the RNLI for 30 years; notes that, between them, the six have contributed a total of 130 years of voluntary service to the RNLI; commends them on this and their commitment to providing life-saving services to the communities of the west coast, and acknowledges the hard work and importance of the Stornoway station-based, and all other RNLI volunteers, to help ensure that the country's rural communities remain safe and can thrive.
Supported by: Liam McArthur, Edward Mountain, Kenneth Gibson, Jeremy Balfour, Stuart McMillan, Alex Rowley, Bill Kidd, Alasdair Allan, Neil Bibby, Gil Paterson, Alexander Burnett, Ruth Maguire
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That the Parliament congratulates the editor of the West Highland Free Press, Ian McCormack, on his retirement after 44 years in post; notes that Ian joined the newspaper as a reporter in October 1975, before being quickly promoted a few months later to the post of editor in March 1976; acknowledges that issue number 203 of the newspaper, published on 19 March 1976, began a remarkable run that now totals 2,290 editions with him at the helm; considers his contribution to be significant in the long-running success of the newspaper, which is considered to be part of the fabric of weekly life in Skye, Lochalsh, Wester Ross and the Western Isles; thanks him for his dedicated service to journalism, and wishes him a long and happy retirement.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the editor of the West Highland Free Press, Ian McCormack, on his retirement after 44 years in post; notes that Ian joined the newspaper as a reporter in October 1975, before being quickly promoted a few months later to the post of editor in March 1976; acknowledges that issue number 203 of the newspaper, published on 19 March 1976, began a remarkable run that now totals 2,290 editions with him at the helm; considers his contribution to be significant in the long-running success of the newspaper, which is considered to be part of the fabric of weekly life in Skye, Lochalsh, Wester Ross and the Western Isles; thanks him for his dedicated service to journalism, and wishes him a long and happy retirement.
Supported by: Donald Cameron, Rhoda Grant, Iain Gray, Neil Bibby, Andy Wightman, Jamie Halcro Johnston
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That the Parliament welcomes the call from Diabetes Scotland for all people with diabetes to have access to the appropriate psychological, emotional and mental healthcare to help them manage their condition; notes that a recent survey found that seven out of 10 people have felt overwhelmed by the demands of living with diabetes; understands that people living with diabetes have to manage their condition 365 days a year, which demands constant attention and awareness, which can be a challenge to cope with, and hopes that the next Diabetes Improvement Plan will make access to emotional and mental health support a key component.
Current Status:
That the Parliament welcomes the call from Diabetes Scotland for all people with diabetes to have access to the appropriate psychological, emotional and mental healthcare to help them manage their condition; notes that a recent survey found that seven out of 10 people have felt overwhelmed by the demands of living with diabetes; understands that people living with diabetes have to manage their condition 365 days a year, which demands constant attention and awareness, which can be a challenge to cope with, and hopes that the next Diabetes Improvement Plan will make access to emotional and mental health support a key component.
Supported by: Iain Gray, Rona Mackay, Alexander Stewart, Stewart Stevenson, Mark McDonald, Monica Lennon, Jackie Baillie, Alexander Burnett, Kenneth Gibson, Mary Fee, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Emma Harper, Lewis Macdonald
Current Status: Fallen on 13/03/2020
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That the Parliament congratulates The Orcadian newspaper on joining forces with CLAN Cancer Support in Kirkwall to raise funds for a planned expansion of its cancer support services in Orkney; commends the newspaper for donating the £500 cash prize that it received on being awarded Newspaper of the Year 2018 at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards to the support service; congratulates the three paid members of staff and the 60-plus volunteers who have worked tirelessly for over 11 years supporting people affected by their own or someone else’s cancer; appreciates that the geographical challenges and a lack of resources makes reaching all areas of the Orkney Islands difficult for the service; notes that the OUTREACH4CLAN campaign, which was launched in August 2019, has more than doubled the £10,000 that it set out to raise to enable training for additional support volunteers, provide more therapies and classes/group work, and to develop CLAN’s outreach programme across mainland Orkney and to the islands; congratulates The Orcadian and the people of Orkney on achieving 228% of its target amount for the campaign, which closed on 2 December, after raising £22,786, and wishes staff and volunteers all the best in using the money raised to increase support for local people affected by cancer in any way.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates The Orcadian newspaper on joining forces with CLAN Cancer Support in Kirkwall to raise funds for a planned expansion of its cancer support services in Orkney; commends the newspaper for donating the £500 cash prize that it received on being awarded Newspaper of the Year 2018 at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards to the support service; congratulates the three paid members of staff and the 60-plus volunteers who have worked tirelessly for over 11 years supporting people affected by their own or someone else’s cancer; appreciates that the geographical challenges and a lack of resources makes reaching all areas of the Orkney Islands difficult for the service; notes that the OUTREACH4CLAN campaign, which was launched in August 2019, has more than doubled the £10,000 that it set out to raise to enable training for additional support volunteers, provide more therapies and classes/group work, and to develop CLAN’s outreach programme across mainland Orkney and to the islands; congratulates The Orcadian and the people of Orkney on achieving 228% of its target amount for the campaign, which closed on 2 December, after raising £22,786, and wishes staff and volunteers all the best in using the money raised to increase support for local people affected by cancer in any way.
Supported by: Rhoda Grant, Edward Mountain, Bill Kidd, Maureen Watt, Gil Paterson, Jackie Baillie, Liam McArthur, Ruth Maguire
Current Status: Fallen on 13/03/2020
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That the Parliament notes that 18 to 24 November is Road Safety Week 2019; commends Diane and Graham Matheson, who are from Inverness, on the near decade-long commitment that they have shown to the ongoing campaign for a graduated driving licence (GDL) to be introduced to reduce the road death toll among young and novice drivers; notes the couple’s evidence regarding the potentially life-saving merits of a GDL that was submitted to a UK Parliament inquiry into road safety; understands that this has helped to crystallise the argument that there is an urgent need for GDLs to spare more families from the unimaginable experience that Diane and Graham have had to endure since their eldest son’s death in a road accident in March 2010; believes that the package of safety measures that could be brought in under a GDL scheme, such as drivers under 24 being restricted for several months post-test from carrying more than one young passenger, and a requirement that novice drivers do not drive after dark, would bring a common-sense, new-norm approach, to driving, and wishes Diane and Graham the best of luck with their support for the campaign.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes that 18 to 24 November is Road Safety Week 2019; commends Diane and Graham Matheson, who are from Inverness, on the near decade-long commitment that they have shown to the ongoing campaign for a graduated driving licence (GDL) to be introduced to reduce the road death toll among young and novice drivers; notes the couple’s evidence regarding the potentially life-saving merits of a GDL that was submitted to a UK Parliament inquiry into road safety; understands that this has helped to crystallise the argument that there is an urgent need for GDLs to spare more families from the unimaginable experience that Diane and Graham have had to endure since their eldest son’s death in a road accident in March 2010; believes that the package of safety measures that could be brought in under a GDL scheme, such as drivers under 24 being restricted for several months post-test from carrying more than one young passenger, and a requirement that novice drivers do not drive after dark, would bring a common-sense, new-norm approach, to driving, and wishes Diane and Graham the best of luck with their support for the campaign.
Supported by: Mary Fee, Kenneth Gibson
Current Status: Fallen on 23/01/2020
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That the Parliament acknowledges what it considers the importance of safe and efficient delivery of eye care services for the health and wellbeing of patients; notes what it sees as the unwarranted variation in access to eye care services across the nation, including in remote and rural areas such as the Highlands and Islands; understands there is a rising demand for cataract procedures as a result of an ageing population, and calls on the Scottish Government to adopt a national strategy to support greater uptake of efficient and high-quality treatments to prevent further sight loss in older people.
Current Status:
That the Parliament acknowledges what it considers the importance of safe and efficient delivery of eye care services for the health and wellbeing of patients; notes what it sees as the unwarranted variation in access to eye care services across the nation, including in remote and rural areas such as the Highlands and Islands; understands there is a rising demand for cataract procedures as a result of an ageing population, and calls on the Scottish Government to adopt a national strategy to support greater uptake of efficient and high-quality treatments to prevent further sight loss in older people.
Supported by: Edward Mountain, Monica Lennon, Neil Findlay, Alex Rowley, Mary Fee, Miles Briggs, Jackie Baillie
Current Status: Fallen on 23/01/2020
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That the Parliament congratulates the Eilean Dorcha Festival on the Isle of Benbecula on its ongoing success; notes that the festival takes place in July and has been running for four years; understands that the festival has safeguarded 12 tourism-related jobs in a rural and peripheral area; commends the organisers for helping to create a £2 million economical boost to the Isle of Benbecula since the festival’s establishment in 2016; acknowledges the cultural, economic and social impact that the festival has had on the local community, and wishes the festival well for its fifth event in 2020 and beyond.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the Eilean Dorcha Festival on the Isle of Benbecula on its ongoing success; notes that the festival takes place in July and has been running for four years; understands that the festival has safeguarded 12 tourism-related jobs in a rural and peripheral area; commends the organisers for helping to create a £2 million economical boost to the Isle of Benbecula since the festival’s establishment in 2016; acknowledges the cultural, economic and social impact that the festival has had on the local community, and wishes the festival well for its fifth event in 2020 and beyond.
Supported by: Stuart McMillan, Claudia Beamish, Bill Kidd, Rhoda Grant, Richard Lyle, Alasdair Allan, David Torrance, Gil Paterson, Jackie Baillie, Ruth Maguire, Maureen Watt, Fulton MacGregor
Current Status: Fallen on 23/01/2020
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That the Parliament understands that 70% of the population in Scotland wish to die at home; notes that many Highlands and Islands-based GPs are trained in palliative care that can support those who wish to die at home; believes however that not all areas of the region have charities or carers who provide "hospital at home care", especially overnight, and notes the calls for there to be an automatic right for people to have full care at home day or night for their last few days of life, so that then can have their wish fulfilled by being able to die at home with suitable palliative care.
Current Status:
That the Parliament understands that 70% of the population in Scotland wish to die at home; notes that many Highlands and Islands-based GPs are trained in palliative care that can support those who wish to die at home; believes however that not all areas of the region have charities or carers who provide "hospital at home care", especially overnight, and notes the calls for there to be an automatic right for people to have full care at home day or night for their last few days of life, so that then can have their wish fulfilled by being able to die at home with suitable palliative care.
Supported by: Patrick Harvie, Mark McDonald, Claudia Beamish, Neil Findlay, Rhoda Grant, Edward Mountain, Colin Smyth, Alasdair Allan, Bruce Crawford, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Beatrice Wishart
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29/01/2020
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That the Parliament notes that the remaining bidders for the Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) contract are the public sector ferry company, David MacBrayne, and the private sector incumbent, Serco; believes that the next NIFS contract could be worth up to £619 million in public subsidy and fares revenue; is concerned that Transport Scotland will award the 2019-27 NIFS contract in August when the Parliament will be in recess; notes that the amount of profit that Serco may have extracted from the operation of the current NIFS contract since 2012 has never been published by the company or Transport Scotland; further notes that the entire NorthLink fleet of three passenger and two freight vessels is publicly owned; believes that the introduction of road equivalent tariff on NIFS routes will further increase the level of taxpayer support in the next contract for lifeline ferry services; regrets the Ferry Law Review’s decision not to bring the NIFS and all publicly subsidised ferry contracts into permanent public ownership and operation; supports the RMT Union’s Nationalise NorthLink campaign, and calls on the Scottish Government to secure the stability of lifeline ferry services on the Northern Isles network by awarding the next NIFS contract to David MacBrayne when the Parliament returns from recess in September 2019.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes that the remaining bidders for the Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) contract are the public sector ferry company, David MacBrayne, and the private sector incumbent, Serco; believes that the next NIFS contract could be worth up to £619 million in public subsidy and fares revenue; is concerned that Transport Scotland will award the 2019-27 NIFS contract in August when the Parliament will be in recess; notes that the amount of profit that Serco may have extracted from the operation of the current NIFS contract since 2012 has never been published by the company or Transport Scotland; further notes that the entire NorthLink fleet of three passenger and two freight vessels is publicly owned; believes that the introduction of road equivalent tariff on NIFS routes will further increase the level of taxpayer support in the next contract for lifeline ferry services; regrets the Ferry Law Review’s decision not to bring the NIFS and all publicly subsidised ferry contracts into permanent public ownership and operation; supports the RMT Union’s Nationalise NorthLink campaign, and calls on the Scottish Government to secure the stability of lifeline ferry services on the Northern Isles network by awarding the next NIFS contract to David MacBrayne when the Parliament returns from recess in September 2019.
Supported by: Elaine Smith, Lewis Macdonald, Jackie Baillie, Rhoda Grant, John Finnie, Patrick Harvie, Neil Findlay, Neil Bibby, Alex Rowley
Current Status: Fallen on 27/11/2019
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