 Cymru? Rhyw wneud ar y posiciadau ym correctlyd yn ffordd unrhyw gwaith i gŵr Selant yn sgold. Rhyw wneud ar y posiciadau eu bod yn gyfnodol o'r ffordd unrhyw gwaith i gŵr Selant yn sgold. Rhyw wneud ar y posiciadau eich hunan, phallan, ym correctlyd sy'n ddigonol i gwy gadgets neu lucr pan ysgoled. Rhyw wneud ar y posiciadau eich hunan, pethau aethau, ac yn llygon o gyfnodol i'r ffordd unrhyw gŵr Selant yn llysgolau i gymaint. is taking to increase the number of people trained in mental health first aid. Minister Maureen Watt. The Scottish Government funds NHS Health Scotland to provide a range of programmes to improve mental health, including Scottish mental health first aid training. NHS Health Scotland is currently conducting a review of its training provision for mental health, with a view to making this resource more flexible and responsive to changing evidence and to improving accessibility to targeted audiences. The review is due for completion in late February this year, and we will consider the recommendations on how best to provide this resource and increase the number of those trained. Liam McArthur. I thank the minister and welcome much of what she said. Poor mental health is one of the biggest public health challenges facing society in the leading cause of sickness absence in the workplace. Official statistics show that the suicide rate increased between 2009 and 2014, accounting for 4,500 deaths across Scotland. Will the minister ensure that the Government's upcoming mental health strategy puts mental health first aid on a par with general first aid and constitutes a mandatory element of workplace health and safety training? Will she also make sure that it is properly resourced so that it can be delivered across the country, including in the islands that I represent, where the Choose Life Initiative has struggled over recent years through a lack of funding? The member raises a number of issues in terms of the suicide rate in Scotland going down, but there is still much more to do. In terms of the allocation of funding, the amount goes to NHS Scotland and part of its wider resource funding. It is up to NHS Health Scotland to allocate the resources according to the needs and priorities, but the first aid training and the roll-out of that will be a key part of the mental health strategy. Miles Briggs, to what extent will the Scottish Government support assistance for those who want to receive mental health first aid training but cannot afford to access those programs at present? As I said to Liam McArthur, NHS Health Scotland received the funding and it is up to them to assess the priorities and needs and organisations should get in touch with them about that. 2. Gail Ross To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report by the Royal Bank of Scotland harvesting the future for young farmers. We welcome the report, which adds to our understanding of some of the challenges and barriers to new entrants to farming, and we look forward to discussing its findings with the RBS in the very near future. One of the key challenges in the report is the lack of land for young farmers to farm. What can the Scottish Government do to make more land available in order to allow young farmers to get a foothold in the sector? It is absolutely right that this is extremely important to us, and indeed attracting and supporting young and new entrants into farming is vital to the long-term health of the sector, and is a priority for this Government, as the First Minister made clear to the AGM and meetings of the NFUS earlier this week. We have therefore done a great deal of work. Forest Enterprise has had a successful scheme already, bringing in new entrants to farming, and we are following that by the establishment of a new group that met on 14 December last year called Farming Opportunities for New Entrants or Phone with an F, which will inter alia look at opportunities to deploy public land that is owned across all public bodies. That is a highly important area of work and one in which we are fully engaged. John Scott. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I declare an interest as a farmer. Cabinet Secretary will be aware and recall discussions that I had with him about the fallow land that is lying unused around wind farms, which often in the middle of forests can no longer be a forested. That land might have a value if it were packaged up and turned into agricultural land and provide units for such new entrants. Cabinet Secretary. I think that Mrs Scott makes a very good point. It is one that we shall give attention to. In addition to that, and in addition to the work that Forest Enterprise Scotland and the Forestry Commission is doing on the public land—nearly 700,000 hectares, we are also working with many other public bodies, including SNH, including Scottish Water, including Orkney Island Council and private estates, to see what extent they can consider what land can be made available. Even a relatively small acreage can be of use to some potential new entrants. I am very happy to continue to work with Mr Scott constructively on that matter. I remind you that I am a pharmacist registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. To ask the Scottish Government what the benefits could be of extending the minor ailment service to all patients registered with a GP. As part of our programme for government, we are examining the feasibility of extending the minor ailment service provided by community pharmacists. A pilot is under way and the Inverclyde health and social care partnership area to test opening up the service to all patients registered with a local GP. As part of the pilot, community pharmacists will also be able to assess and provide treatment for some of the most common uncomplicated conditions that normally require a GP prescription helping to free up GP time. It will also promote and support self-care when this is the most appropriate course of action. The pilot will test the benefits for patients and primary care services. We want to know whether that will reduce the burden on GPs and other local services if it will deliver and support better and appropriate access to primary care for patients and how the current service could be further developed nationally. I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer. Would the minister agree that there is merit in exploring the extension of the number of clinical conditions that can be treated by a pharmacist, for example uncomplicated UTIs and COPD exacerbations, to determine the further benefits that could bring? I agree with that. In addition to the minor ailments treated as part of the existing minor ailment service, the pilot and Inverclyde will see pharmacists assessing and treating patients for certain uncomplicated common conditions that normally require a GP consultation and prescription. Those will include UTIs, impetigo, shingles, bridging contraception and acute COPD exacerbations. Some health boards have also introduced locally negotiated services for those conditions. For example, community pharmacies in both NHS Grampian and NHS Forth Valley treat patients for uncomplicated UTIs. That makes the best use of pharmacist's clinical skills while reducing demands on general practice and therefore merits further exploration. Colin Smyth, just this week, NHS Dumfrucent Galloway was forced to suspend admissions to Thornhill hospital in Dumfru, on half the number of beds because the local GP practice, which provides cover to that hospital, has been running at half the number of GPs that it requires. Given that the Royal College of GPs predicted the current recruitment crisis and given the fact that this Government has been in power for 10 years, will the cabinet secretary hold her hand up and acknowledge that the Government has been far too slow off the mark when it comes to tackling the GP crisis, whether that is through extra funding, the development of GP hubs or extending the minor ailment service? Colin Smyth will be aware of the extensive work that is going on to ensure that we have a primary care model that is fit for purpose. The GP is obviously a very critical part as the clinical expertise behind a multidisciplinary team, which is what the future model will look like. He will also be aware of the commitment of the £500 million additional investment by the end of this Parliament, which is going to mean for the first time that over half of the spend is going to be on community health services. We have a very clear plan to ensure that we have more GPs and more health professionals that will make up that multidisciplinary team. That will be good for people in Dumfries and Galloway and the rest of Scotland. We are also taking immediate action to help to reduce workload, for example getting rid of some of the bureaucracy around GP payments. We are working with the profession, including the RCGP and the BMA, to take other short measures while the new model is introduced. To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that schools communicate with both resident and non-resident parents. The Scottish Schools Parental Involvement Act 2006 imposes a range of duties on local authorities and schools to promote the involvement of all parents in their children's education. Paragraph 20 of the status of the guidance for the act makes it clear that it is important that education authorities and schools do as much as they can to support the continued involvement of parents who do not live with their children. The National Parent Forum of Scotland has been undertaking a review of the act. The forum will make the recommendations to the Scottish Government in the spring, and the Government will consider the parent forum's report. That will include consideration of any conclusions relating to communication and consultation between schools and non-resident parents. There is much research that children learn better when they have the active involvement of both parents and their education. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of non-resident parents find themselves excluded from involvement in their children's school life, often through poor engagement practices of local authorities. There is good practice, for example, by Western Islands Council, that does not start from the presumption that all children live with both parents. Does the cabinet secretary agree that the issue of guidelines to encourage sharing of best practice between local authorities would benefit the educational attainment of up to 30 per cent of children who do not live with both parents? First of all, I agree with Mr McKee's conclusions in relation to the research evidence on that point. That issue is very strongly reflected in the national improvement framework, where the involvement of parents in the educational experience of young people is highlighted as a significant consideration and something that should be taken into account by schools and local authorities. I am familiar with the good practice that emanates from the Western Isles on the question. I agree that the quality of guidance is important to inform that improved practice. As I indicated in my original answer, we are expecting a review of many of the issues from the national parent forum. I will reflect on that and also on the points that Mr McKee has made in informing any further development of guidance that the Government brings forward. I refer members to my register of interests as a member of the Musicians Union and my professional background in music. To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to music therapy groups that work with people who have long-term health conditions. The Scottish Government recognises the therapeutic benefits of both live and recorded music therapy interventions for people who have long-term health conditions and people with illnesses such as dementia. Integrated joint boards are responsible for commissioning such services and interventions in their local area. Many health boards have taken steps to make personalised music therapy services available in hospitals and specialist settings. Care homes will take group and individual approaches. In addition, in respect of dementia, later this year, supported by the Scottish Government, Alzheimer Scotland will publish Connecting Support on the effectiveness of allied health professional-led interventions for people with dementia, including in the area of music therapy. The Scottish Government will support implementation of Connecting Support as part of the forthcoming 2017-2020 national dementia strategy. I thank the minister for that very foreign answer. I anticipate what my question was. The minister will be aware of the incredible effects of music therapy on people with dementia, so I would just like to invite the minister to comment further. She agrees that dementia music therapy can play a vital role in treating people with dementia. I absolutely agree with Tom Arthur and many of us, as part of our jobs, go into care homes on a regular basis and know the importance of music in homes. Music therapy is just one of many therapeutic interventions for people with dementia. The number of people and care home settings that have taken up the player's approach has been very useful and very successful in this area. Does the minister agree that any reduction in funding to organisations who deliver crucial services such as music therapy, sports such as power chair football and run by groups does not save any money but shifts the cost to health and welfare interventions that end up being more costly? The Scottish Government works closely with local organisations and local councils on making sure that we get the best use of the limited resources that we have as a result of Westminster Government policy. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. The minister will be aware of the outstanding work delivered by music therapy charity Lord of Robins Scotland and its main fundraising event of the Year Scottish Music Awards held every November in Glasgow. Although this has delivered much needed support for the charity, there has been a considerable rise in demand for the services that it offers, including dementia services. Therefore, would the minister consider offering much needed Scottish Government support to the charity to ensure its continued success? I am aware of the vital work that Lord of Robins does. Lord of Robins, like other charities, should engage with the designated third sector interface organisation for each integrated joint board for advice and information and support in pursuing local funding. Some IGV areas also have innovation funds and third sector interface bodies can also advise on those funds, and Lord Robins should contact those. To ask the Scottish Government how the NHS supports patients who communicate using British Sign Language. The patient charter clearly sets out what patients can expect when they use NHS Scotland services and receive care. That includes the right to be given the information that they need in a format or language that they can understand. Under the Equality Act 2010, NHS Scotland is required to provide translation and interpreting services and written material wherever possible and reasonable. All NHS boards have a published accessibility policy and arrangements in place to support such needs. People who are deaf or who are hard of hearing can access Scotland's national health and information service, NHS Inform, using the Contact Scotland BSL service, or by text phone and through web chat, which is available on the NHS Inform website. I thank the minister for that answer. A constituent of mine, Rosemary Mitchell, from Ellen, is launching a campaign to get BSL training for end-of-life care staff after losing her mother, who was hearing impaired to cancer last year. Could the minister outline what assistance there is for training in British Sign Language for NHS staff? It is the legal responsibility of each NHS board to comply with the equality legislation as it applies to British Sign Language training. However, the Scottish Government has asked NHS Health Scotland to engage with boards to ensure that they understand their legal obligations in this regard, developing plans to support improvements and sharing best practice in the use of BSL in NHS settings throughout Scotland, including palliative care settings. To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of figures suggesting that 95 per cent of pupils identified as having additional support needs are in mainstream schools. The number of children and young people identified as learning and mainstream provision in Scotland reflects the implementation of the presumption to mainstream. However, the majority of children and young people learning and mainstream provision, there continues to be a significant number of children and young people who are and continue to be educated in special schools. That reflects the legislative position in Scotland. Alexander Stewart I thank the cabinet secretary for the answer. Many families across Mid Scotland and Fife whose children have additional support needs are having to fight to secure the best education experience for them. Mainstream education has seen a dramatic 13 per cent fall in additional support needs teachers since 2010, while the number of pupils with additional support needs has increased dramatically. Surely the Scottish Government must accept that the current situation is not sustainable. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills No, I do not accept that point. Mr Stewart should be aware that the definition of additional support needs was expanded significantly in 2010 to take into a much wider cohort of young people who would have additional support needs that may, in fact, be temporary needs and a much wider range than what has historically been the definition. I also point out to Mr Stewart that, in the last year for which data is available, there was an increase in expenditure on additional support needs expenditure by local authorities of £24 million and a rise in the number of personnel working with young people with additional support needs. What I would say in principle to Mr Stewart is that judgments have to be made by local authorities in active open dialogue with parents and families about what is the most appropriate educational setting in which young people with special needs should be educated. In some circumstances that will be in mainstream schools, in other circumstances that will be in special schools, and the judgment should be made on each individual case based on the needs of every single young person in Scotland.