2. To ask the Scottish Government what safeguarding training NHS boards are required to provide to non-clinical staff who are handling interactions with members of the public. (S6O-02983)

The staff governance standard, which is applicable to all staff employed by NHS Scotland, requires health boards to appropriately train and develop staff and provide a safe working environment. The national policies on personal development and managing health at work support boards, as employers of national health service staff, to identify and provide necessary training for staff according to statutory requirements, the job role and individual training needs.

People who require to use NHS services will go through a process of dealing with non-clinical staff before seeing a medical professional. Many of those patients may be neurodivergent or require tailored communication. It is important that staff can identify needs and transmit medical information in a way that is effective and appropriate for neurodivergent patients.

How often does the Scottish Government monitor and review the type of safeguarding training that is required for non-clinical staff with regard to such specific needs?

The national policy is to ensure that NHS staff, in whichever role they work, are provided with the appropriate training to undertake that role. It is the responsibility of their employer—the NHS board—to ensure that they receive the necessary training. Therefore, those non-clinical staff who work with individuals who have neurodivergent conditions should be appropriately trained in order to do so.

However, if the member has specific examples of instances in which he feels that that has not been the case, he should write to me with the details, and I will be more than happy to look into the matter for him and to ensure that the issue is appropriately addressed.

The Presiding Officer:

Question 3 has been withdrawn and question 4 has not been lodged.