Hansard

7. Tess White (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect women from rape and sexual assault in hospitals. (S6O-05401)

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Neil Gray) SNP

Rape and sexual assault occurring in our hospitals—or anywhere else in our society—is unacceptable. I expect all health boards to uphold their legal duties a...

Tess White Con

That is welcome. However, last year, the Women’s Rights Network exposed the facts that there have been 276 sexual assaults and 12 rapes in Scottish hospitals...

Neil Gray SNP

There are several elements in Ms White’s question. I have met Karen Titchener, the Patient Safety Commissioner, to discuss the issue with her. As I sought to...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

We are over the time limit, but, before we move to question 8, I am minded to take a couple of supplementaries to question 7 as long as they are brief.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

Research carried out for the Women’s Rights Network’s report found that assaults in hospitals were not routinely recorded and that 133 hospitals did not hold...

Neil Gray SNP

I have not met the Women’s Rights Network. The report has been debated in the Parliament, Ms Minto met cross-party MSPs in May, and the chief people officer ...

Ash Regan (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Ind

The human rights of women and girls in Scotland are not complex. Sex-based risk is real. Women and girls have unique vulnerabilities to sexual violence, incl...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

A question, please.

Ash Regan Ind

That vulnerability also applies to female patients in mixed-sex hospitals—

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Let us hear a question.

Ash Regan Ind

How many rapes of women and girls in Scottish hospitals are acceptable to the Government?

Neil Gray SNP

None is acceptable to the Government. I have set out the steps that it is taking to provide protections for staff and patients who are accessing or deliverin...