Christine Grahame

10 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Drugs Forum's response to the Executive's review of drug treatment and rehabilitation services, what steps will be taken to reverse any trend within the drugs rehabilitation services for high levels of staff turnover, particularly in the voluntary sector, a…

Answer · Hugh Henry: I welcome the verycomprehensive and well informed submission made by the Scottish Drugs Forum tothis review. However, this is one of around 60 responses, and it would beinappropriate for me to give precedence to one organisation’s views over otherswho co…

10 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the Scottish Drug Forum's report A Brief Survey on Drug Paraphernalia Distribution following Amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) on behalf of the Scottish Needle Exchange Workers' Forum, what steps will be taken on the recommendations that (a) citric/ascorbic a…

Answer · Hugh Henry: This report has been sent tothe Executive very recently, and we are still reviewing the information andconclusions from the survey work.</p>

10 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have needle exchange programmes and what measures are being taken to ensure that all NHS boards operate such programmes.

Answer · Hugh Henry: All areas of Scotlandhave needle exchange services, but services are provided from a wide range ofsources, such as community pharmacies, voluntary groups and outreach services,as well as from NHS facilities.</p><p>The benefits from providingsterile injecting …

9 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent on publicising the National Care Standards in (i) 2002-03 and (ii) 2003-04 to date.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The table details the financial resources spent on publishing, distributing and publicising the National Care Standards.</p><p>Expenditure On The National Care Standards </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year </p> </…

9 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of public awareness of the National Care Standards.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The National Care StandardsCommittee, which develops and recommends draft standards to Scottish ministers,has recently asked the Scottish Executive to consider methods to assesspublic awareness of the National Care Standards. A report will be made to theCommi…

9 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken, and will put in place, to promote the National Care Standards.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The National Care Standardswere officially launched in November 2001 by the Health Minister. The event washeld at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh and attracted significant press and media attention.This was followed by the publication and wide distribution of the …

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government with regard to the complexity of the application form for the pensioner credit scheme, in light of the impact of the scheme on services the Executive provides to pensioners.

Answer · Margaret Curran: None.</p>

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has with regard to the uptake of the pensioner credit scheme, in light of the impact of the scheme on services it provides to pensioners.

Answer · Margaret Curran: This information is in thepublic domain, available from the Department of Work and Pensions at: </p><p><ahref="http://www.pensioncreditinfo.gov.uk/communication.asp">www.pensioncreditinfo.gov.uk/communication.asp</a>.</p><p>As of 31st January 2004,around 229,…

4 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it provides to those wishing to access the pensioner credit scheme, in light of the impact of the scheme on services it provides to pensioners.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues,including pension credit, and issupporting the implementation in Scotland by disseminating information andencouraging applications by a variety of means, including: …

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any NHS boards do not participate in the Scottish Hip Fracture Audit and, if so, which boards and what steps it is taking to ensure Scotland-wide participation.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Participation in the ScottishHip Fracture Audit is on a hospital basis and full coverage in all board areasis expected from 1 April 2004.</p>

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that there is thorough and rigorous documentation by NHS boards of patient assessment and progress.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Quality ImprovementScotland has monitored the systems for ensuringthat this documentation is in place through the Generic Clinical GovernanceStandards and will continue to monitor this through the Healthcare GovernanceStandards which are currently being c…

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that care is planned for, and provided to, older people to cover situations where it is not possible or safe to provide an out-of-hours service, as referred to in Older People in Acute Care National Overview - February 2004.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Overview identified the availability of such services, which are a key element in allowing people to return home when they are ready for discharge, as an issue for NHS boards to consider. NHS boards should aim to achieve thestandards of care set …

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how discharge planning is monitored for older people leaving acute services, as referred to in Older People in Acute Care National Overview - February 2004.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Discharge arrangements aremonitored by NHS boards in conjunction with their local authority partners.</p>

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to ensure that effective communications are in place for older people with any cognitive impairment and what monitoring is in place to ensure equity of services for such patients, as referred to in Older People in Acute Care National Overview - February 2004.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards should aim toachieve the standards of care set by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Anysignificant shortfall should be identified through local clinical audit andgovernance arrangements. Where necessary NHS Quality Improvement Scotland willcarry ou…

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been put in place to meet the increasing number of persons with HIV in care, in light of figures recording the highest annual number of new cases of HIV since the mid-1980s, as referred to in issue 172 of the Scottish Drugs Forum Bulletin.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Following the publication of the report of the HIV Health Promotion Strategy Review Group in January 2001,the Executive increased the resources available to NHS boards by £2 million annually,to assist their work to prevent the spread of HIV and other bloodbor…

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to increase the number of needles and syringes available for distribution for intravenous drug users, given that one million needles were distributed in Greater Glasgow last year where an estimated seven to 12 million were needed, as referred to in Issue 172 of …

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In December 2002, weinformed drugs services that the Lord Advocate had set  new limits on thenumber of needles and syringes which could be issued to clients attendingneedle exchanges. The limits were increased to a maximum of 20 sets on firstvisit, and a maxi…

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15033 by Malcolm Chisholm on 2 May 2001, what level of funding has been allocated for the provision of needle exchange facilities in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04 to date.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As explained in the answer given to question S1W-15033 on 2 May 2001, we do not allocate funding specifically for needle exchange facilities. The table sets out funding specifically allocated to NHS boards to support work to prevent transmission of blood-born…

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department will make an announcement on plans after 2005 for the #2.25 million allocated annually to fund the employability services for the drug users' element of the New Futures Fund.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Department will discusswith the enterprise networks, in the context of their planning process,employability objectives for disadvantaged groups after March 2005. The outcomeof these discussions, which will be informed by progress on mainstreaming NewFutur…

3 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the #6.8 million granted annually for local authority rehabilitation services will not be diverted to other services when such funds are built into the mainstream revenue grant to local authorities.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The £6.8 million annualallocation continues within individual authorities’ grant aided expenditureresources, and we expect authorities to continue to use these resources for drugrehabilitation services. There has been no change to these arrangements whichhave…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People, whether the specific needs of looked after children and young people in care will be considered in the preparation of the sexual health strategy.

Answer · Euan Robson: The draft Sexual Health andRelationships Strategy which has been the subject of an extensive consultationprocess specifically draws attention to the needs of children who are lookedafter, including the importance of sexual relationships education, access tose…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People, what steps will be taken in respect of the recommendation that child and adolescent mental health services should develop dedicated practitioners or teams with an expertise in ma…

Answer · Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answer given to question SW2-6664 on 16 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People, what steps will be taken to follow the recommendations on training issues for care service staff, in particular (a) that health and social work departments need to work together…

Answer · Euan Robson: The Scottish Institute forResidential Childcare ensures that residential childcare staff have access tothe skills and knowledge they require to meet the needs of the child in theircare, including health needs. Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol undertakes…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People, what steps will be taken to introduce guidelines for good practice between care staff and GP surgeries to (a) create closer working links between residential care staff and staff…

Answer · Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the guidance onThe Children (Scotland) Act 1995 states that children must be registeredwith a GP and dental practioner once they become looked after. As part of theircare planning local authorities will want to ensure that they are closelyinvolved…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People, what steps will be taken to ensure parity of access to health care, screening, preventative services and immunisation courses for looked after children with children not in care.

Answer · Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the guidance onthe Children (Scotland) Act 1995, Children Looked After by LocalAuthorities states that children being looked after should have the same accessto NHS provision and school health services as other children. When drawing upthe care pl…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People, what steps will be taken to introduce (a) dedicated educational assessments and support for looked after children, (b) prioritised mental health services for looked after childre…

Answer · Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the guidance onthe Children (Scotland) Act 1995 states that the care plan should set outthe educational and wider developmental needs of the child being looked after.Local authorities should provide educational and developmental opportunitiesand s…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People, what steps it will take to ensure that (a) comprehensive assessments are made of the physical, mental and developmental well-being of all young people and children at the earlies…

Answer · Euan Robson: The report, ForgottenChildren, is an NHS Lothian report based on studies of looked after children inEdinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian. Those authorities will find it a useful source ofinformation on what is happening on the ground in their areas.</p><p>I…

2 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-5973 and S2W-5975 by Ms Margaret Curran on 1 March 2004, what steps will be taken in the short term to ensure that homeless people in East Lothian receive adequate services whilst East Lothian Council produces its improvement plan and during implem…

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is asfollows:</p><p>Scottish Ministers actingthrough Communities Scotland now require East Lothian Council to take action toensure that homeless people in its are…

1 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a triennial review of the Forestry Commission and, if so, when the review will commence, what the membership of the review panel will be and what the structure of the review will be.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Forestry Commission is across border public authority, and is not subject to triennial review.</p><p>Forestry CommissionScotland, which serves as the Executive’s forestry department, was set upfollowing the recommendations of the forestry devolution revie…

27 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to ensure that NHS boards assign responsibility to an executive board member to help ensure that medical equipment is available to deliver care in line with national strategies and clinical practice, as referred to in recommendation 1 of Audit Scotland's report, B…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6519 on 11 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/weba…

26 Feb 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any information on a national or NHS board area basis on any incidents in which a patient's health or recovery has been put at risk due to outdated equipment and, if so, whether it will provide such information for each year from 1999-2000 to date.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information is not heldcentrally.</p>