Parliamentary questions
Christine Grahame
3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when a nationwide concessionary fares scheme will be operational, as referred to in paragraph 19 of its consultation paper Scotland's Transport - Proposals for a New Approach to Transport in Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: As outlined in <i>APartnership for a Better Scotland</i>, the Executive is committed to extendingconcessionary fares schemes on public transport, including a national freeoff-peak bus scheme for older people and people with disabilities; andprogressively intr…
22 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it will introduce to assist NHS trusts to adequately review follow-up arrangements for out-patient appointments and discharge policies, as referred to in the Audit Scotland report, Outpatients Count.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The White Paper <i>Partnershipfor Care </i>sets out plans for a programme of service redesign to help ensure morestreamlined access to services and more effective and timely communicationswith patients.</p><p>The Centre for Change andInnovation is driving the…
22 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to set up a national review of out-patient management with a view to the creation of a minimum data set capable of supporting national strategic and operational management needs, as recommended in the Audit Scotland report, Outpatients Count.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The White Paper <i>Partnershipfor Care </i>includes a commitment to improve the collection of information tomore accurately reflect NHSScotland out-patient activity, which will bettersupport strategic and operational management needs.</p><p>ISD Scotland are c…
22 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to monitor reasons behind cancellations of out-patient clinics, especially those cancellations giving less than 24 hours notice, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Outpatient Count - Results of a census on outpatient activity.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Audit Scotland Report <i>OutpatientCount – Results of a census on outpatient activity</i> recommends that NHS trustsshould monitor the reasons for cancelled clinics and take appropriate action.</p><p>The White Paper <i>Partnershipfor Care</i> has already …
22 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to investigate the reasons behind Did Not Attend (DNA) rates in each NHS board area in light of DNA rates costing approximately #20 million, as identified in the Audit Scotland report, Outpatient Count - Results of a census on outpatient activity.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Audit Scotland Report <i>OutpatientCount – Results of a census on outpatient activity</i> recommends that NHS trustsshould examine the causes of DNA rates in their respective clinics and takeaction to reduce these.</p><p>The Executive believes thatthe bes…
21 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether cancer patients would benefit from the type of service provided by the partnership between Macmillan Cancer Relief and Airdrie Citi'ens Advice Bureau, where people affected by cancer receive financial advice and support as part of their care, were the service to be made available …
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-3559. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa" targ…
21 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the partnership between Macmillan Cancer Relief and Airdrie Citi'ens Advice Bureau that provides financial advice and support to people affected by cancer.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The provision of relevant informationincluding financial and benefits advice is a vital part of the overall supportfor people affected by cancer.</p><p>Discussions are under waywith Citizens Advice Scotland about the possibility of establishing a strategicpar…
17 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking on the development of direct referral to physiotherapy services as recommended by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in Scotland in light of a pilot project in Dundee that demonstrated that such a system produced a saving of one months' consultation time a yea…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is important to build ongood practice and the Dundee pilot project suggests that it is possible to reducewaiting times for physiotherapy, which is good for patients. As part of its nationalprogramme, the Centre for Change and Innovation is undertaking a mo…
17 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to implement a national framework for pain management services as recommended by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Scotland in its annual report 2002-03, Outside in.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are no plans tointroduce a national services framework for chronic pain. The Executive has,however, commissioned an independent review of chronic pain services, thereport of which is expected to be received by the end of the year.</p>
17 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33495 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 5 February 2003, when the remit and timescale of Professor James McEwen's review of the current provision of chronic pain services will be announced.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The remit for the review,which was agreed after consultation with interested parties including the CrossParty Group on Chronic Pain, is:</p><p>Through a process thatincludes consultation with key stakeholders, including NHS boards, the PainAssociation and Pai…
16 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance issued to local authorities on the direction of choice in regard to discharge from hospitals to care homes is being reviewed; if so, what form the consultation process is taking; who is being consulted; what views have been expressed, and whether any representations have …
Answer · Tom McCabe: A widevariety of statutory and non statutory bodies were consulted about reviseddraft Guidance on Choice of Accommodation in November 2002. In response, a rangeof comments have been received and some of these have expressed concern aboutchoice and the availab…
10 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to enable doctors to return to practice after career breaks.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Funding is available underthe terms of the doctors retainer scheme which is aimed at re-introducing GPsback into general practice following a career break. Retainees receive a salaryfrom their employing practice who in turn are re-imbursed, currently at thera…
10 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what programmes are in place to enable and encourage doctors to return to practice after career breaks.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The doctors retainer schemehelps to re-introduce general practitioners back into general practicefollowing a career break. GP retainees are employed by suitable trainingpractices as assistants and can work up to four half day sessions per week. Theretainer sc…
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what target it has set for the average waiting time from an initial hearing test to a first appointment with a consultant.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answerto S2W-3338 on 6 November 2003. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa"ti…
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what target it has set for the average waiting time from referral by a GP to an initial appointment for a hearing test.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A hearing testwill normally be conducted at a first out-patient appointment at aconsultant-led clinic in the specialty of ear, nose and throat, followingreferral by a general medical practitioner.</p><p>The Executivehas included a commitment in the white pape…
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23840 by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 April 2002, how many training places there are for clinical psychologists.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As at 1 October 2003, therewere 65 trainee clinical psychologists in first year, 36 trainee clinical psychologistsin second year and 32 trainee clinical psychologists in third year.</p>
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31193 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 13 November 2002, how many unfilled vacancies currently exist in the NHS for consultant psychiatrists in all disciplines.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on the number ofvacancies is collected centrally by Information Statistics Division, via theannual medical and dental census.</p><p>The latest information onthe number of vacancies in NHS Scotland for consultant psychiatrists in alldisciplines is …
9 Oct 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times have been from GP referral to first appointment with a consultant psychiatrist for each NHS board area in each year since 1999.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The median waiting times fora first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the speciality of psychiatry,following referral by a general medical practitioner, in the years ended 30June 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, by NHS board area of residence, are …
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to improve the public image of children and young people in foster care to reduce any perceived stigma attached to them, encourage inclusiveness and highlight the value to the community of fostering.
Answer · Euan Robson: The Fostering Network undertakesan annual Foster Care Fortnight campaign to raise awareness of the role of fostercare and its importance to vulnerable children and young people.</p>
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to encourage local authorities to provide forums in which young people in foster care can meet to discuss their problems and socialise.
Answer · Euan Robson: The Fostering Network runs aYoung People’s Project which brings young people in foster care together toshare their experiences.</p>
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take, with schools and colleges, to educate pupils and students in foster care issues in order to reduce ignorance of the circumstances of fostered children.
Answer · Euan Robson: Schools have designatedteachers whose role is to champion the interests of looked after children intheir school and act as an information point within the school for others toaid their understanding of what it means to be looked after. Seminars for designated…
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce guidance to ensure (a) that foster placements are not made in locations too remote from family members and (b) access between fostered children and their families and that such access is of sufficient frequency to allow family links to be maintained.
Answer · Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the Children (Scotland)Act 1995 Regulations and Guidance already provides guidance on these matters. Itmakes clear that reasonable proximity to the child’s birth family, or at leastconvenient public transport services, are desirable in placement w…
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that all children in foster care are guaranteed information relating to a proposed foster placement and that no such placement will be made without a pre-placement visit.
Answer · Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the Children (Scotland)Act 1995 Regulations and Guidance sets out the preparation that should beundertaken by local authorities with a child prior to any foster placement. Theguidance makes clear that the child’s views must be taken into account w…
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are in foster care, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Euan Robson: The number of children looked after in foster care on 31 March 2002 is in the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>Local Authority Area</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Children Looked After in Foster Care</p> </t…
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts will be made to include the option of twin tracks for the Borders rail route so that full advantage can be taken within the Borders and Midlothian of the new economic opportunities opened as a result of the route's reinstatement.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The specification of therailway is a matter for the Waverley Railway Partnership to propose in theirbusiness case.</p>
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to alleviate the impact of congestion charges in Edinburgh, when introduced, on commuters from the Borders and Midlothian until the Borders railway is in operation.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive sets out the framework within which a local authority that wishes toimplement a road user charging scheme must operate. It is for local authoritiesto decide whether or not they wish to implement such a scheme.</p><p>A local authority wi…
24 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2315 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2003 where the provisional median time for an audiology appointment in the Borders NHS Board area is given as 34 days in 2003, why Dr Peter Symms of Brotherstone, near Melrose, has been advised that the waitin…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The figures provided in the answerto question S2W-2315 on 11 September 2003, were the median waiting times for a firstout-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic in the specialty of ear,nose and throat . Information on waiting times for an audiology ap…
24 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are waiting for a first appointment for hearing tests with ear, nose and throat departments as at 31 August 2003, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested isnot available. Data on out-patient waiting, by specialty, are collected centrallyafter patients have been seen at a consultant-led clinic, and is therefore retrospective.</p><p><i>Partnership for Care,</i> which was published in Fe…
24 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available in the health and community care section of its Draft Budget 2003-04 to reduce waiting times for first appointments for hearing tests with ear, nose and throat departments.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards receive an allocation to meet health care needs of their resident population. It is for boards to decide how best to utilise this funding to meet national and local priorities.</p>
24 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the Waiting Times Co-ordination Unit is in respect of the length of waiting time for a first appointment for a hearing test, and other audiology tests, before referral to a consultant.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2908 today. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa…