Parliamentary questions
Helen Eadie
919 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives exist for GPs to (a) identify and (b) manage (i) overweight and (ii) underweight patients.
Answer · Shona Robison: GP practices are entitled to receive additional funding when they produce a register of patients aged 16 and over with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 in the previous 15 months.</p> <p >There are no similar cash incentives for GPs dealing…
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for a rheumatoid arthritis strategy for Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: Our national strategies relate to the clinical priorities of NHSScotland, as set out in <i >Better Health, Better Care</i>, and the Government has no plans to expand these.</p> <p >However, the Government recognises rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a serious con…
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of variations in the provision of care for people with rheumatoid arthritis across (a) clinical care teams, (b) hospitals and (c) NHS boards.
Answer · Shona Robison: In December 2008, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) published its report on a Clinical Audit of Care in Rheumatoid Arthritis (CARA), which was undertaken to help implement key recommendations in Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) Guide…
25 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for revised guidance from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network to be developed for the treatment and care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 48 on the Management of Early Rheumatoid Arthritis which was published in December 2000 and updated in October 2004 is due to be replaced by a revised Guideline this autumn. The revised Guideline wi…
13 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many acute occupied bed days in NHS Fife were directly connected to a diagnosis of assault by sharp object in each of the last five years for which information is available.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of occupied bed days in NHS Fife where a diagnosis of assault by sharp object is recorded is presented in the following table.</p> <p >Number of acute occupied bed days<sup>1,2</sup> in NHS Fife connected with an assault by sharp object<sup>3</sup…
29 Apr 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that sheltered businesses, such as Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries, have been invited to bid or had the chance to match best price for procurement contracts for supply of NHS uniforms under £144,000, in line with European regulations that allow or…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The requirements of the national uniform contract in terms of quality, timeliness, volumes required, price and technical expertise determined that the contract should be awarded on a sole supplier basis.</p> <p >The estimated annual value is approximately £3…
16 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32146 by Alex Neil on 16 March 2010, whether it will confirm that an enquirer to the Energy Assistance Package whose boiler provides an intermittent and unreliable service might have to wait until their central heating system has broken down complete…
Answer · Alex Neil: Under the Energy Assistance Package, it is possible to have an intermittently working or unreliable boiler replaced if the house has a SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) rating of less than 55, provided the household is eligible by having lived in the dwelli…
16 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32147 by Alex Neil on 16 March 2010, what the precise figures are for the terms (a) a few, (b) some not interested, (c) some not eligible and (d) the remainder as referred to in paragraph two of the response, broken down by local authority, as origin…
Answer · Alex Neil: It is not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown under the terms listed because this information was not recorded in every case.</p>
16 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32145 by Alex Neil on 16 March 2010, whether it will provide the information in relation to enquirers eligible under section 6(3) of the Home Energy Assistance Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2009, as originally requested.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32144 on 16 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken specifically to shorten (a) waiting times and (b) lengths of stay in hospital for patients with musculoskeletal conditions so as to deliver the 18-week referral to treatment waiting times target.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have set milestone targets towards delivery of the 18 weeks referral to treatment time target. The current standards are 12 weeks for both a first outpatient consultation and for inpatient and day case treatment. The inpatient and day case treatment will r…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to develop capacity in primary care for patients with a musculoskeletal condition by offering a wider range of non-surgical alternatives through (a) specialist practitioners, (b) physiotherapy, (c) podiatry, (d) nursing, (e) pain management advice, (f) chiroprac…
Answer · Shona Robison: <i >The Delivery Framework for Adult Rehabilitation in Scotland</i> published in February 2007 focuses on making services local and offering a seamless patient journey that respects people''s potential to overcome barriers to independent living and links stro…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to provide patients with musculoskeletal conditions with appropriate information with which to manage their condition and reduce avoidable hospital admissions.
Answer · Shona Robison: An essential aspect of self management is that people have access to the information they need about their condition and the services available, whether through the NHS and its partners, or the voluntary sector. The work of third sector organisations such as …
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish a clinician-led national advisory committee on musculoskeletal conditions to advise the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions, the impact on local services and to make recommendations on improving musculoskelet…
Answer · Shona Robison: We believe that the arrangements currently in place make the establishment of such a committee unnecessary.</p> <p >The Scottish Government Health Directorates are in the process of developing a National Musculoskeletal Programme with the aim of significant …
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that patients with musculoskeletal conditions being treated in NHS primary and secondary care receive appropriate and timely referral to specialist care services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Clinicians in Scotland will follow national and local clinical guidelines to ensure the most appropriate management of people with musculoskeletal conditions whether in primary care or in secondary care. GPs should follow these protocols in relation to referr…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the treatment of people with musculoskeletal conditions, what assessment has been made of (a) prevention, (b) self-care, (c) access to primary care services, (d) multidisciplinary clinical assessment and treatment services, (e) hospital-based specialised care and (f) rehab…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-32676 and S3W-32677 on 21 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parl…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the benefits of developing and implementing appropriate care pathways for the management of patients with a long-term musculoskeletal condition.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government Health Directorates are in the process of developing a National Musculoskeletal (MSK) Programme with the aim of significant service re-design to improve the delivery of MSK and chronic pain services. The re-design focuses on how both a…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to promote and disseminate (a) evidence-based guidance and (b) care pathways for people with musculoskeletal conditions as part of an integrated multidisciplinary approach.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32675 on 21 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what clinical guidelines and protocols clinicians and healthcare professionals are expected to follow when treating people with musculoskeletal conditions.
Answer · Shona Robison: Healthcare professionals in Scotland are expected to take account of the national clinical guidelines produced by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) which contain recommendations for effective practice based on current evidence. </p> <p >…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence was of (a) osteoarthritis and related disorders, (b) osteoporosis and associated fragility fractures, (c) rheumatoid arthritis and related chronic inflammatory diseases, (d) other autoimmune rheumatic diseases, (e) haemoglobinopathies, (f) chronic pain syndromes and (g)…
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on the exact number of people who have been diagnosed with one of these conditions in Scotland is not available centrally, but national estimates can be given of the number of patients consulting a GP or practice-employed nurse for these condition…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many and (b) what percentage of hospital admissions were for a musculoskeletal condition in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on the number and percentage of hospital stays where a musculoskeletal condition or fracture diagnosis was recorded as a main diagnosis by NHS board of treatment for the latest available financial year is given in the following table. </p> <p >Nu…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence was of musculoskeletal conditions, also expressed as a percentage of the population, in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) NHS board, (b) age range and (c) gender.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally. National estimates can however be given of the number of patients consulting a GP or practice-employed nurse for musculoskeletal conditions, based on information obtained from a sample of Scottish general pract…
9 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to incentivise better identification of people with malnutrition in the community.
Answer · Shona Robison: GPs assess individuals, including their nutrition and weight issues where appropriate, which is part of the essential services of the general medical services contract. In addition, the GP contract incentivises GP practices to assess BMI of individuals in cer…
9 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that care home managers are trained to identify and treat malnutrition in residents.
Answer · Shona Robison: There is a statutory requirement on care home providers to ensure that at all times suitably qualified and competent persons are working in the service to meet the health and welfare of service users. <i >The National Care Standards “ Care Homes for Older Peo…
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to inform relevant enquirers to the Energy Assistance Package previously not eligible for the installation of enhanced measures under Stage Four that they are now eligible as a result of the 21 December 2009 increase in the Standard Assessment Procedure benchmar…
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32147 on 16 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquirers to the Energy Assistance Package previously not eligible for the installation of enhanced measures under Stage Four would now be eligible as a result of the 21 December 2009 increase in the Standard Assessment Procedure benchmark to 55, broken down by local authority ar…
Answer · Alex Neil: Once the amendment to regulations had been laid in Parliament, all callers who were thought likely to be eligible for Stage 4 and to have a Band E dwelling were advised that they would be surveyed.</p> <p >At that time, there were also 3,300 earlier callers…
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquirers to the Energy Assistance Package have not been eligible for installation of enhanced measures under Stage Four on the grounds that their central heating system is working intermittently but not completely broken down, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Alex Neil: No analysis is available of heating systems that work intermittently, because the surveyor can only record the state of the boiler at the point of survey.</p> <p >If a boiler is working at the time of the survey, it will contribute to the SAP rating and if …
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquirers to the Energy Assistance Package have been eligible for the installation of a new central heating system under section 6.3.b of the Home Energy Assistance Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2009, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32144 on 16 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquirers to the Energy Assistance Package between its introduction and 31 January 2010 were eligible for the installation of enhanced measures under Stage Four, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Alex Neil: The following table shows eligibility status following survey for applications received up to 31 January 2010. From those deemed eligible at that time, 236 applicants would be expected to receive only insulation measures. The figures include applicants that m…
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquiries there were to the Energy Assistance Package between its introduction and 31 January 2010, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Alex Neil: Enquiries to the Energy Assistance Package between its introduction and 31 January 2010 are as follows, broken down by local authority area.</p> <p >Households Enquiring about Energy Assistance Package, to 31 January 2010</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 …
14 Jan 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Chief Executive of Fife Council.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with chief executives of all councils, including the chief executive of Fife Council.</p>