Parliamentary questions

Irene Oldfather

1,035 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland’s report, Older and Wiser, what action it is taking to ensure that patients in continuing care wards are given appropriate assistance with eating and drinking when necessary.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotlandpublished in December 2007 National Standards for Integrated Care Pathways for mentalhealth, including the management and treatment of dementia. The standards statethat health boards and staff should ensure that patients with d…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that patients in continuing care wards benefit from appropriate mental and physical activities.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is the responsibility ofhealth boards and staff in continuing care wards to ensure that patients have accessto mental and physical activities appropriate to their individual needs and wishes.I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8133 on 2…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No specific funding is providedto NHS boards for continuing care wards. All NHS boards receive an annual allocationof funds. It is for each NHS board to decide how best to utilise these funds tomeet the health care needs of its resident population taking acco…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that care home managers are appropriately trained in dealing with older people with dementia.

Answer · Shona Robison: Care home providers are requiredby regulations to ensure that staff employed in the care home receive training appropriateto the work they are to perform. The National Care Standards - Care Homesfor Older People also require that the carewhich residents recei…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that continuing care wards are given adequate resources to improve standards of care.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No specific resources are providedto NHS boards for continuing care wards. All NHS boards receive an annual allocationof funds. It is for each NHS board to decide how best to utilise these funds tomeet the health care needs of its resident population, includi…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland integrated care pathways will be fully operational.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards are to developlocal Integrated Care Pathways by the end of 2008. These will be accredited during 2008 and 2009.Delivery will be incremental. Sensible flexibility will be allowed to takeaccount of geographical, local and other circumstances.R…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to implement the findings of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland’s report, Older and Wiser, and in particular its emphasis on improving the environment of continuing care wards.

Answer · Shona Robison: Following on from the publicationof the Mental Welfare Commission report, Older and Wiser, NHSboards were asked to review services and practice in continuing care wards in lightof the findings of the report and to produce an action plan to ensure they meetapp…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the general medical services contract requires professional staff to demonstrate that they have received appropriate training when dealing with elderly patients with dementia.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: GP training includes the generalcare of patients with long-term conditions such as dementia. These skills wouldbe expected to be held by any health professional working in primary care with patientswith dementia.At present there is no requirementunder …

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had on the introduction of SVQ courses focused on the care for elderly patients with dementia.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Social ServicesCouncil, which is responsible for registering people who work in social care andregulating their education and training, has published a skills set setting outthe SVQ units most relevant for staff working with people with dementia.…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to ensure that staff in care homes receive specialist training in dementia.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8144 on 28 January 2008.All answers 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/wa…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to review and update the guidance on national care standards for elderly people in care homes.

Answer · Shona Robison: Section 5 of the Regulation ofCare (Scotland) Act 2001 requires Scottish ministers to keep the NationalCare Standards under review. We are currently considering how best to do this.There is a procedure in placeto amend the standards if this is required…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA to promote European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: Scottish Government officialshave liaised periodically with COSLA officials, in order to ensure that they wereaware of this initiative, and have in addition disseminated information directlyto all local authorities on the European Year of Intercultural Dialog…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government to promote European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: Scottish Government officialshave, from an early stage, monitored the development of proposals for this initiative,and in doing so have liaised regularly with their counterparts at the Departmentfor Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). DCMS has designated EUCLID,…

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has applied for European Commission funding to promote European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has notapplied for European Commission funding to promote the European Year of InterculturalDialogue 2008 (EYID). We have taken steps to promote the initiative though our culturalagencies and the local authorities. However, the Office …

21 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to celebrate European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: Through our Scottish GovernmentOffice in Brussels, we have made plans for a series of cultural events inBrussels during 2008. The programme will includeevents featuring Scottish Opera and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and a writers’series featuring well-kno…

12 Dec 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote good standards of animal welfare.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Animal Health and Welfare(Scotland) Act 2006 was a significant step in promoting the welfare of animals. Theact increased the penalties for animal cruelty, imposed a duty of care on thoseresponsible for animals, allowed animals in danger of suffering to b…

19 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the results of the consultation on snaring practices in Scotland will be published.

Answer · Michael Russell: The consultation onsnaring closed on the 28 February 2007; both the responses andthe initial analysis have been published on the Scottish Government Website at:<ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publicati…

19 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering an outright ban on the use of snares.

Answer · Michael Russell: Banning the useof snares was one of the options put forward for consideration in theconsultation paper on this issue. I shall shortly bring forward my concernsarising from the consultation.

19 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review legislation regarding the use of snares in Scotland.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Governmentis currently undertaking a review of legislation regarding the use of snares inScotland.

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-827 by Shona Robison on 20 June 2007, whether care homes are obliged to make public any records detailing occasions when restraint or control has been applied to a resident.

Answer · Shona Robison: Under the Regulationof Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002 care homeproviders are required to keep a record of any occasion where restraint or controlhas been applied to a resident, with details of the form of restraint and con…

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-828 by Shona Robison on 20 June 2007, when guidance on the administration of medication will be in place for the care home service.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Royal PharmaceuticalSociety of Great Britain published The Handling of Medicines in Social Careon 16 October 2007. It will be officially launched in Edinburghon 21 November 2007. This new booklet is accessible to all care workers and replacesThe…

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-829 by Shona Robison on 20 June 2007, what progress has been made in developing a model to inform staffing levels in care homes.

Answer · Shona Robison: Information ServicesDivision has analysed data on approximately 3,600 residents in 123 Care Homes usinga mathematical model. We expect a report in December 2007 on whether the model canbe used to inform staffing levels in care homes.

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what differences there are between the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Imunisation’s definition of a carer and that used in the Scottish Directed Enhanced Services for Carers in 2006-07.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the memberto the answers to questions S3W-5885 and S3W-5886 on 12 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:<ahref="http://www.scottish.…

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what definition of a carer the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Imunisation recommended in 2006-07.

Answer · Shona Robison: In 2006‑07 theJoint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended influenza vaccinationsfor carers according to the following definition:Those who are in receiptof a carers allowance, or those who are the main carer for an elderly of disa…

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: No guidance issuedin 2004-05 included carer definitions.Influenza Immunisation Programme guidance for 2005-06recommended vaccination be offered on the basis of theJoint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommendation for:people w…

31 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the definition of carer in Annex C, part iv, of CMO letter SEHD/CMO (2007)8, Influenza and Pneumoccocal Immunisation Programme 2007-08, excludes adults who care for elderly parents from receiving the free influenza vaccination.

Answer · Shona Robison: There is a draftingerror in the CMO letter, which does not explicitly mention adult carers of a relativeor friend. In practice, such carers are unlikely to be excluded as the letter states that vaccination should embrace the working definition of the Joint Co…

29 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance in relation to free flu vaccinations for care home workers has changed since the policy was introduced.

Answer · Shona Robison: Every year since the start of the seasonal flu vaccination programme, the Chief Medical Officer''s letter has recommended that social care organisations should consider offering influenza immunisation to employees directly involved in patient care. The wordin…

29 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether care home staff qualified for free flu vaccinations prior to 2007.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI), who are responsible for making recommendations to Ministers on the categories of people to be included in the free flu immunisation programme, do not include care home workers in their recommendatio…

29 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether care home staff qualify for free flu vaccinations.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Joint Committeeon Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI), who are responsible for making recommendationsto ministers on the categories of people to be included in the free flu immunisationprogramme, do not include care home workers in their recommendations.…

29 Oct 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance in relation to free flu vaccinations for health workers has changed since the policy was introduced.

Answer · Shona Robison: Every year since thestart of the seasonal flu vaccination programme, the Chief Medical Officer’s letterhas recommended that health boards and NHS employers in Scotland should offer free influenza immunisation to employeesdirectly involved in patient care. Thi…