Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-05200 by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 February 2012, for what reason the publication of the audit of pain management services was delayed by seven months.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-09292 on 11 September 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliament…
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many care homes for older people that have completed annual returns employ registered nurses.
Answer · Alex Neil: In the latest annual return to the Care Inspectorate (at December 2011), there were 916 registered Care Homes for Older People. 853 Care Homes provided workforce information in their annual return and of these 471 (55%) employed registered nurses.
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many care homes for older people are registered with the Care Inspectorate.
Answer · Alex Neil: The latest National Statistics published by Information Services Division show that there were 916 Care Homes for Older People at 31 March 2012.
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients resident in (a) mainland Europe and (b) the rest of the world were treated in hospitals in Scotland in each month from April 2010 to September 2012 and at what cost.
Answer · Alex Neil: Information on patients resident in mainland Europe and the rest of the world who were treated in hospitals in Scotland cannot be identified from national Scottish data. Information on patients resident Outside UK is available and is provided below for the mo…
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients resident in England were treated in hospitals in Scotland in each month from April 2010 to September 2012 and at what cost.
Answer · Alex Neil: Information on patients resident in England who were treated in hospitals in Scotland cannot be identified from national Scottish data. Information on patients resident in England/Wales/Northern Ireland combined is available and is provided below for the mont…
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients resident in Scotland were treated in hospitals in England in each month from April 2010 to September 2012 and at what cost.
Answer · Alex Neil : Information on patients resident in Scotland who were treated in hospitals in England for each month from April 2010 to June 2012 has been provided. This information is for all inpatients and day cases (elective and emergency admissions). Information on the …
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-03874 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 November 2011, whether there is a central surplus asset register for all NHS boards.
Answer · Alex Neil: This is a matter for NHS boards to manage and, accordingly, a central surplus asset register is not kept.
31 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09794 by Alex Neil on 22 October 2012, whether the response indicates that the Scottish Government is not planning to consult on a draft bill.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has no plans to run a separate consultation on the Draft Bill. We are moving the existing Bill Advisory Group onto a ministerial basis where I will chair future relevant meetings. COSLA have been invited to nominate a Vice Chair. The g…
29 Oct 2012 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Audit Scotland report, NHS financial performance 2011/12, which suggests real-terms budget reductions and growing financial pressures on the NHS.
24 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the underspend in its 2011-12 budget was, broken down by directorate.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2012 were laid in the Scottish Parliament and published on the Scottish Government website on 27 September 2012. www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/1505. These accounts report t…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-09775, S4W-09805, S4W-09806, and S4W-09807 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 October 2012, whether the Scottish Government Defence Policy Unit has a work programme and, if so, (a) what this is, (b) what work it is doing and (c) what its justification is fo…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The work programme of the Defence Policy Unit, which is a part of Resilience Division, provides support to Ministers, to our Armed Forces and Veterans and to our communities across a range of defence activity in Scotland. This includes: ensuring that Scotland…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09775 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 October 2012, what the (a) grades and (b) responsibilities are of each of the officials in the Scottish Government Defence Policy Unit.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Defence Policy Unit, which forms part of Resilience Division, currently comprises seven officials whose respective grades are C2, C1, 3 B3s, B2 and B1. The work of any one official will contribute to a number of strands of the Unit’s work. For details of …
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S4W-09790 by Alex Neil on 22 October 2012, whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm that table 3.02 on page 29 of the Draft Budget 2013-14 is wrong to show a real-terms reduction in the health budget lines of £189.3 million from 201…
Answer · Alex Neil: As table 3.01 on page 29 shows the resource budget is increasing in the Health portfolio from £11,128.4 million in 2012-13 to £11,841.4 million in 2014-15 – a significant cash terms increase of £713m, or 6.4 per cent. In real terms, as shown in Table 3.02, th…
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09794 by Alex Neil on 22 October 2012, when the Adult Health and Social Integration Bill will be introduced.
Answer · Alex Neil: The First Minster announced to Parliament the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government for 2012 -2013 on 4 September 2012. The Adult Health and Social Care Integration Bill was announced as part of the 2012 -2013 programme.
23 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-09794 by Alex Neil on 22 October 2012, when it will consult on the draft Adult Health and Social Integration Bill.
Answer · Alex Neil: Following the public consultation on proposals to integrate adult health and social care, Scottish Government officials have continued to engage with stakeholders. Health and social care professionals, carers, service users and their families have been involv…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08193 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 July 2012, whether it has reached a decision to provide thalidomide survivors with a permanent financial contribution.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is working in partnership with the three neighbouring administrations to jointly agree the level of funding that will be provided to Thalidomiders across the UK. We hope to make an announcement regarding future funding in the coming m…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08193 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 July 2012, what issues were discussed at the meeting with the Thalidomide Trust and National Advisory Council on 17 July 2012.
Answer · Alex Neil: The meeting with the Thalidomide Trust was held in London on 17 July and was attended by a Scottish Government official. Members of the trust and National Advisory Council, along with a Scottish Thalidomider highlighted the benefits the grant had brought to T…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08193 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 July 2012, when the evaluation of the second year of the grant for thalidomide survivors will be (a) completed and (b) published.
Answer · Alex Neil: Officials from the four administrations have considered the second Firefly report and are now discussing options for future funding. We are also awaiting completion of a further evaluation by Firefly which is looking in more detail at the impact of the healt…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether access policies required by the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 will be subject to an equalities impact assessment.
Answer · Alex Neil: An Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA) was undertaken prior to the Patient Rights draft Bill being introduced to the Scottish Parliament in March 2010. A separate EQIA was also undertaken for the treatment time guarantee contained in the bill to ensure it com…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to NHS boards about communicating with patients who have English as a second language in the context of access policies required by the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.
Answer · Alex Neil: A Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities containing guidance on communicating with patients was issued by the Scottish Government and is available at the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/8540. Also as part of the charte…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure the consistent treatment of patients with the 12-week waiting time guarantee set out in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.
Answer · Alex Neil: The operation of the treatment time guarantee is contained in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011, in the Treatment Time Guarantee Regulations and Directions as well as the guidance issued by the Scottish Government in August 2012. Links to the Regulations…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place with NHS boards to ensure that a consistent approach is taken to patient treatment and is set out in access policies as required by the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10339 on 1 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/De…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions took place with NHS boards on the acceptability of the use of private providers in access policies developed by NHS boards as required by the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government undertook a full consultation on the Patient Rights Bill before it was introduced to the Parliament in March 2010. We expect most patients to be treated locally in the NHS, however, we recognise that, to address any short-term capacit…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what minimum requirements were set out in guidance it issued to NHS boards on developing an access policy as required by the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10339 on 1 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Defa…
21 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on developing an access policy as required by the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHSScotland National Access Policy to acute hospital care was issued by the Scottish Government to NHS boards in August 2012. This guidance asks boards to develop their own local access policy. A link to the Scottish Government guidance is provided www.sehd.s…
19 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether body armour will be issued to ambulance staff who have been previously assaulted on duty.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Ambulance Service has no plans to introduce body armour for ambulance personnel. The only exception is the body armour available to the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Special Operations Response Team to respond to specific major incidents. In any …
19 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many assaults there have been on ambulance staff in each year since 2007-08.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. This is a matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
19 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when a risk assessment on the use of body armour by ambulance staff was last conducted.
Answer · Alex Neil: Risk assessments were carried out in March this year and covered the Scottish Ambulance Service’s response to gunshot and stabbing incidents; prison incidents, and civil disturbances. The risk assessment did not result in a recommendation for the issue of bo…
19 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the criteria are for issuing body armour to ambulance staff.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10331 on 1 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…
19 Oct 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether body armour is routinely issued to (a) frontline, (b) special operations and (c) other ambulance staff and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Alex Neil: Body armour is not routinely issued to ambulance personnel. However, the Scottish Government has worked with the Scottish Ambulance Service to enhance the equipment for their specialist operations teams to deal with a specific major incident. The Special Op…