Jackie Baillie

2 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria were for determining the allocation of enterprise zones.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government, working closely with the enterprise agencies, and utilising their extensive knowledge of growth sectors and Scottish niche market opportunities, identified a list of key strategic sites offering the greatest potential to stimulate and…

2 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason West Dunbartonshire Council did not receive an allocation of money from the Youth Employment Strategy fund.

Answer · Angela Constance: The methodology used to identify the areas in receipt of the funding focussed on those areas with both the highest numbers of unemployed 16-24 year olds and the highest 16-24 year old unemployment rates. West Dunbartonshire was not in the top 10 local author…

30 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each NHS board spends on the survey of patient experience under the Better Together programme and with what contractor.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Each of the NHS boards participating in the national Inpatient Survey commission a contractor from the national framework contract locally. This process is conducted in accordance with board procurement processes and protocols. Therefore, information on the a…

30 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is on the approved list of contractors for the survey and analysis of patient experience under the Better Together programme.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following consortia and individual organisations are on the national framework contract of approved contractors. Some organisations are approved for only one type of work e.g. only quantitative surveys, whilst others are approved for more than one type of…

18 Apr 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is provided to West Dunbartonshire Council to tackle unemployment.

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent providing patients with transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment outwith Scotland in each year since April 2008, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Cost of TAVI procedures undertaken outwith Scotland by NHS Board, 2008-09 to 2011-12: NHS Board Areas 2008-09 (£000) 2009-10 (£000) 2010-11 (£000) 2011-12 (£000) Ayrshire and Arran 0 0 0 (*) Borders 0 0 0 0 Dumfries and Galloway 0 0 0 …

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is provided for patients accessing transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment outwith Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards have discretion to reimburse reasonable travelling expenses incurred by patients who are referred to hospitals outwith their own area, because the treatment is not available within their area. Where medically beneficial, this may include reimbursem…

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultants in Scotland have experience of providing transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Yes. There are a small number of consultant clinicians who have had experience of TAVI.

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are waiting for transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment and what the (a) maximum and (b) average length of wait is, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many reviews of transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment have been carried out since April 2008; when; by whom, and what the conclusion was in each case.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A review was undertaken by TAVI Short Life Working Group in 2010. Based on the recommendations of this subgroup of the National Planning Forum, a decision was taken in February 2011 not to establish a TAVI service in Scotland, pending further evidence becomin…

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment is not routinely provided in Scotland as it is in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06775 on 2 May 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/parliamentarybusine…

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment has not been available in Scotland for selected patients for the last four years as it has in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: With any new treatment, there is a need for caution until there is clear evidence, preferably from randomised control trials, to show that it is safe and effective. In the case of TAVI, the National Planning Forum set up a process to review the evidence, taki…

18 Apr 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients received transcatheter aortic valve implantation treatment outwith Scotland in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In 2008-09 one patient received TAVI outwith Scotland, in 2009-10 seven patients; in 2010-11 eight patients; and in 2011-12 there were 12 patients.

28 Mar 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to the Scottish Maritime Museum as part of the National Strategy for Scotland’s Museums and Galleries.

26 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have been challenged by NHS Information Services Division regarding the accuracy of New Ways waiting time statistics and when ministers were made aware of this.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Ministers have not been aware of any challenges regarding accuracy. However, we are advised when there have been data quality issues, such as not all data being complete due to changes in patient administration systems. These issues are reported as part of th…

23 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06255 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 March 2012, when it expects the Howe Report to be published.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is understood that the Howe report will be published shortly.

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses who obtained an internship via the scheme for newly qualified nurses announced on 24 February 2011 subsequently obtained employment as a nurse on a (a) permanent and (b) temporary contract.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06353 on 17 April 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…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses who obtained an internship via the scheme for newly qualified nurses announced on 24 February 2011 subsequently obtained employment as a nurse on a (a) full-time and (b) part-time contract.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06353, on 17 April 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/parliamentary…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses who obtained an internship via the scheme for newly qualified nurses announced on 24 February 2011 subsequently obtained employment as a nurse (a) in the NHS, (b) in the independent sector and (c) elsewhere.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-06353 on 17 April 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/parliamentarybus…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified nurses who obtained an internship via the scheme for newly qualified nurses announced on 24 February 2011 subsequently obtained employment as a nurse, also broken down by workplace (a) in and (b) outside Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not yet available. In due course, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) who operate the internship scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government, will collect information about the subsequent employment of interns within NHSScotland. NES will not…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly qualified nurses have obtained an internship via the scheme for newly qualified nurses announced on 24 February 2011.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Five hundred and seventy-three newly qualified nurses and midwives have accepted the offer of an internship and subsequently joined the programme via the One Year Job Guarantee scheme for newly qualified nurses and midwives.

17 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-05980 by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 March 2012 and in light of the letter of 6 February 2012 to the Health and Sport Committee from the Scottish Independent Hospital Association about charging for the removal and replacement of PIP breast implants, whethe…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are no plans to have a summit of private healthcare providers to discuss their approach to PIP silicone breast implants, although we will address issues with providers if they arise.

15 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the Howe Report on PIP implants due to be published by the UK Government in March 2012.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A formal response to the Howe Report will be made after the report has been published and its content and recommendations considered.

13 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency life skills training is provided in primary schools.

Answer · Michael Russell: The experiences and outcomes under Curriculum for Excellence contain a section on physical wellbeing which includes the statement, “I know and can demonstrate how to keep myself and others safe and how to respond in a range of emergency situations.” It is for…

13 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many whole-time equivalent heart failure specialist nurses there are in each NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Published information on head count and whole-time equivalent heart failure nurse specialists broken down by NHS board can be found on the workforce statistics website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health%2DTopics/Workforce/Nursing%2Dand%2DMidwifery/Clinica…

13 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that people with PIP implants going back to their original provider for a replacement operation should be charged for such an operation.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Private healthcare providers are expected to contact patients who have been given a PIP silicone breast implant, offer a consultation and, where clinically appropriate, arrange for removal of the implant and if the patient wishes its replacement without charg…

13 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers asking people with PIP implants to sign contracts waiving their right to take legal action to be an unreasonable condition of medical treatment.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We expect private healthcare providers to provide a clinically appropriate package of care to their patients. Where patients are concerned about any conditions included by the provider these should be discussed in the first instance by the patient with the pr…

29 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-05591 by John Swinney on 28 February 2012, how much of the £20 million of resource DEL consequentials available in 2012-13 will be allocated specifically to changes arising from the UK Welfare Reform Bill.

Answer · John Swinney: As stated in my answer to question S4W-05591 the Scottish Government has held back around £20 million of Resource DEL consequentials available in 2012-13 in view of risks presented by the current economic and financial climate including, in particular, those …

29 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of people resident in Scotland whose PIP breast implant surgery took place in (a) England or (b) abroad.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No information is held on the number of patients resident in Scotland whose PIP silicone breast implants were implanted in either England or abroad.

29 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms it can use to recover costs from private sector providers for NHS treatment provided to people with PIP breast implants.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As the number of patients who fall into this category are small, there are no plans to recover costs from private healthcare providers at present. This will, however, be kept under review and recovery of costs considered if required.