Jackie Baillie

14 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the BMA's view that the Scottish Government's workforce planning projections reveal "stark anticipated medical oversupply in Scotland".

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Workforce planning projections indicate that over the next three to four years there are likely to be more doctors completing training than there will be consultant posts available to employ them. The issue to be tackled is not necessarily one of simple medic…

14 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduate places for medicine were and are available in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of undergraduate places available for medicine in 2010-11 and 2011-12 are as shown in Tables 1 and 2. Medical Undergraduate Intake Targets Table 1 University AY 2010-11 Intake Targets Home/EU Overseas Total Aberdeen 162 13 175 Dundee 1…

14 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reduce the number of undergraduate places for medicine to match anticipated workforce demand from the NHS.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No decision has been reached. The number of medical undergraduate places that will be required to match anticipated workforce demand from the NHS is currently under consideration by two working groups, involving key stakeholders, which will report to Scottish…

14 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is ensures financial inclusion for less- well off families.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Responsibility for the delivery of financial inclusion lies with community planning partnerships and a comprehensive and responsive range of support and intervention services exists across the country funded through the Local Government Settlement. Supporti…

14 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it takes to promote and develop credit unions.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government support for credit unions has been in the form of funding and they have benefitted from a number of schemes. Credit unions also receive support from their local authorities, while action to promote and develop them is best undertaken local…

14 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect less well-off families experiencing higher than average increases in their day-to-day living costs.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to reducing essential household costs for low income households via a range of measures, for example by: Alleviating the effects of rising energy prices, through the Energy Assistance Package and Home Energy Hotline; Wor…

13 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a reduction in laboratory services at the Vale of Leven Hospital is in keeping with the SNP 2011 manifesto commitment to keep services local.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No decision has been made as yet about changes to laboratory services in the Clyde area. The Scottish Government is committed to keeping NHS services as local as possible whilst recognising that patient safety and sustainable high quality care remain the pr…

13 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the outcome of the review of laboratory services in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde represents a significant service change that will come before the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy for decision.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-753 on 24 June 2011. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA…

13 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of laboratory services in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde commenced.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde commenced their review of laboratory services in the Clyde area at the end of May 2011.

13 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the cost of sending samples for laboratory testing from the Vale of Leven Hospital to the Royal Alexandra Hospital has been estimated and, if so, what the annual cost will be.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The review of laboratory services in the Clyde area is at a very early stage and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde needs to undertake considerable further work and engagement with stakeholders before finalising …

13 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the review of laboratory services in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and when it was considered by the board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The review is at a very early stage and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde needs to undertake considerable further work and engagement with stakeholders before finalising robust options for formal consideration.

13 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it will receive in Barnett consequentials arising from the £600 million announced by the Secretary of State for Health for cancer services over the next three years and how it will allocate it.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The consequentials on the full NHS (health) settlement in England are allocated to the Scottish Government on a total budget basis with no specific policies ring-fenced.

13 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it received in Barnett consequentials arising from spending by the UK Government on cancer services in 2010-11 and how it has been allocated.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The consequentials on the full NHS (health) settlement in England are allocated to the Scottish Government on a total budget basis with no specific policies ring-fenced.

6 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Castlebeck Care homes there are in Scotland and how many residents are in each, broken down by location.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Castlebeck Care (Teasdale) Limited provides four services in Scotland, three care homes which are registered with Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland, and an independent healthcare service which is registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland.…

6 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland is making to reinspect all Castlebeck-operated services in Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Castlebeck Care (Teasdale) Limited run four services in Scotland, three are registered with Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS): Ranaich House, in Dunblane; Ellen Mhor, in Dundee; and Trinity House, in Lockerbie. The fourth service, Monr…

6 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when each of the Castlebeck Care homes in Scotland was last inspected and what grading it received.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All four services provided by Castlebeck were last inspected by the Care Commission whose regulatory functions for care services were taken over by Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) on 1 April 2011. Details of the dates of inspections…

3 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on a report by the Edinburgh Evening News on 3 June 2011 that investigations carried out by Learning Disability Alliance Scotland had assessed one in ten care homes in Edinburgh as weak.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government expects all care services in Scotland, including care homes, to provide good quality care. It is the responsibility of every provider to ensure that they meet that expectation. Where a service is being graded as “weak” in any area, Soc…

3 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy has met or spoken directly with the UK Department of Health regarding Southern Cross Healthcare since May 2011 and, if so, on what dates and what matters were discussed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: On 14 June 2011 I had a telephone conversation with Paul Burstow MP, Minister of State for Care Services. During the discussion the following matters were discussed: general update on Southern Cross’s position, ensuring the lines of communication between the…

3 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns regarding the Elsie Inglis Nursing Home have been raised directly with it; with whom they were raised and on what date.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No complaints or concerns were received directly by the Scottish Government in respect of the Elsie Inglis Nursing Home. For more information about the concerns raised in respect of the Elsie Inglis Nursing Home, I refer the member to the answer to question…

3 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy has met or corresponded with representatives from Southern Cross Healthcare since May 2011 and, if so, with whom this was with; on what dates and what matters were discussed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: On 6 June 2011, I met with the Regional Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland from Southern Cross. On 13 June 2011, I met the Chief Executive of Southern Cross, and his Regional Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The following matters were dis…

3 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the care inspectorate become aware of concerns at Elsie Inglis Nursing Home; what the nature of these concerns were and what action was taken.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I understand from Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland that concerns were first raised with the Care Commission in a complaint on 9 November 2010. The complaint related to communication and general health and welfare issues. The complaint was inve…

2 Jun 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the budget and staffing for the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Service has been reduced.

2 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent information is on the number of people with chronic pain waiting for a second appointment with a pain consultant in NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Tayside and the timescale between first and second appointments.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Most pain clinics provide services to patients in an outpatient setting. Information about outpatient waiting times is collected centrally at speciality level only and does not differentiate between different types of clinics within the specialty. Consequentl…

2 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent figures are for the (a) number of people with chronic pain waiting for a first appointment with a pain consultant and (b) waiting times after patients initially join the waiting list in NHS (i) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (ii) Tayside.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Most pain clinics provide services to patients in an outpatient setting. Information about outpatient waiting times is collected centrally at speciality level only and does not differentiate between different types of clinics within the specialty. Consequentl…

31 May 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the quality of (a) hip and (b) knee replacements and whether it plans to change this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There are no plans to change the monitoring arrangements. The Scottish Government has asked Information Services Division to continue with the Scottish Arthroplasty Project since the continued collection of information on the use of arthroplasty is a necessar…

31 May 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is of a failed (a) hip and (b) knee replacement.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Information Services Division has confirmed that this information is not collected centrally since it would depend on the cause of failure of the operation.

31 May 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Scottish Arthroplasty Project's purpose is.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Arthroplasty Project was set up to provide anonymised individual consultant and aggregated service outcome data on patients undergoing elective joint replacement surgery throughout Scotland.

31 May 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many failed (a) hip and (b) knee replacements there were in 2010-11.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In 2010, 163 patients required revision for an elective primary hip that had been replaced within the previous five years, and 184 patients required revision for an elective primary knee that had been replaced within the previous five years. A five-year times…

31 May 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of the Scottish Arthroplasty Project was in 2010-11.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The cost of NHS National Services Scotland support to the Scottish Arthroplasty Project in the financial year 2010-11 was £51,000.

31 May 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it is discontinuing funding for the Scottish Arthroplasty Project.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Arthroplasty Project was one of a number of initiatives under review by Information Services Division in light of funding pressures. However continued collection of information on the use of arthroplasty is a necessary part of our quality strateg…