Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what screening programmes are available for adults with a clear family history of cardiac conditions.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Our Keep Well and Well North Programmes identify those at highest risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes, using the ASSIGN cardiovascular risk calculator which takes account of family history as a factor in assessing someone''s risk of developing…

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether electrocardiographs are routinely interpreted by junior doctors without reference to senior doctors.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is generally accepted that junior doctors who are experienced at interpreting electrocardiographs (ECGs) may do so without referring to more senior doctors. Doctors who are less confident or experienced in interpreting cardiographs may, at any po…

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the implementation of recommendations arising from a fatal accident inquiry.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Justice officials constructed a database in 2006 which recorded sheriffs'' recommendations from fatal accident inquiries (FAI), but not their entire determination (since to publish the details of the death may be distressing to relatives). The database record…

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recommendations arising from a fatal accident inquiry are binding on the agencies to which they refer.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Under the existing legislation, sheriffs'' recommendations are not binding on the parties or bodies to whom they are directed and Lord Cullen has not recommended in his report that they should become binding or that they should have general application. …

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to allow for legal representation of core participants, such as the family of the deceased, at fatal accident inquiries.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Core participants can already be represented at fatal accident inquiries (FAI) and bereaved families may receive legal aid if they cannot afford to pay for that representation. The purpose of a fatal accident inquiry is to investigate the circumstan…

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations Lord Cullen has made in his report on the Review of the Fatal Accident Inquiry Legislation.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Lord Cullen''s Report on his Review of the Fatal Accident Inquiry Legislation, including his recommendations, may be viewed at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/FAIreview">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/FAIreview</a>. There are some 35 recommendations, many of …

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29347 by Kenny MacAskill on 7 December 2009, whether it is now in a position to respond to the findings of the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 review led by Lord Cullen of Whitekirk.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31678 on 3 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/B…

10 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29348 by Kenny MacAskill on 7 December 2009, whether it will provide a timescale for the implementation of the recommendations of the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 review led by Lord Cullen of Whitekirk.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Because so many of Lord Cullen''s recommendations have practical implications for the Scottish Court Service and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the Government is involved in discussions with these bodies in identifying how the recommendations…

9 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on Argyll and Bute Council’s undertaking an equality impact assessment of the council’s proposal to remove local area co-ordinators after the decision to recommend removal has been made.

Answer · Shona Robison: I understand that a full equality impact assessment was completed by Argyll and Bute prior to the council meeting on 11 February where the decision to the phased removal of the local area co-ordinators (LAC) posts was agreed.

9 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has prepared for local authorities on the application of eligibility criteria that may lead to a reduction in services without first assessing individual needs.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government issued guidance to local authorities on National Eligibility Criteria and Waiting Times for the Personal and Nursing Care of Older People on 28 September 2009. This guidance delivers on the recommendation arising from Lord Sut…

9 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Argyll and Bute Council regarding the council’s proposal to apply eligibility criteria retrospectively in removing funding for social work services supporting individuals with complex but low levels of need.

Answer · Shona Robison: No such discussion has taken place with Argyll and Bute Council. All Scottish local authorities agreed to apply National Eligibility Criteria and Waiting Times for the Personal and Nursing Care of Older People as set out in the guidance issued jointl…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to raise awareness of the growing demand for care and support and the future requirement for more trained staff able to provide such support.

Answer · Adam Ingram: In response to concerns about the sustainability and fairness of current and future care for older people in the face of financial and demographic pressures, a major work programme “ Reshaping Care for Older People “ is being taken forward in partnership with…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that regulatory action relating to social care providers is proportionate and has no impact on the future sustainability of these services.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31533 on 1 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/B…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that social care providers will be available to cope with the increasing demand for services.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31541 on 3 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/B…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that local authority commissioning of social care support in the community operates within a national contract and pricing framework.

Answer · Shona Robison: Given the complexity of social care procurement, it is necessary to consider the desirability of national contracts and pricing frameworks on a case-by-case basis. The Scottish Government, COSLA and Scotland Excel (the procurement Centre of Expertise for loca…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to take to ensure that a cultural shift as described in Changing Lives: Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review becomes a reality.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government''s continuing focus on outcomes through the concordat, single outcome agreements and national policies, contribute to the culture change required to realise the ambitions of the Changing Lives report. Working with key stakeholders and …

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to (a) promote the use of modern communication technologies in social care provision and (b) support voluntary and private sector social care providers in the uptake and involvement in the use of modern technologies.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government''s Joint Improvement Team is supporting the development of Telecare services in Scotland. All 32 health and social care partnerships are pursuing and developing local telecare services. Additional funding of £4 million is being made av…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what budget has been set aside for each of the next three years to cover the cost of skills development in social care.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Social service employers have primary responsibility for skills development in their workforce, linked to requirements set by the Scottish Social Services Council (the council). To support what is done at local level, the Scottish Government has set aside a b…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the complaints procedure used by the Care Commission.

Answer · Shona Robison: There is a statutory requirement on the Care Commission to establish a complaints procedure to deal with complaints about care service provision and complaints about how the commission undertakes its work. The procedure and any variations to it require the co…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has received for social care workforce development in the last three years.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Funding for social care workforce development is included in the revenue funding to local authorities. I attach the revenue allocations for the period 2008-11. Local Authority Revenue Funding 2008-11 <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on social care workforce development by (a) statutory authorities, (b) voluntary sector providers and (c) private sector providers since 2007.

Answer · Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally.

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how its policies to improve the commissioning of care services will ensure that care providers are not held to account by the regulator for local authority commissioning practices.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local authorities have a duty to commission community care services. They may provide these services themselves directly or they may commission care services in line with their local commissioning strategy. Where they commission, or provide directly, services…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how its policies to improve the commissioning of care services will take into account costs associated with travel, travel time and training.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is currently consulting on draft guidance on social care procurement which provides a framework and defines a set of guiding principles for social care procurement activity. The draft guidance underlines the need for local authorities …

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) initiatives, (b) campaigns and (c) policy directives relating to the development of capacity of social care providers it has undertaken or introduced since 2007.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has undertaken a range of activities to support the development of capacity of social care providers. An example in the third sector is the investment of £4 million over 2009-11 to charities from local, regional and national …

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review Care Commission enforcement activity to ensure that capacity building of the social care provider market is not adversely affected by regulation.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Care Commission''s enforcement powers are an important part of its regulatory role to ensure that people who use care services receive good quality care. The powers of enforcement are set out in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. It is an operati…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the (a) enforcement activities and (b) regulating for improvement role of the Care Commission.

Answer · Shona Robison: In line with the Corporate Governance arrangements set out in the government''s guidance for sponsoring public bodies I meet the Care Commission''s Convener and Chief Executive regularly to discuss performance and key issues and policies. Officials also meet …

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are being developed that will improve social care provision for older people.

Answer · Shona Robison: In response to concerns about the sustainability and fairness of current and future care for older people in the face of financial and demographic pressures, a major work programme “ Reshaping Care for Older People “ is being taken forward in partnership with…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to support the development of care providers to ensure that a range of sustainable provision is available in the future.

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is being made available to encourage voluntary and private sector social care providers to develop and take up the use of electronic technologies to improve the delivery of care and support services.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government''s Joint Improvement Team is supporting the development of Telecare services in Scotland through a £16.35 million national programme, launched in August 2006. All 32 health and social care partnerships across Scotland are now in receip…

5 Feb 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to (a) public, (b) voluntary and (c) private sector care providers to deliver workforce development.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31550 on 4 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/B…