Jackie Baillie

11 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29787 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 December 2009, what advice has been provided by the National Advisory Group for Breast and Cervical Screening on extending the age range for the Scottish Breast Screening Programme.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The National Advisory Group for Breast and Cervical Screening advice is to maintain the current age range for the Scottish Breast Screening Programme.</p> <p >The group will consider any new evidence provided by the age extension in England and provide furth…

11 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29652 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 December 2009, what savings plans have been put in place by the Scottish Ambulance Service in order to break even in 2009-10.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Efficiency savings are a key component of financial plans contributing to the overall financial performance of NHS boards. All boards, including the Scottish Ambulance Service, have savings plans. The Scottish Ambulance Service is forecasting to deliver £6.9 …

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making with local authorities in the implementation of the Disabled Persons’ Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Implementing the provisions of the Disabled Persons'' Parking Places (Scotland) Act 2009 is for local authorities to take forward. In order to assist them in doing so, the Scottish Government has set up an Implementation Working Group consisting of representa…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that vulnerable patients with muscular dystrophy have access to NHS-funded muscular dystrophy care advisors.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is aware of the value people living with muscular dystrophy, and their families, attach to the support provided by the two muscular dystrophy care advisors in Scotland.</p> <p >The issue of the funding of these posts is currently bei…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether primary school children with asthma are in the priority category for the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme and, if so, for what reason some of them have not yet been invited for vaccination.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The at risk groups as announced on 13 August 2009 includes all people who have asthma that requires continuous or repeated use of systematic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission.</p> <p >The H1N1 vaccination programme was laun…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28625 by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 November 2009, how many of the 1.3 million people in the priority groups for the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme have been vaccinated.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health boards have indicated that vaccination has been offered to all those in the initial priority groups. Data for patients in the clinical priority groups estimate that the uptake rate for vaccination to date equates to 45.6% for all clinical at risk group…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many health and social care workers have been (a) invited to have the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination and (b) vaccinated.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health boards have indicated that vaccination has been offered to all those in the initial priority groups, including health and social care workers. A mop up exercise continues to take place to the end of January however, to ensure that everyone in the initi…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28625 by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 November 2009, how many doses of the influenza A (H1N1) vaccine have been delivered to (a) NHS boards and (b) GP practices in each week since 21 October 2009.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Scotland has now received 100% of the vaccine supply required to vaccinate all those in the initial priority groups and all children aged over six months and under five years. This means that 1,716,500 doses of pandemrix and 167,800 doses of celvapan have…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged 0 to 5 have contracted the influenza A (H1N1) virus and how many of them have been hospitalised.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: An estimated 7,991 children aged 0 to four years in Scotland contracted H1N1, experienced symptoms and were taken to see a GP. An estimated 21,036 children aged five to 14 years in Scotland also contracted H1N1, experienced symptoms and were taken to see a GP…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been put in place to ensure the delivery of the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme in each NHS board area.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government Health Directorate (SGHD) and Health Protection Scotland (HPS) have worked closely with NHS boards on planning for local service delivery on a national level, and the SGHD and HPS continue to have frequent engagement with NHS boards to…

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme for children aged 0 to 5 will be completed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is anticipated that the vaccination of young children will be completed by the end of January, with some mop up activity into mid-February, to ensure all children aged over six months and under six years are invited for vaccination.</p>

10 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme for children aged 0 to 5 will commence.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Phase two of the vaccination programme to offer vaccination to children aged over six months and under five years has now commenced and will continue over the next few weeks. We anticipate that this will be completed by the end of January with some mop up act…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the value of having dementia specialist nurses in the NHS to improve the experience of patients with dementia accessing acute health care.

Answer · Shona Robison: In Scotland the precise term dementia specialist nurse is not recognised as such; rather there are clinical nurse specialist and nurse consultants as registered nursing professionals who have also acquired additional knowledge, skills and experience, together…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of a dementia specialist nurse.

Answer · Shona Robison: In Scotland the precise term dementia specialist nurse is not recognised as such; rather there are clinical nurse specialist and nurse consultants as registered nursing professionals who have also acquired additional knowledge, skills and experience, together…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that there are dementia specialist nurses in either every (a) NHS board area or (b) hospital.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is the responsibility of individual health boards to ensure they have the right staff and services in place to meet the clinical needs of the population within their board area, including the needs of those with dementia.</p> <p >In Scotland the precise t…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many dementia specialist nurses are employed in the NHS, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally available. However, the number of Clinical nurse specialists in mental illness broken down by specialty and NHS board is available from National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland from th…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28892 by Shona Robison on 25 November 2009, how it monitors the impact of the £19 million in improving maternal nutrition.

Answer · Shona Robison: The £19 million has been allocated to health boards under a number of broad criteria. That is to give heath boards flexibility to implement strategies and interventions appropriate to their local areas. It is expected that health boards will monitor and evalu…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28892 by Shona Robison on 25 November 2009, how the £19 million to NHS boards has been allocated for (a) improving nutrition of pregnant woman, (b) increasing breast feeding rates and (c) training for health professionals.

Answer · Shona Robison: Funding over the three year period is being allocated in an annual lump sum to NHS health boards. It is for them to determine how best to use that funding to meet local needs, within the broad criteria set out in CEL 36.</p> <p >Details of the allocation wer…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28892 by Shona Robison on 25 November 2009, whether all pregnant woman qualify for vouchers under the healthy start scheme.

Answer · Shona Robison: No. Healthy start is open to pregnant women and families with children under the age of four who are on income support, income-based jobseekers'' allowance or child tax credit (but not working tax credit unless their family is receiving working tax credit run…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28892 by Shona Robison on 25 November 2009, how many pregnant women have benefited from the healthy start scheme.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are currently 37,957 healthy start beneficiaries in Scotland, of which approximately 3,000 are pregnant women.</p>

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome following an influenza A (H1N1) vaccination (a) have recovered and been discharged and (b) remain in hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) monitor all reports of side effects and publish weekly reports outlining these cases. There have been two suspected cases of Guillain-Barr© syndrome (GBS) reported in the UK to-date following H1N1 vaccinat…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been an increase in the number of cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome and, if so, what the reason is for this.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Guillain-Barr© Syndrome (GBS) affects approximately 1,500 people in the UK every year. The trend in the number of new cases of GBS diagnosed in Scotland does not show a statistically significant increase between 1999 and 2008. Complete data for 2009 is not ye…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome have been diagnosed in each year since 2007.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of new cases of Guillain-Barr© syndrome (GBS) diagnosed in acute hospital care in Scotland in the last 10 years is as follows. Information on the number of cases of GBS is only available until year ending 2008.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 c…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the symptoms are of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Guillain-Barr© syndrome (GBS) usually develops quickly, over a few days, but can sometimes develop gradually over a period of up to four weeks. Symptoms first appear one to three weeks after a minor infection, such as a cold or sore throat.</p> <p >Initial s…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome following an influenza A (H1N1) vaccination have been diagnosed since October 2009, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Two cases of suspected Guillain-Barr© syndrome (GBS) have been reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), following H1N1 vaccination in the UK to date. There is no evidence across Europe of any vaccine-associated GBS. GBS is a…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28778 by Shona Robison on 23 November 2009, when all NHS boards will be fully compliant with national guidance on IVF treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: All NHS boards in Scotland recently completed a detailed questionnaire on the provision of infertility services in their area, and this question was included. Infertility Network Scotland are currently following up responses to the questionnaire, and will mee…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28778 by Shona Robison on 23 November 2009, whether it considers self-assessment by NHS boards to be appropriate in considering whether they are meeting national guidance on IVF treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: All NHS boards in Scotland recently completed a detailed questionnaire on the provision of infertility services in their area. Infertility Network Scotland is following up responses to the questionnaire. Whilst Infertility Network Scotland will concentrate th…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28778 by Shona Robison on 23 November 2009, in what respects NHS (a) Fife, (b) Forth Valley, (c) Greater Glasgow and Clyde, (d) Lothian and (e) Tayside do not fully comply with national guidance on IVF treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS (e) Tayside has implemented some of the updated criteria but patients are returned to the waiting list after each unsuccessful cycle of infertility treatment. NHS (c) Greater Glasgow and Clyde offers two cycles of treatment, instead of the recommended thr…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28470 by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 November 2009, what progress has been made with establishing a norovirus reference laboratory following the HAI Task Force meeting on 8 December 2009.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The HAI Task Force considered a detailed paper prepared by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) at its meetings on 30 September 2009 and 8 December 2009, and a copy of the paper has been placed in Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50022). The Ta…

7 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that those people with Asperger syndrome who are placed in non-specialist hospital facilities receive treatment appropriate to their needs.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is supporting NHS boards to take forward a change programme to address the health inequalities facing people with a learning disability and/or autism spectrum disorder. A learning network of NHS boards will give them a forum to share l…