Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

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

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the use of call-off contracts by local authorities in the procurement of social care services and, if so, by which authorities.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is aware that a number of local authorities in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK have established framework agreements for the procurement of social care services. However, we do not hold a central record of framework agreements establi…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the delayed guidance on procurement of social services will comment on call-off contracts.

Answer · Shona Robison: The forthcoming guidance on social care procurement will provide information on the establishment of framework agreements and the award of call-off contracts under a framework agreement.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has produced guidance on the use of call-off contracts in the procurement of social care services.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government published guidance on social care procurement in August 2008 which provided advice on the requirement to advertise framework agreements for social care services, where necessary to comply with the EC Treaty''s transparency principles. …

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that call-off contracts should be used in the procurement of social care services.

Answer · Shona Robison: Call-off contracts are contracts awarded under the terms and conditions set out in a framework agreement with a service provider or number of service providers. The establishment of a framework agreement allows a public body to make individual purchases witho…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any payments, additional to basic salary, were made to senior executives of the Scottish Ambulance Service who left the service during or following the investigation into the leadership culture of the organisation.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Employment matters within NHSScotland are the responsibility of health boards and the Scottish Government is not party to agreements reached between boards and their employees. (Boards are however required to notify the Scottish Government of any termination …

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any part of the Scottish Ambulance Service has altered patterns of ambulance cover as a result of financial constraints.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current operating deficit is for the Scottish Ambulance Service, also broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service does not have an operating deficit and is forecasting delivery of financial balance in 2009-10.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Ambulance Services performed against response time targets in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by (i) NHS board area and (ii) parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29649 on 15 December 2009. 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/App…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Ambulance Service performed against national response time targets in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29649, on 15 December 2009. 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/Ap…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the national response times are for calls to the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service national response time target for category A calls (life threatening) across mainland Scotland is that, by March 2009, 75% of all incidents should be reached within eight minutes. This measure is also part of the NHS Scotland HE…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional capacity in mental health services is being made available for veterans.

Answer · Shona Robison: All NHS boards continue to work with their partners towards improved access and outcomes for Veterans, their carers and families based on prevention, appropriate intervention and sustained recovery. These principles are at the heart of new arrangemen…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) Get Active campaign.

Answer · Shona Robison: Government officials have met with representatives of the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) on several occasions to ensure their input to the development of the Commonwealth Games 2014 legacy plan. Since the launch of the plan, officials have been…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in achieving the HEAT target that “each NHS Board will achieve agreed improvements in the early diagnosis and management of patients with dementia (March 2011)”.

Answer · Shona Robison: This HEAT target is measured by the number of people with a diagnosis of a dementia on the GP Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) dementia register and NHS boards are working towards a target of 39,582 which equates to approximately 61% of the expected numbe…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in achieving the HEAT target to “reduce the suicide rate between 2002 and 2013 by 20%, supported by 50% of key frontline staff in mental health and substance misuse services, primary care, and accident and emergency being educated and trained in using suicide a…

Answer · Shona Robison: The most recent data on NHS boards'' progress towards this target were published on 29 September 2009 at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/SuicidePreventionStats">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in achieving the HEAT target to “reduce the number of readmissions (within one year) for those that have had a hospital admission of over 7 days by 10% (by the end of December 2009)”.

Answer · Shona Robison: The NHS in Scotland is currently exceeding the readmissions target according to the latest available figures, with an overall decrease of 26%. This target will be tracked through to December 2010.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in achieving the HEAT target to “reduce the annual rate of increase of defined daily dose per capita of antidepressants to zero by 2009-10 and put in place the required support framework to achieve a 10% reduction in future years”.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following table shows the percentage change of defined daily dose (DDD) per capita of antidepressants using the HEAT target measure. This measure tracks change on the basis of a rolling twelve month period and has always been, and continues to be, the met…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to meet the HEAT target that “each NHS Board will achieve agreed improvements in the early diagnosis and management of patients with dementia (March 2011)”.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Mental Health Collaborative is working closely with the NHS boards to ensure implementation of this target. This includes the development of good systems and processes needed to increase the number of people with a diagnosis as well as measures around the…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to meet the HEAT target to “reduce the suicide rate between 2002 and 2013 by 20%, supported by 50% of key frontline staff in mental health and substance misuse services, primary care, and accident and emergency being educated and trained in using suicide assessmen…

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards are required to implement suicide prevention training to meet the target for training of frontline staff. Support in relation to this training is available to boards from the Scottish Government''s Mental Health Delivery Team and from NHS Health Sc…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to meet the HEAT target to “reduce the number of readmissions (within one year) for those that have had a hospital admission of over 7 days by 10% (by the end of December 2009)”.

Answer · Shona Robison: A range of local actions are in train to support the readmissions target, which is designed to help drive improvements in community mental health services (notably in crisis and out-of-hours services), including patient pathways and effective discharge planni…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to meet the HEAT target to “reduce the annual rate of increase of defined daily dose per capita of antidepressants to zero by 2009-10 and put in place the required support framework to achieve a 10% reduction in future years”.

Answer · Shona Robison: In order to meet this HEAT target, the Scottish Government has established the Mental Health Collaborative (MHC), whose primary role is to support NHS boards, and their key partners in delivering improvements in evidence-based prescribing of antidepressants a…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding the reduction in mental health services in some local authorities.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local authorities and NHS boards have responsibility to work in partnership and allocate resources on the basis of local needs and priorities, within the context of the Scottish Government''s key strategic objectives and commitments. The concordat a…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing a waiting time target for general adult mental health services.

Answer · Shona Robison: Prior to May 2007, there were no waiting time targets for mental health. We have in place clear mental health delivery targets which continue to drive improvements across all mental health services to improve access. Most adults accessing mental health servic…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing or the Minister for Public Health and Sport instructed NHS board chairs to publicly support minimum alcohol pricing at their recent meeting.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and (b) Minister for Public Health and Sport last met NHS board chairs and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and the Minister for Public Health and Sport last met with chairs of NHS boards on Monday 23 November 2009. Issues discussed were: Healthcare Environment Inspectorate <p align…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much non-recurring finance it used to support recurring expenditure in 2008-09 and is using in 2009-10.

Answer · John Swinney: A small proportion of the funding to support the Scottish budget is non-recurring, for example, end-year flexibility moneys and income from asset sales.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether reports of a projected deficit of £22 million for NHS Tayside in 2009-10 are accurate.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Tayside is forecasting delivery of financial balance in 2009‘10.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether reports of a projected deficit in excess of £50 million in 2009-10 for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are accurate.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is forecasting delivery of financial balance in 2009‘10.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have instituted savings plans in light of projected deficits for the remainder of 2009-10.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS Scotland health boards are projecting to either break even or underspend in 2009-10. No board is projecting a deficit.

25 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will set out 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: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29347 on 7 December 2009. 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/Apps…

25 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will 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: The government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations made by Lord Cullen in his report on the Review of the Fatal Accident Inquiry Legislation. Many of Lord Cullen''s recommendations have practical implications for the Scotti…