Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,379 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its goal to “co-produce alcohol and drug service standards for young people”, as set out in its 2023-24 Programme for Government.
Answer · Elena Whitham: The Early Interventions for Children and Young People working group are currently developing recommendations of what good quality early intervention support services should be available across Scotland for young people with emerging problematic drug and alcoh…
24 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the root causes of alcohol and drug addiction.
Answer · Elena Whitham: Scottish Government has outlined the importance of a person-centred approach to treatment in it’s alcohol and drug treatment strategy, Rights, Respect, Recovery . By developing recovery oriented systems of care and creating services that are trauma informed…
24 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what options it has explored to improve alcohol and drug services to make them more flexible, convenient, accessible and easier to navigate.
Answer · Elena Whitham: One of the key aims of the National Mission is to improve and save lives by ensuring that every individual has access to, and choice in the type of recovery and treatment they need. In response to the Changing Lives report published by the Drug Deaths Taskfor…
24 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to reduce stigma around alcohol misuse, in light of reported concerns regarding people being reluctant to seek help due to a fear of any consequences of doing so.
Answer · Elena Whitham: We are aware that stigma can act as a barrier preventing people from seeking treatment. This is why we are taking actions to reduce the stigma around alcohol misuse. For example, last year we ran a national campaign to increase people’s awareness that a drug…
24 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the support available for dependent drinkers.
Answer · Elena Whitham: The Scottish Government provides funding to support our local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) who are responsible for the design and delivery of treatment and recovery pathways at the local level. They ensure a full range of recovery services are availab…
23 Oct 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what steps are being taken to eradicate long waiting times for NHS treatment, in light of Public Health Scotland data showing that over 1,500 patients have waited more than three years.
19 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a timeframe for the repair and return of hearing aids will be provided by audiology services in situations where these are a necessity for people with a hearing impairment.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government published Quality Standards for Adult Hearing Rehabilitation Services in 2009 which sets out a standard for the repair being carried out within 2 days of the repair service receiving the hearing aid. It is for NHS Boards to ensure app…
19 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether people with severe or profound hearing loss, who rely on their hearing aids to communicate, will be prioritised for audiology services when required within NHS Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Health Boards are responsible for planning services to best meet the needs of their patients. Service planning and design should take place at a local level and be informed by an assessment of the type, and level, of support required by patients who need to …
19 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a copy of hearing test results will be offered to people with a hearing impairment as a matter of routine when accessing audiology services, as is the case in NHS England.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government published Quality Standards for Paediatric Audiology Services (2009) and Quality Standards for Adult Hearing Rehabilitation Services (2009) which both state that patients (and their families in the case of children) should be given a c…
19 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates breast cancer screening will be reintroduced for women aged 75 and over, following a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as committed to by the former First Minister on 24 November 2022.
Answer · Jenni Minto: As noted in S6W-19908 on 31 July 2023, the age ranges for breast screening are based on recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group which informs decisions taken across the UK on screening programmes…
18 Oct 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on the timelines for, and locations of, the planned closures of up to 30 police buildings.
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recent commitment to invest an additional £100 million in each of the next three years to reduce NHS waiting lists, what the estimated reduction in waiting lists will be by the end of (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22289 on 16 November 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recent commitment to invest an additional £100 million in each of the next three years to reduce NHS waiting lists, what (a) modelling was undertaken to determine that waiting lists will be reduced by 100,000 by 2026 and (b) the estimated level of waiting lists by 2026 w…
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22289 on 16 November 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to allocate the recently announced additional £100 million in each of the next three years to reduce NHS waiting lists.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22289 on 16 November 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to fund the recently announced additional £100 million in each of the next three years to reduce NHS waiting lists.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The new annual funding will allow us to maximise capacity, build greater resilience into the system and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment. It is expected the additional £100 million investment wil…
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported decision to downgrade neonatal services at University Hospital Wishaw, for what reason Healthcare Improvement Scotland reportedly does not give a view on whether Scottish Government decisions constitute a major service change, as it is required to do in respect …
Answer · Jenni Minto: It is not within Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s legal remit to assess decisions made nationally. Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Community Engagement arm supports, ensures and monitors NHS Boards and Integration Authorities activity in relation to patien…
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported decision to downgrade neonatal services at University Hospital Wishaw, what engagement it has had with any affected families.
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported decision to downgrade neonatal services at University Hospital Wishaw, whether an implementation working group has been established, and, if so, whether any such group’s (a) terms of reference and (b) timescale for completion of its work will be published.
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission an independent review into its reported decision to downgrade neonatal services at University Hospital Wishaw, with a terms of reference agreed by key stakeholders and any affected families.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The range of experts that have been involved in the Best Start and the Options Appraisal Process represent the leading expertise on this issue and are fully competent to reach an objective decision. I have no doubt that the process of determining where the fi…
13 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Working Group report arising from the Fatal Accident Inquiry recommendations following the fire at Cameron House Hotel, and in relation to the commitment to establish an expert working group to consider mandating automatic fire suppression systems where histor…
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Membership of the expert group, remit/terms of reference and minutes of expert group meetings group will be published on the Building and Fire Safety Ministerial Working Group website once they have been agreed. A detailed programme of work is currently under…
13 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Working Group report arising from the Fatal Accident Inquiry recommendations following the fire at Cameron House Hotel, when it will amend the guidance in the technical handbooks to promote the use of automatic fire suppression systems for historic building co…
Answer · Patrick Harvie: Work is ongoing to finalise the guidance to promote the use of automatic fire suppression systems for historic building conversions to hotels in the non-domestic technical handbook and is expected to be published in November 2023.
13 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Working Group report arising from the Fatal Accident Inquiry recommendations following the fire at Cameron House Hotel, when it will carry out its commitment to “amend the Section 34 letter to Local Authority Chief Executives under the Building (Scotland) Act …
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Section 34 letter to Local Authority Chief Executives under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 (Section 34 - Reports and Information - Notification of Application for Building Warrant - Section 2 - Fire) to require that a verifier must notify the Scottish G…
13 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Working Group report arising from the Fatal Accident Inquiry recommendations following the fire at Cameron House Hotel, when the first workshop will be held with partners, including industry, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Local Authority Building Stand…
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The first workshop will be set up by the end of 2023 as outlined in the Short Life Working Group report, published on 2 October 2023.
4 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates its guidance on the provision of wheelchairs on free, short-term loans will be fully implemented.
Answer · Maree Todd: We continue to work with HSCPs to implement the guidance. Chief Officers have been reminded of their duties and we are currently establishing a short life working group. This group will support implementation and ensure adequate provision of equipment, includ…
4 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16001 by Kevin Stewart on 24 March 2023, whether it will provide an update on how many health and social care partnerships have implemented its guidance on the provision of wheelchairs on free, short-term loan.
Answer · Maree Todd: Since 24th March, a further five HSCPs have now implemented guidance on the provision of short-term wheelchair loans, taking the total to thirteen. A further eight are in the early implementation stage.
2 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to address any issues at NHS Forth Valley since the reports of “intolerable” working conditions within the NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government supports and encourages an environment where those working in our health service feel confident to raise any concerns they may have, in the knowledge that these will be treated seriously and, where appropriate, fully investigated. Boar…
2 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns raised by the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) that “it was difficult to understand” how NHS Forth Valley’s response “addressed the specific concerns raised” by whistleblowers.
Answer · Michael Matheson: All NHSScotland Health Boards report directly to the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) on the recommendations from investigation reports. The Scottish Government do not become involved in INWO investigations, instead we will seek assurance th…
2 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to address reported whistleblower concerns regarding risk of harm to staff and patients at NHS Forth Valley.
Answer · Michael Matheson: NHSScotland supports and encourages an environment where those working in our health service feel confident to raise any concerns they may have, in the knowledge that these will be treated seriously, and where appropriate, fully investigated. This includes co…
2 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the findings of the “transformation team” that was dispatched to NHS Forth Valley in November 2022 after the Scottish Government placed the NHS board on stage 4 of the special measures scale.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Updates from the external support team and other matters relating to the escalation of NHS Forth Valley are discussed at meetings of the NHS Forth Valley Assurance Board. The Assurance Board was established by the Scottish Government to support NHS Forth Va…
2 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what actions have been taken to address the situation at NHS Forth Valley since the NHS board was placed on stage 4 of the special measures scale in November 2022.
Answer · Michael Matheson: An Assurance Board was established in December 2022 to monitor and scrutinise NHS Forth Valley against an agreed Improvement Plan. The Assurance Board has met 13 times and continues to meet monthly to review progress. A copy of the latest Improvement Plan a…