Margaret Smith

22 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many infection control nurses are currently undergoing training.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are two providers of training for infection control nurses in Scotland. The University of Dundee offers a Bachelor of Nursing degree with Specialist Practitioner Qualification in Infection Control nursing and University of the Highlands and Islands Mill…

22 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many infection control nurses there are, broken down by NHS/health board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.<P>Prior to 30 September 2001, a new occupation code was introduced on the Scottish Standard Payroll System (SSPS) to identify infection control nurses and trusts were asked to record the appropriate staff …

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions, or intends to have discussions, with Her Majesty's Government on the issue of the potential for "cold callers" to exploit elderly people and people suffering from dementia and other mental health problems.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Consumer protection is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including consumer protection.

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will pursue discussions with gas and electricity suppliers regarding the impact of the way in which their staff and any contracted staff deal with elderly people and people suffering from dementia and other mental health problems so that their approach is sympathetic, respectfu…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Regulation of the energy supply markets is a reserved matter. <P>Energywatch is responsible for monitoring the behaviour and practices of companies in the marketplace and, with the Office of Gas and Electrical Markets, has a specific responsibility to have re…

12 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from individuals and organisations concerning the potential for elderly people, including those suffering from dementia and from mental health problems, to be exploited by "cold-callers".

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No such representations have been received.

28 Nov 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to promote healthy lifestyles to improve the future health of young people.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The public health strategy set out in the White Paper, <I>Towards a Healthier Scotland</I>, identifies the promotion of healthy lifestyles as one of its three key action levels. It outlines a range of measures to address smoking, drug misuse, alcohol misuse, …

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial help is to be made available to the City of Edinburgh Council for any expenditure incurred following the flooding in April and November 2000.

Answer · Angus MacKay: I am pleased to announce that City of Edinburgh Council is eligible for a payment of £150,792 under the Bellwin Scheme. The scheme was activated on 29 August 2001 following representation from the council on costs directly associated with the immediate afterm…

31 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is tackling the level of diabetes.

Answer · Susan Deacon: NHSScotland is spending more than £300 million a year in tackling diabetes. This involves national and local initiatives to improve prevention, detection and treatment.<P>The Executive will shortly launch the first national Diabetes Framework to ensure better…

24 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since the publication of A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland in the recruitment and retention of midwives.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The <I>Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland</I> launched on 2 February 2001 sets out guiding principles and actions to underpin the development of local maternity strategies.<P>NHS Boards have been auditing their current maternity strategies against t…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what patient groups currently receive palliative care services.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive's policy, as set out in <I>Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change</I>, is that anyone suffering from a progressive illness should receive palliative care. While traditionally associated with cancer, palliative care ca…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether health boards will be required to adhere to any recommendations made by the Scottish Medicines Consortium on NHS prescription drugs.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium will provide a single Scottish source of advice to local Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees and NHS Boards. Clinical freedom will still allow clinicians to make prescribing decisions using their skills and knowledge of indi…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the future role of area drugs and therapeutics committees will be once the Scottish Medicines Consortium is established.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Providing advice on new drugs at the time of their marketing is but one of the tasks currently carried out by Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees. The establishment of the Scottish Medicines Consortium will allow the local committees more time to provide thi…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit and membership of the Scottish Medicines Consortium will be.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Chief Medical Officer has asked Professor David Lawson to establish a Scottish Medicines Consortium to make recommendations to all NHS Boards and their Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees about the formulary status of all newly licensed medicines, all ne…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any potential overlap of remits between the Scottish Medicines Consortium and the Health Technology Board for Scotland

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium will provide a single source of advice to local Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees using the evidence available at the time of marketing of new drugs. Once sufficient evidence is available, this initial national advice migh…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the cancer budget in each of the past five years and in 2001 to date was spent on palliative care.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Cancer is a national priority for NHSScotland. NHS boards receive an annual revenue allocation. It is for NHS boards to determine how best to spend the resources allocated to them, to meet national priorities and address the health needs of their resident pop…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what palliative care provisions are currently available for non-cancer suffering patients.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Palliative care is currently provided by 14 adult voluntary hospices and a number of NHS Specialist Palliative Care Units, supporting the palliative care offered by primary care teams.

26 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by the Motorola task force.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The task force aim is to ensure that 95% of former Motorola employees will find new employment within one year. At the end of September, of the 2,330 employees who have left the plant, 954 people have found new jobs, 168 have gone into further or higher educa…

6 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what strategies are in place to deal with delayed discharge, particularly over the winter months.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We have emphasised to local planning partners the importance of working together to tackle this issue, for the benefit of people living in their areas. Examples of local strategies which have been shown to work include joint rapid response teams to avoid inap…

6 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been allocated to health boards and NHS trusts for winter planning strategy, particularly in relation to delayed discharge.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Health boards were notified of their annual financial allocation for 2001-02 before the beginning of the financial year. Total resources across Scotland are up 8.1% on last year. Boards are expected to plan and manage the provision of health services, includi…

6 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with health boards and NHS trusts about winter planning strategy.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has regular discussions with NHS bodies about a range of issues, including winter planning. Discussions about winter planning have covered arrangements for flu immunisation; the role of social services and of primary care organisations …

21 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what implications the City of Edinburgh Council's decision on the future of the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transport project will have for the way future public transport projects are procured and funded.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive operates the Public Transport Fund (PTF) to assist local authorities and Strathclyde Passenger Transport in providing value for money enhancements to public transport networks. Bids to the PTF for projects commencing in 2002-03 have to be submit…

20 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has held any discussions with Dr Andrew Walker of the Robertson Centre for Biostatistics in the University of Glasgow, in light of his report on hospital-acquired infections, and what the outcome of any such discussions was.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Health Department officials met Dr Walker on 12 October to discuss his study and explain the Scottish Executive's policy on Healthcare Associated Infection.

15 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reverse the decision not to give nurses representation on the new unified NHS boards.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Our policy is to ensure that <U>all</U> staff have the opportunity to contribute appropriately to decision making in NHS Scotland, without favouring one profession over another. That is why we are giving a stronger voice to local staff partnership forums and …

15 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursing students did not finish their course in each year since 1997.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The table shows net discontinuations from all courses leading to a first or additional registration in nursing or midwifery, excluding transfers from one nursing or midwifery programme to another, and net of course resumptions. Information is not yet availabl…

15 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS nurses left the profession in each year since 1997 and what main reasons were given for these departures.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The number of nurses leaving NHSScotland since 1997 is shown in the table. Information about the reasons for these departures is not held centrally.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4><P>Qualified nursing and mid…

15 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS nurses will be eligible to retire within the next ten years.

Answer · Susan Deacon: At 30 September 2000, there were 4,810 qualified nurses eligible to retire in the next ten years.

6 Jun 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that cancer screening programmes are accurate and effective in the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The effectiveness of available technology for ovarian cancer screening is being assessed as part of ongoing clinical trials.<P>The UK National Screening Committee is due to re-evaluate the available evidence in 2003.

26 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how good practice in addressing any health inequalities experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities is shared between NHS Trusts, health boards and its Health Department.

Answer · Susan Deacon: A range of measures is in place to share best practice within NHSScotland. These are supported and developed both by the Health Department and a range of health professional bodies.

26 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to encourage and support NHS Trusts and health boards in tackling any health inequalities experienced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Addressing health inequalities lies at the heart of <I>Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change </I>and is an important part of our work for social justice. Health boards are expected to use their knowledge of the health needs of their popula…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to issue new guidance on the administration of medicines in schools, and whether such guidance will be supported by a scheme to ensure implementation and monitoring of the policy.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Comments were sought on draft good practice guidance by 29 December 2000. The comments received have been considered and the draft guidance is now being amended in the light of those comments. Revised guidance will be issued once that process is complete. Imp…