Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Nov 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for an awareness-raising campaign on identification of symptoms enabling the early diagnosis of meningitis B.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Health Education Board for Scotland currently produces publicity materials which contain information on the signs and symptoms of meningitis and which encourage uptake of immunisation against Group C infection. <P>The Executive also sponsors voluntary org…
28 Oct 2002 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether there will be any measures put in place to extend inoculation against meningitis.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Firstly, I am sure colleagues will join me in expressing my deepest sympathy for the families of the two girls who died in the East Kilbride area last weekend.<P>Vaccination against meningitis C is already an important element of the childhood immunisation pr…
22 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to any proposed policy of non-co-operation by GPs in relation to additional workloads arising from the Adults Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is in dialogue with the British Medical Association in relation to the current concerns of doctors about the implications of Part 5 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.
22 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether fluoride is a medicinal product and, if so, whether it has a product licence.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Fluoride is a chemical with many different uses. Because of this, products containing fluoride are controlled under many different regulatory schemes according to the purpose of the product. As an example of this fluoride can be found in products used by huma…
22 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any clinical trials have taken place on the effects of fluorine compounds dispensed to the general public through public water supplies.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The York Review (<A HREF="http://www0.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/summary.pdf">http://www0.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/summary.pdf</A>) considered all relevant and robust research on fluoridation and concluded that water fluoridation reduces levels of decay and that, apart f…
17 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that prisoners with (a) mental illness and (b) suicidal tendencies are given appropriate care and support.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Prisoners with mental illness or a tendency to self-harm are cared for by a multidisciplinary team including medical, nursing, psychology and s…
17 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum recommended dosage is of methadone per person per day.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The <I>UK Drug Misuse and Dependence - Guidelines on Clinical Management</I> provide clinicians with guidance on the medical and other management of drug dependence. Treatment should be tailored to meet the specific clinical needs of the individual and aimed …
17 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what savings have been achieved by creating unitary NHS boards.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: When the 15 unified NHS boards were established in September 2001, our objective was not to achieve financial savings. Rather, the aim of the new boards is to secure the efficient, effective and accountable governance of local NHS systems, focusing on health …
17 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Seroxat leads to dependence on or addiction to the drug.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As with all medicines, the safety of Seroxat (paroxetine) is continually monitored by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the independent expert advisory body, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).<P>The CSM reviewed the issue of withdrawal reactions…
17 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Health Technology Board for Scotland to review the prescribing of Seroxat, in the light of withdrawal symptoms reported on the BBC Panorama programme on 13 October 2002.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The question of withdrawal symptoms associated with Seroxat is a safety issue concerning a licensed medicinal product and therefore falls within the UK-wide remit of the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). The agency, with advice as required from the Committee on…
17 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline on autistic spectrum disorder and whether it will recommend a SIGN guideline on the care and treatment of autism sufferers.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Until recently, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) had received no proposal to develop a guideline on autistic spectrum disorder. A proposal has recently been lodged and will be considered by the SIGN Council in November, as part of the no…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted, commissioned or is aware of any recent polls to measure public attitude to the NHS and, if so, whether there has been any change to the 13% figure reporting some improvement in the NHS, as referred to in the Annex to Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No. Scotland-wide opinion polls have been commissioned or conducted since the MORI/System 3 poll reported in<I> Our National Health: A plan for action; a plan for change</I> which found that "at least 4 out of 5 NHS users were satisfied with the service they …
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the establishment of the NHS Centre for Change and Innovation, as referred to in section 8 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Centre for Change and Innovation, which will have a pivotal role in supporting major service improvement in NHSScotland, was established on 1<SUP> </SUP>November 2002.<P>Ms June Andrews, currently Director of Nursing, Forth Valley Acute Hospitals Trust an…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it has addressed and will address low pay issues in the NHS, as referred to in section 8 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has already demonstrated its commitment to address low pay both now and in the future through targeted, above inflation increases, for the lowest paid NHS staff in each of the last four years and also in the context of the on-going UK n…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the creation of fast-track graduate-entry medical degree courses, as referred to in section 8 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The first stage in an on-going programme to review the Scottish Medical Workforce was completed earlier this year with the publication on 3 July 2002 of the report <I>Future Practice</I>. The report recommended that further work be undertaken to explore incre…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether mixed wards still exist and, if so, how many currently exist in each NHS board area and how this complies with its target of eliminating such wards by April 2002, as referred to in section 6 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Very substantial progress has been made towards achieving the target of ending mixed sex hospital wards. At present, of the 1,630 wards in Scotland, 1,591 are fully compliant. This represents 98% compliance and 2% non-compliance. Plans are in place to make th…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is proposing to more effectively screen older people's health needs, as referred to in section 6 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This commitment was taken forward by the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group on the Healthcare of Older People. Its report, <I>Adding Life to Years, </I>which we published in January 2002, makes a number of recommendations, including the need for a review of…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all children, young people and adults with learning disabilities now have access to local area co-ordinators that provide information, family support and funding, as referred to in section 6 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28050 on 27 August 2002. 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…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken on the provision of speech and language and other therapies for children with learning disabilities in the light of the recommendations in Advisory Committee Report into the Education of Children with Severe Low Incidence Disabilities, as referred to in section 6 …
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive Health and Education Departments are conducting a joint review of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy services for children, and speech and language therapy services for adults with learning disabilities …
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the NHS and the voluntary sector are now working together, based on the principles set out in The Scottish Compact, as referred to in section 4 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: All NHS boards have adopted and are expected to operate by the principles set out in The Scottish Compact. In addition, Voluntary Health Scotland have been funded to employ development staff to ensure that NHSScotland is aware of, and makes use of the potenti…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation to remove any remaining barriers to joint working between NHS and social work and housing departments, as referred to in section 3 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Frank McAveety: This commitment was implemented through the provisions in sections 13-17 of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002.
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to ensure that people with multiple sclerosis assessed as likely to benefit from beta interferon will not be denied access to this treatment.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards are in the process of implementing the UK-wide risk-sharing scheme. Details of the scheme can be found in the departments guidance HDL (2002) 6, a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. Number 20653). <P>NHS bodie…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how members of the public can gain access to the health plans for each local authority area, as referred to in section 2 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The responsibility for ensuring public access to health plans rests with the NHS board.<P>Each NHS board will make its own arrangements, in conjunction with its local partners, for public access to information and health plans in accordance with the needs and…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the programme of occupational health measures, as referred to in section 2 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is implementing occupational health policies and initiatives for the NHS, for business generally, and has provided new resources to help develop initiatives for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Taken together, this forms the basis for…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is with regard to the Technology Transfer Office for the NHS, and how any "innovative ideas" suggested can be accessed by patients across Scotland, as referred to in section 2 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am pleased to announce that the Technology Transfer Office is formally established today. It is owned jointly by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and will operate under the name of Scottish Health Innovations (SHI). A not-for-profit …
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the Partners in Change programmes in each NHS board area, as referred to in section 5 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Eighty-six Partners in Change programmes have been established across Scotland. A directory of these programmes is currently being finalised and a copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre in late November.
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the patients project can be accessed by members of the public, as referred to in section 5 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Service Research Unit (HSRU) was commissioned to develop a guide to producing health information (available at <A HREF="http://www.abdn.ac.uk/hsru/guide.hti">www.abdn.ac.uk/hsru/guide.hti</A>). As part of this, HSRU developed three patient guides b…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the proposed patient-held smart card will promote patient involvement and better co-ordination of health care, as referred to in section 5 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is thought that patient-held smart cards have the potential to put the patient in control of access to their records and that this might be especially beneficial when their health care providers span a number of health care organisations. For example, the …
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in developing the pilot and evaluation of patient-held smart cards, as referred to in section 5 of Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is intended that the setting up of pilot patient-held smartcards should be co-ordinated with the work of the Scottish Executive's 21st Century Government Unit on developing and supporting an infrastructure for Citizen's Cards through the Modernising Govern…
15 Oct 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the results are of the monitoring of the performance in assessing the health impact of the primary care osteoporosis framework, as referred to in section 1 of Reducing fractures and osteoporosis in Scotland: A strategy for health boards, local health care co-operatives, acute and pri…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The framework referred to in the question was promulgated by the National Osteoporosis Society, not by the Executive. The Executive acknowledges the role of the voluntary sector in offering advice to NHS boards on service issues, but does not monitor the impl…