Parliamentary questions

Mary Scanlon

4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of qualified audiologists.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: To help inform local and national decisions on staff numbers for audiology services, the Executive has initiated a wide-ranging review of audiology services, which is due to report in full in autumn 2002. The review group is expected to provide an initial pro…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people under the age of 16 have been treated for drug addiction outwith Scotland in each of the past five years and at what cost.

Answer · Richard Simpson: Information on how many young people under the age of 16 have been treated for drug addiction outwith Scotland is not held centrally.

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many sex offenders under the age of 16 have been treated outwith Scotland in each of the past five years and at what cost.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Scottish ministers do not have the power to place convicted sex offenders outwith Scotland whilst they are serving their sentence. Local authorities have the power to place outwith Scotland, young people who have sexually offended or are displaying sexually a…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the current policy on, and residential facilities for, the treatment and rehabilitation of serious sex offenders under the age of 16.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are three residential facilities in Scotland that provide specialist treatment and rehabilitation for young people of sixteen and under, who have committed a sexual offence or are displaying sexually aggressive behaviour. These are St Mary's Kenmure, Ki…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) current and (b) planned future number is of training places for clinical and forensic psychologists.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently 32 training places per year for Clinical Psychology in Scotland. This will be increased to 36 from October 2002.There are currently 24 students accepted each year for the first stage of Forensic Psychology training in Scotland, which is…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is currently sufficient availability of forensic and clinical psychology services for prisoners; if not, where any shortages of these services exist, what action is being taken to reduce them, and whether there is any risk to the public from any such shortages given the role…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:There are currently sufficient forensic psychology services for prisoners, with further developments planned for 2002-03.Against a national …

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all prisoners with mental health problems are receiving adequate and appropriate support while in prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:All prisoners benefit from the services of appropriately qualified health and social care professionals who, among other things, work with tho…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to provide access to suitable detoxification and rehabilitation facilities for all prisoners who want to stop their drug and/or alcohol addictions.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:In March 2000, SPS launched its drug strategy, Partnership and Co-ordination. In February 2001, its updated Health Care Standard, Sub…

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Nalorex and Subatex are available to all prisoners when deemed appropriate to address their drug and/or alcohol addictions.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:The prescribing of medication in relation to substance misuse is a matter for the individual medical professionals concerned.

7 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all prisoners are given access to the appropriate care, support, advice, counselling and medication to address their drug and/or alcohol problems while in prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:All prisoners are medically assessed on entry to prison, including for drug and alcohol problems. All prisoners who are identified as having dr…

4 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently diagnosed with HIV and how many people have been diagnosed with HIV in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The cumulative total of HIV-antibody positive persons reported to the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, to 31 December 2001, is 3,349. Of these, 1,278 are known to have died.The corresponding data for each of the last five years are s…

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a medical disputes forum, comprising relevant stakeholders to consider, develop and implement quality standards relevant to mediating medical negligence (and non-clinical in a clinical context) disputes, as recommended in paragraph 2.31 of the report by the …

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-3659.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in its current review of the NHS complaints procedure, it will consider mediation as being an integral option in the process of resolving non-medical negligence disputes, as recommended in the report by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Encouraging Resolution: Mediating Patient/Hea…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-3659.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote education through undergraduate training in medicine, nursing and professions allied to medicine with relevant institutions incorporating the role and process of mediation within their core curricula, as recommended in paragraph 2.21 of the report by the Royal…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-3659.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give active consideration to encouraging "NHS Education for Scotland", in partnership with all interested stakeholders, to promote mediation training and awareness in the workforce, as recommended in paragraph 2.21 of the report by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Encouragi…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-3659.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will work with the Central Legal Office of the National Health Service in Scotland to undertake a fully researched mediation project mirroring that being undertaken by the National Health Service Litigation Authority in England and as recommended in paragraph 2.14 of the report…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I welcome the publication of this Report by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The Scottish Executive will consider the recommendations in the report very carefully and will take its findings into consideration in the on-going review of the NHS complaints proced…

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether adequate investment has taken place to ensure quick diagnosis of hospital-acquired infections.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23636.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether more isolation facilities are being used for patients with hospital-acquired infections in order to stop "hot-bedding" and the consequent spreading of such infections.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23636.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what policies are being proposed to provide support to patients with hospital-acquired infections to enable early discharge into the community.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23636.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether measures are being taken to identify prior to admission patients who are most at risk from hospital-acquired infections.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: NHS hospitals are required to implement the guidance in the Scottish Infection Manual (1998). This makes clear that:where the potential for the spread of infection may pose exceptional difficulties, hospitals should develop and adhere to appropriate…