Mary Scanlon

22 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the criteria used by the Health Technology Board for Scotland to determine whether considerations regarding the cost of a new drug or therapy should outweigh those of clinical effectiveness.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Health Technology Board for Scotland does not only evaluate the cost of a drug or therapy to provide advice on Value for Money. It uses well-established techniques to create mathematical models to incorporate all the costs and benefits associated with the…

22 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the roles of and inter-relationships between the (a) Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, (b) Health Technology Board for Scotland, (c) Clinical Resource and Audit Group, (d) Scottish Executive Health Department, (e) Clinical Standards Board Scotland and (f…

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive published a report entitled <I>A Focus on</I> <I>Quality</I> in December 2000 which details the initiatives aimed at improving the quality of health care provided in Scotland, and the roles of the various organisations involved in clini…

21 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15518 by Rhona Brankin on 15 May 2001, when the draft designation order for the Cairngorms National Park will be published and who will be included in the further consultation process.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The SNH consultation report on proposals for a Cairngorms National Park is to be submitted to the Scottish Ministers on 13 July. Following consideration of that report we intend to bring forward a draft designation Order for consultation in late autumn.<P>As …

21 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13848 by Susan Deacon on 11 May 2001, whether it will provide figures on the expected increase in the number of students entering medical training in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2003-04 and (d) 2004-05.

Answer · Susan Deacon: <I>Our National Health; a plan for action; a plan for change</I> gave a commitment to a review of medical workforce planning, including assessing the medical student intake in Scotland. As I announced on 20 June, Professor John Temple, President of the Royal …

16 May 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that people with mental health problems receive a consistent standard of care, support and treatment throughout Scotland.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: <I>Our National Health</I> is about setting national standards to be delivered locally. For mental health services the national framework is well established and understood. Implementation is key as is judgement of the quality of the services provided.<P>Prog…

14 May 2001 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Executive plans to reduce dependency on ben'odia'epines.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The risks of dependency and withdrawal, following long-term use of benzodiazepines, are well known to the medical profession. Medical practitioners have been given comprehensive guidance on how to prescribe these drugs safely and effectively<P>People who may …

4 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any code of practice on animal welfare is being operated during the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and, if so, whether it will give details.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No such code exists. Normal laws apply whereby farmers are responsible for the welfare of their livestock.

2 May 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is being given to the forestry industry in the light of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: We have been anxious to avoid disruption to supplies of timber for the processing industry, and so we have made provision for the fast-tracking of felling permissions where necessary.<P>In addition, if forest businesses can show adverse effects of foot-and-mo…

1 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to set out in detail its overall position in relation to the Cairngorms National Park before the publication of the draft designation order.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: In accordance with the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, no decision will be taken until we receive the Reporters consultation report and consider it. Following this we will bring forward a draft Designation Order on which there will be further consultation.

1 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures the Food Standards Agency Scotland has taken or plans to take to deal with any illegal importation of meat following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and what diseases can be carried in imported meat.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As part of the wider range of checks on meat entering the UK announced on 3 May 2001, the agency is undertaking a programme of audits of ports and seaports to examine the effectiveness of UK border inspection arrangements operating there. This will cover comm…

1 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to reduce illegal imports of animal products at airports and ferry terminals from countries which have a high level of endemic diseases such as foot-and-mouth.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15399 on 10 May 2001.

1 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long the foot-and-mouth disease virus can survive in dried meats.

Answer · Ross Finnie: According to the Office International Des Epizooties, which is the world organisation for animal health, FMD virus is resistant to fermentation and smoking processes. The virus may remain in hams for 180 days, dried sausages for more than one year and in proc…

1 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any joint plans with HM Custom and Excise to reduce the smuggling of illegal meat into Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15399.

30 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the full-time student retention rate was for each institution of further or higher education in each of the past three years.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The annual Performance Indicators published by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, available in the Parliament's Reference Centre or on the council's website, provide indicators of performance on retention and completion for each higher education i…

30 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist Inverness College to overcome a #5 million financial deficit in such a way as to retain staff and continue all courses offered.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Further Education Funding Council is responsible for funding Scotland's further education colleges. The council has been monitoring closely the progress of the financial recovery plan implemented by the Board of Management of Inverness College to…

30 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the grant-in-aid received by Inverness College for 2000-01 is less, in real terms, than that received in 1993-94.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive cannot provide explanations for decisions taken by previous administrations, and the responsibility of providing funding to individual further education colleges is now entirely a matter for the Scottish Further Education Funding Counci…

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the Common Services Agency's Information and Statistics Division statistics on inpatient and outpatient waiting lists are collected monthly but published quarterly.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Information and Statistics Division no longer collects monthly data on inpatient and day case waiting lists; validated data is collected and published quarterly. It is the Executive's view that quarterly progress reporting on this issue is the appropriate…

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce primary care commissioning as developed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: There are no plans to introduce primary care commissioning in Scotland. <I>Our National Health</I> has stated that services need to be designed and delivered as close to patients and communities as possible. LHCCs have a key role to play in this and we shall …

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for a review of primary care services following the Acute Services Review, the Review for Public Health Function, the Review of Nursing and Midwifery and the Scottish Health Plan.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The response to question S1W-14975 advised that there were no plans for a review of primary care services.<P>We recognise that Local Health Care Co-operatives (LHCC) have a key role to play in the design and delivery of local primary care services. The LHCC B…

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage share of total health expenditure has (a) been used and (b) is budgeted in future for general medical services, both (i) cash limited and (ii) non-cash limited in each year from 1996-97 to 2002-03.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15283.

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for general medical services both (a) cash limited and (b) non-cash limited in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Details are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=595><TR><TD WIDTH="43%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=37><P></TD><TD WIDTH="27%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=37><P ALIGN="CENTER">2001-02<P ALIGN="CENTER">(£ million)</TD><TD WIDTH="30%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT…

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on general medical services both (a) cash limited and (b) non-cash limited in each year since 1996-97 to date.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Details of expenditure on General Medical Services Cash Limited and Non-Cash Limited and their percentage share of total health expenditure for 1996-97 to 1999-2000, based on audited accounts, is given in the table. The abolition of GP fund holding in 1999-20…

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to invest a greater share of the NHS budget in general practice in future years.

Answer · Susan Deacon: We are investing record levels of resources<B> </B>in NHSScotland. Health spending is set to increase by more than £400 million each year from 2001-02 to 2003-04. By 2003-04 health spending is planned to be £6.7 billion. The Family Health Services elements on…

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time general practitioners aged under 55 are expected to retire in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15147.

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time general practitioners aged under 55 retired in the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15147.

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time general practitioners aged between 55 and 60 are expected to retire in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15147.

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time general practitioners aged between 55 and 60 retired in the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15147.

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time general practitioners aged between 60 and 65 are expected to retire in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested cannot be predicted with accuracy, because it is affected by individual decisions to retire. I also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15147.<P>The General Practitioner sub-committee of the Scottish Advisory Committ…

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time general practitioners aged between 60 and 65 retired in the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Robust information on the number of general practitioners who retire is not available. Information is collected on the number of GPs who cease to practise as principals in Scotland. However, a significant percentage do not supply a reason for leaving, and the…

12 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that community mental health staff are fully informed about patients in their caseload.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Community mental health staff work closely with GPs, hospital physicians and community services (including those run by local authorities and voluntary organisations) to deliver services. Good professional practice will ensure that information about patients …