Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards introducing instant appointments systems for hospital treatment in the NHSiS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The "instant appointments" proposals have been incorporated into a much broader Scotland-wide programme, which is now underway, of Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation (ECCI) between Primary and Secondary Care. Five lead sites have been…
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current number is of oncologists in the NHSiS and what the target number is for five years from now.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The number of consultants working in medical and clinical oncology in the NHS in Scotland are shown on the following table. The table should be read in conjunction with the notes below.<P>Consultants Employed in the NHSiS in Medical and Clinical Oncology<TABL…
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether new equipment being acquired for cancer treatment will be purchased or leased.
Answer · Susan Deacon: In June I announced that the first wave of the linear accelerator replacement programme totalling £5.8 million was complete. This followed a central procurement initiative for the purchase of four linear accelerators and three simulators.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Th…
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets the NHSiS has regarding numbers of infection control teams and whether these targets are being met.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The<I> Scottish Infection Manual </I>recommends that every NHS Trust should have a Trust Infection Control Committee and an Infection Control Team. It also states that the Chief Executive of every NHS Trust should be responsible for ensuring that effective ar…
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used in designating the three "NHS Direct" centres.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As noted in my answer to question S1W-10399, discussion with national and local stakeholders to date has confirmed the view that the critical issue in choosing sites for this service will be the availability of sufficient nurses to staff the service without a…
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultation will take place before designating the location of Scotland's three "NHS Direct" centres.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The siting of NHS Direct centres in Scotland has been a topic of discussion at three regional seminars held in August and, currently, at a series of meetings with local stakeholders in health board areas. Discussion to date has confirmed the view that the cri…
12 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when "NHS Direct Scotland" will begin operation.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A senior Scottish Enterprise Executive was seconded to the Health Department on 16 October to manage the implementation of the NHS Direct service in Scotland. Amongst his first tasks will be developing a full service specification in collaboration with n…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether flexible working will be introduced to allow cancer treatments to be carried out in the evenings and at weekends to ensure fuller utilisation of capital equipment and investment.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Based on the assessed needs of their resident populations, and the services required to meet those needs, it is a matter for health boards and NHS Trusts to put in place appropriate arrangements to ensure delivery of the best care possible for patients.
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of HIV cases in Scotland is, including the percentage increase over the past three years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Details of the number of HIV cases to the end of 1999, both new and cumulative, can be obtained from the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) annual report issued in April this year. This can be located at the following web address:<…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address any increased drug resistance amongst HIV patients.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Data collected by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health confirm the continuing beneficial impact of antiviral drug treatment of HIV patients and do not suggest any significant increase in drug resistance.
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to fund a comprehensive programme to check each patient's resistance to drugs before treatment of HIV begins.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Antiviral susceptibility testing, which permits an assessment to be made of each patient's resistance to antiviral drugs, has only recently been developed from research. The testing involved is very complex and requires considerable expertise, which is not ye…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is the recommended maximum waiting period for the treatment of patients with eating disorders, and which health boards meet this target.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is committed to setting national maximum waiting times in the three national clinical priorities of cancer, heart disease and mental health. The Mental Health and Well Being Support Group is currently working closely with the Health Ser…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to fund training courses for dental nurses, dental hygienists, dental therapists and dental technicians to enable them to undertake continuing professional development.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Provision and funding of continuing professional development is the responsibility of the employer, who for these staff groups are mainly either general dental practitioners or NHS Trusts.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Long-term career development for dentists and relate…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional funding will be provided to enable all dentists to fulfil their continuing professional education obligations.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As part of the Dental Action Plan announced on 14 August 2000, the Executive agreed to increase funding available to dentists to ensure that they are able to fulfil their continuing professional education obligations. We are also currently considering develop…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to increase the funding of dental schools.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive recently allocated increased funds to the two Scottish dental schools in line with increases for health boards and Trusts, and there have been regular increases in expenditure over the last three years. We have also enlisted the help of the Nati…
4 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any proposals to increase the payment to GPs for the care and treatment of diabetic patients.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Under the current arrangements, GPs can receive payments for providing a Chronic Disease Management Programme for patients with diabetes. This is an organised programme which has to be approved by the Primary Care Trust/Island Health Board and has to provide …
4 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to give local health care co-operatives some degree of commissioning powers.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is currently considering a range of measures to improve the operation of the NHS in Scotland, this includes the development of LHCCs. The Scottish Health Plan, to be published shortly, will outline our proposals in this regard, followin…
22 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns about the impact of the chemical gels used in the manufacture of disposable nappies on the health of children and, following disposal, on the environment.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I understand that Greenpeace in Germany claim to have found tributyl tin (TBT) in disposable babies' nappies. The levels reported do not appear to give rise to a risk of harm, but, as a precautionary measure, the UK is conducting research into TBT in UK consu…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are proposed to increase the number of dental therapists, nurses, hygienists and technicians.
Answer · Susan Deacon: In 1999 the Scottish Executive set up a working group to review workforce requirements for dentistry. Initial findings will shortly be published in the discussion document <I>Workforce Planning for Dentistry in Scotland - A Strategic Review</I>. This report w…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to encourage the majority of dental nurses who currently do not have any relevant qualifications to gain qualifications.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is currently estimated that less than 50% of the 3,500 dental nurses working in Scotland have formal qualifications. The Scottish Executive is consulting with health boards, Primary Care Trusts and educational organisations on how to facilitate courses for…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when clinical guidelines on sedation, pre-school dental treatment and orthodontics will be made available to dental practitioners.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The two dental clinical guidelines were distributed by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network in March. Further guidelines will follow. Discussions are ongoing with professional organisations on how to take forward the next set of guidelines on sedat…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish drop-in centres for dental care and in which areas any such centres will be situated.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Provision of general dental services is kept under review by health boards and Primary Care NHS Trusts. It is open to them to plan the establishment of drop-in centres for dental care in response to local needs.
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ensure that fissure sealant work, as recommended in the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidance Network guideline, is sufficiently targeted at those with the greatest need.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has published within its <I>Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland</I> proposals to fund enhanced capitation payments (including fissure sealants) for children in deprivation categories 5, 6 and 7.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In the majority…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to register the 25% of children who currently have no ongoing dental care with a dentist.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Research indicates that the major proportion of children who are not registered with a dentist live in the most deprived areas and that dental attendance is poor among pre-school children. The Executive is committed to improving the dental health of these chi…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are proposed to ensure that patients are better informed and more actively involved in decisions about their dental care.
Answer · Susan Deacon: All NHS patients should be given information and support to ensure they are fully involved in decisions about their own care. The Executive has been taking forward a number of initiatives to foster a better understanding of this requirement within the NHS. Wh…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any guidelines to local authorities to ensure that oral and dental health is given priority in health education and health-related policies in schools.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: A wealth of materials is available to support teachers in the delivery of health education. In particular the Health Education for Living Project (HELP), distributed to schools in 1995 and updated in 1998, is a curriculum framework for health education design…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering introducing payments to dentists for the provision of advice and education to their patients in relation to prevention of dental disease and improved oral health.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Dentists are paid to provide oral health advice under the capitation fees they receive monthly for each child registered with them on the NHS. The Scottish Executive is particularly keen to ensure that dentists take adequate time to provide advice on nutritio…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals are being developed with health boards for consultation on the fluoridation of the water supply.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As I said in Parliament on 21 September, a wide-ranging document on children's oral health will be issued in the New Year. It will describe what the Executive is currently doing and seek views on what further measures might be taken. It will also seek views o…
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances of (a) false payment claims by dental practitioners and (b) dental patients making false claims of exemption from charges the Common Service Agency's Fraud Investigation Unit found in the last five years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Common Services Agency's Fraud Investigation Unit began operations in July of this year.
21 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to improve communication between primary care dental services and other primary care services and, in particular, what measures are in place to ensure that primary care dental services work effectively with education authorities and schools in relation to the de…
Answer · Susan Deacon: Consultants in Dental Public Health and Health Promotion Departments in health boards and Directors of Community Dental Services in Primary Care NHS Trusts liaise on strategic dental and oral health care issues with education authorities. At operational level…