Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local health care co-operatives will be given responsibility for commissioning secondary health care, as with English Primary Care Trusts.
Answer · Susan Deacon: No. LHCCs are part of Primary Care Trusts. Their influence on the provision of secondary care is exercised through their involvement in the development of the health board's Health Improvement Programme which is the key health service planning document for th…
23 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the selection and appointment procedures of health council members.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive is committed to improving patient and public involvement in the NHS. In recognition of their key role, the Executive has recently provided the Scottish Association of Health Councils with funding to employ a Development Officer to improve the fo…
23 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appointment of members of health councils by health boards compromises the councils in fulfilling their statutory watchdog function within the NHS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive is committed to improving patient and public involvement in the NHS. In recognition of their key role, the Executive is working with local councils, and the Scottish Association of Health Councils, to ensure that their effectiveness is improved …
23 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the payment system to general practitioners for flu vaccination in the winter of 2000-01.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Whether to provide influenza vaccination has long been regarded as a matter of good clinical practice. Beyond the fees and allowances which GPs receive to provide general medical services for their patients, no set fee is currently payable although in practic…
23 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional intensive therapy unit (ITU) beds are proposed in response to the additional ITU funding.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The exact number is not yet known. In preparing their plans, health boards and Trusts have been asked to take account of the work of the short-life group which the Chief Medical Officer has established to look at ITU and HDU issues. Its report is expected in …
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to use coronary stents in the treatment of heart disease throughout Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Coronary stents are already used in Scotland for the treatment of coronary heart disease, based on the indications set out in SIGN Guideline 32, <I>Coronary Revascularisation in the management of stable angina</I>.
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any proven link between the use of anti-perspirants and the prevalence of breast cancer.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There is no evidence to suggest that there is any link between the use of anti-perspirants and breast cancer.
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many flu vaccines were administered in 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many flu vaccines have been ordered to meet the demands of the vaccination programme starting in October 2000.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Currently, flu vaccine is ordered by community pharmacists in anticipation of demand from general practice. Information is collected centrally about the vaccines dispensed but not the orders placed.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">I announced on 23 May an extension of the …
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of patients are currently treated within three months of being placed on a waiting list.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Provisional figures for the year ending 31 December 1999 show that 82.6% of patients were treated within three months of being placed on the waiting list.
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of patients currently receive their first outpatient consultation within nine weeks of referral.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Provisional figures for the year ending 31 December 1999 show that 63% of patients received their first outpatient consultation within nine weeks of a General Medical Practitioner/General Dental Practitioner referral.
17 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide adequate and appropriate maxillofacial and oral surgery services in the Highland Health Board area and in the Argyll and Bute Health Board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: It is for Highland Health Board, Argyll and Clyde Health Board and their respective Trusts to provide health services appropriate to the needs of the local population.
28 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the project on electronic transmission of prescription information between GP practices and pharmacies and what the current status is of the tendering process relating to this project.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This important project is now being taken forward within the Scottish Care Information (SCI) programme which was announced on 21 April. Interested bidding consortia have been advised accordingly.
26 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is currently available to people leaving care and whether these facilities are available in all regions of Scotland.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: All local authorities are required to produce a care plan for each looked-after child which should include arrangements for leaving care and making a positive transition to independence. Support may be offered up to the age of 21.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Scotti…
26 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of care leavers go into further and higher education and what plans it has to increase this number.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: It is estimated that fewer than 20% of young people who have been looked after by local authorities go into further and higher education.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Improving educational achievements for this vulnerable group of young people is one of our priorities i…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to press release SE0963/2000, what is being done to address the increase in sexually transmitted diseases.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to my answer to questions S1W-5084 and S1W-5086 by Mrs Ullrich which describe the work being done by the Executive to develop a comprehensive sexual health strategy for Scotland. A review of genito-urinary medicine services will form part of that work.
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to press release SE0963/2000, what is being done to encourage young men to attend sexual health clinics or general practitioners to test for infection.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to my answer to questions S1W-5084 and S1W-5086 by Mrs Ullrich which refer to the efforts being made in a number of areas to raise awareness and knowledge of sexual health issues and encourage more people, including young men, to seek advice and help.…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations have been cancelled in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 in the NHS in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the total number of operations cancelled by the NHS in Scotland is not available centrally.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Details of cancellations of hospital planned admissions are published annually in the <I>NHS in Scotland Annual Report</I> and <I>Scot…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to raise the number of beds per 1,000 people in Scotland from 4.7 to the European Union average of 7.9.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The latest year for which information is provided in the OECD health database on hospital beds in other countries is 1997, and the figures show that Scotland has more hospital beds per 1,000 population than the average for those EU countries for which figures…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS staff are currently suspended in each health authority in Scotland and how much in total the annual salaries of those suspended are.
Answer · Susan Deacon: NHS Trusts are responsible for the operation of staff disciplinary procedures. We are currently aware of one hospital doctor in Scotland who is suspended from duty.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Scottish Executive has recently worked with trusts to put in place a ran…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect will be of physiotherapy contracts in Lothian being required to be with the NHS rather than with the private sector at the choice of general practitioners and how this proposal will affect waiting lists, waiting times and treatment lists.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust has undertaken a review of its physiotherapy services with a view to improving services to patients and bringing private physiotherapy contracts into the NHS. Completion of this process is likely to take some time as it is depen…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who will responsible for the upkeep of footpaths under the "Right to Roam" legislation.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The legislation to establish a right of responsible access will require local authorities to establish core path networks in their areas, and will include powers for local authorities to maintain them.
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any additional money will be provided to maintain footpaths under the "Right to Roam" legislation.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Legislation to establish a right of responsible access is only one element of a package of measures necessary to ensure greater opportunity for people to enjoy the countryside. Resources will also be required for the establishment and maintenance of path netw…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local groups will be eligible in future to apply for funds for the upkeep and maintenance of footpaths.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The forthcoming legislation to establish a statutory right of responsible access will not introduce any change in the provision of funding to local groups. The legislation will introduce powers to allow local authorities to maintain footpaths that form part o…
13 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why general practitioners are paid an "item per service" fee for diphtheria, polio and tetanus vaccine and not for the flu vaccine.
Answer · Susan Deacon: GPs do not receive item of service payments to provide the main target group with diphtheria, polio and tetanus vaccine. They receive target payments if they immunise at least 70% of children aged five and under on their medical list; and a higher target paym…
6 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will require health boards to provide all the drugs and treatment therapies recommended by the Scottish Health Technology Assessment Centre.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Health Technology Board for Scotland will provide boards with advice on the clinical and cost effectiveness of new and existing treatments. Boards will be expected to take account of that advice in the decisions they make about the availability of treatme…
6 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take action against health boards that do not provide all the drug and treatment therapies recommended by the Scottish Health Technology Assessment Centre and, if so, what that action will be.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Health boards will take account of the advice of the Health Technology Board for Scotland in reaching their decisions. They will also be expected to justify any decision not to follow the advice of the new board; both in the public eye (the advice of the boar…
6 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role health boards will have in the decisions made regarding the availability of medicines in the NHS given the input from the Scottish Health Technology Assessment Centre and whether all boards will be obliged to adopt their recommendations.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Health Technology Board for Scotland will be a single source of evidence-based advice to health service decision makers on the clinical and cost effectiveness of new and existing health technologies. Health boards will take account of the new board's advi…
6 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Health Technology Assessment Centre will contribute to equality of access to healthcare throughout Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Health Technology Board for Scotland will be a single source of evidence-based advice on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments and drugs. It will work closely with the NHS and patient representatives to ensure that effective innovations move q…
6 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Health Technology Assessment Centre's advice on new and existing health technologies will be based on cost/benefit analysis and, if so, whether it will define the parameters of that analysis.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Among the first tasks of the new Health Technology Board for Scotland will be to establish and obtain wide agreement to the methodology it will use to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new and existing health technologies.