Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take under the guidelines laid out in The Suitability Core Scotland's School Estate following Elgin High School receiving a D rating (does not support the delivery of services to children and communities).
Answer · Michael Russell: The Suitability Core Fact document provides guidance to local authorities on the assessment and reporting of the suitability ratings of their schools to ensure there is consistency between authorities in the data which is collected by the Scottish Government …
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Moray Council regarding the upgrading or replacement of Elgin High School.
Answer · Michael Russell: Officials from the Scottish Government met with officials from Moray Council in February 2011 to discuss a range of issues. During this meeting, the council highlighted the problems with the Elgin High School buildings.
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the commitment in the 2011 SNP manifesto to halve "the number of children in unsuitable buildings" in the current parliamentary session, whether it will provide financial support to upgrade or replace Elgin High School.
Answer · Michael Russell: We will commence discussions with local authorities shortly to identify at least 18 more school projects for the third phase of the Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme, focusing on those in the worst condition and suitability categories. Elgin High Sc…
15 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take under the guidelines laid out in The Condition Core Fact: Building Our Future: Scotland's School Estate following Elgin High School receiving a D rating (bad for electrical and mechanical).
Answer · Michael Russell: The Condition Core Fact document provides guidance to local authorities on the assessment and reporting of the condition ratings of their schools to ensure there is consistency between authorities in the data which is collected by the Scottish Government for …
10 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of sickness absence in the NHS has been in each of the last five years, expressed as a percentage.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The latest available information for sickness absence across NHSScotland is given in the following table. As can be seen, the rate of sickness absence has fallen from a high of 5.55% in 2007 to 4.75% in 2010 and this represents over 1 million more hours being…
3 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to reduce the number of emergency admissions for over-65s to acute hospitals.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The central principle of the Reshaping Care for Older People programme is the Scottish Government’s objective to provide care and support for older people, as far as possible, within the community or another homely setting. This objective includes reducing th…
3 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many older people received care in their own homes in each of the last five years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table provides information on the number of people aged 65 and over who received care at home services provided or purchased by local authorities in each of the last five years. Care at home includes both personal and non-personal care services.…
2 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make improvements to the consultation process for local people and communities regarding wind farm applications.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: A range of enhanced opportunities for local people to express their views on planning matters have already been delivered through planning reform. The Scottish Government is also proactively seeking to further improve the consenting system and promote best p…
1 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards will review the pathway of care for patients in mental health wards who need to be transferred to general medical care because of physical illness, as recommended by the Mental Welfare Commission in Starved of care - investigation into the care and treatment of “Mrs…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The main recommendations in the report are directed specifically to the NHS board concerned and we have asked that board to take immediate action to implement all of the report’s recommendations directed to it. All NHS boards have responsibility for ensuring…
1 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all NHS boards ensure that there is a multidisciplinary risk assessment process for decisions on feeding people with swallowing difficulties, as recommended by the Mental Welfare Commission in Starved of care - investigation into the care and trea…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In order to ascertain a patient’s nutritional status, and whether they have swallowing difficulties, an assessment must be made when a patient is admitted to hospital. When screening identifies compromised nutritional and/or swallowing difficulties other ser…
1 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on progress on developing a national strategy for a schools counselling service.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-40069 14 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/…
1 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what national evaluation it has made of psychological therapy services.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies, including NHS boards and local authorities, to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing and evaluating nation…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to develop clinical and cost-effective weight management interventions accessible to people in all parts of Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Obesity Treatment Subgroup of the National Planning Forum (NPF) is reviewing the evidence on clinical pathways and will provide options to the NPF to facilitate agreement on pan Scotland approaches to enable equitable access to weight management intervent…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that early treatment of obesity is available to help prevent obesity-related chronic conditions.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Treatment options are a matter for discussion between patients and their doctors. Clinical need is the main factor that determines the type, timing and location of any intervention required. NHS boards need to look at the services they provide for people with…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children (a) under five and (b) between five and 15 are estimated to be (i) obese, (ii) severely obese and (iii) morbidly obese.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows data taken from the 2009 Scottish Health Survey. In line with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines – Management of Obesity (SIGN 115) - the table uses the epidemiological thresholds for obesity. No figure…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people it estimates to have a body mass index of over 35.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In the 2009 Scottish Health Survey, 9.1% of respondents aged 16 and over had a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or above. When this proportion is applied to the National Records of Scotland mid-2009 population estimate for people aged 16 this equates to an estimat…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration is being given to GP Quality and Outcomes Framework payments for earlier intervention through weight management programmes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) element of the GP contract already recognises obesity and weight management within a number of the clinical indicators, including mental health and diabetes. Any changes to QOF clinical indicators are considered by an …
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have received surgery for weight management on the NHS in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following table shows information on the number of patients in NHS Scotland receiving a procedure for weight management. All patients included here had a main recorded diagnosis of obesity. Data is for the financial years 2000-01 to 2009-10. Financial Ye…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that obese people have fair and equitable access to weight management interventions in line with evidence-based guidelines.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The commitment in Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight to ensure that cost-effective and appropriate weight management services and treatments are available for patients in Scotland include investing in resources f…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) minimum and (b) maximum time the NHS takes to assess people with severe and complex obesity for bariatric surgery.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how obesity is managed for patients denied bariatric surgery due to NHS board restrictions.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is for clinicians and patients to agree, in line with national guidelines and frameworks, the appropriate support required by individuals for whom bariatric surgery is not considered the appropriate option.
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients in each NHS board are under assessment for management of severe and complex obesity.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients in each NHS board area have been denied access to bariatric surgery following initial referral in each of the last three years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards comply with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline on the provision of bariatric surgery.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to a national framework of care from prevention to management for severe and complex obesity.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government and COSLA published Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight (“the Obesity Route Map”) in February 2010. The aim in the route map is “the majority of Scotland’s population to be in a normal weig…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated percentage of obese people has comorbidities.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are no reliable estimates of the percentage of obese people with comorbidities. At a population level, increased mortality and higher incidence of disease related to increased fat mass are seen most markedly when BMI raises above 30 kg/m2. The Scottish…
31 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many patients from Scotland have received weight management surgery in other countries in each of the last five years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.
25 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive at what ages children up to 16 years old are weighed as part of a routine health check, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland sets out that children should be weighed within the first 24 hours, within the first 10 days of life, at six to eight weeks, three months, four months, 12 to 13 months, three to five years and …
19 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether cognitive behavioural therapy delivered by NHS 24 will be made available throughout Scotland to patients who are affected by anxiety and depression.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government funded NHS 24 to pilot telephone delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and guided self help based on a CBT methodology from July 2009 to July 2011, in five NHS board areas. The pilot has been evaluated and the assessment made …
19 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is reviewing health screening for heart disease in line with a more targeted approach.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There is no national screening programme for heart disease in Scotland. However, the Keep Well and Well North programme of inequalities targeted health checks, which has been operating in some areas of Scotland since 2006, has focussed on cardiovascular disea…