Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times are for access to all mental health services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Information on waiting times for access to mental health services has not historically been collected. The HEAT targets for 2010-11 were published in the local delivery plan guidance on 1 December 2010. This included a HEAT target to improve access to mental…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how sections 25 and 26 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 are evaluated; who is responsible for this evaluation, and what action is taken if local authorities have not fulfilled their duties in relation to this legislation.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Sections 25 and 26 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 impose a statutory duty on local authorities to provide, or secure the provision of care and support services, and services designed to promote the wellbeing and social developme…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been admitted to adult psychiatric wards in each of the last five years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of children admitted to an adult psychiatric ward are: Ages Ages 0 to 16 17 to 18 2005-06 37 22 2006-07 76 75 2007-08 77 65 2008-09 82 67 2009-10 92 92 The figures above from the Mental Welfare Commission show the number o…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to assist unemployed people with mental health problems in finding training and employment.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government is committed to providing people with the skills and training opportunities that will help them to find sustained employment. Skills Development Scotland, our national skills and training body, provides specific help to both young peop…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to increase the number of law firms in Scotland that sign up to the Law Society's mental health accreditation scheme.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: While the Law Society of Scotland’s accreditation schemes are a useful way for solicitors to demonstrate their expertise in various areas of practice, the decision to apply for accreditation is ultimately a matter for individual solicitors, and the number rec…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether training in mental health awareness is offered to GPs as part of their continuing professional development.
Answer · Michael Matheson: General practitioners (GPs) are, as independent contractors, expected to highlight and address their own education needs throughout their careers, and GPs can access a range of training courses and learning materials on mental health issues to help meet their…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether mental health awareness and promotion is included in teacher training and, if so, whether this is made available for continuing professional development.
Answer · Michael Russell: Student teachers are given general tuition and guidance on how to recognise and support pupils with additional support needs, including mental health conditions, as part of a series of core and elective modules within initial teacher education courses. In ad…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mental health patients have received self-directed support for community care in each of the last five years, also expressed as a percentage of all recipients of self-directed support.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The number of clients with mental health problems who have received self-directed support for community care in the last five years, also expressed as a percentage of all recipients of self-directed support is provided in the following table: Number and Perc…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that mental health patients receive personalised care packages.
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 national policy, and …
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Jobcentre Plus to develop local schemes to support health, employment and fitness advice that assist people with mental health issues in finding and remaining in employment.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Scottish Government officials have met with the DWP Work Programme Providers in Scotland and confirmed that specialist support will be provided to help people with mental health issues to find and remain in employment. In addition, Skills Development Scotland…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it creates and makes accessible exercise referral schemes for people with mental health issues.
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 national policy, and …
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that prisoners are able to access mental health treatments.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Mental health services are governed by Scottish Prison Service Health Care Standard 3 which can be found at: http://www.sps.gov.uk/Publications…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors whether people with long-term health conditions regularly have their mental health needs assessed and how mental health or psychological support is then provided.
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 national policy, and …
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the mental health budget is allocated to the promotion of good mental health and whether it will review spending on early intervention and appropriate treatment for mental health patients.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Spend on mental health promotion, early intervention and appropriate treatment for mental health patients will continue to be drawn from the overall funds allocated to NHS Scotland by the Scottish Government. In this respect the overall health budget will inc…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that the voluntary sector is included in the provision of services for mental health patients at local and national level.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government sets national policy direction for mental health and provides funding to NHS boards and local authorities to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and decisions on local serv…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken to establish whether there are links between alcohol use and underlying mental health issues.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The links between alcohol use and underlying mental health issues are well established and have been recognised in the Scottish Government’s Mind the Gap (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2003/11/18567/29477) and Closing the Gaps (http://www.scotland.g…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients who have been prescribed antidepressants are given regular reviews to ensure that they receive appropriate and personalised care and treatment and, if so, how the NHS monitor these reviews.
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 national policy, and …
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that the NHS and local authorities provide a co-ordinated service when dealing with mental health patients.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The national performance framework underpins delivery against the government’s agenda and mental health services are monitored through NHS board annual review, local delivery plan, and single outcome agreement processes, including a rolling programme of Scott…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how GPs are made aware of guided self-help services and support groups for patients with mental health issues.
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 national policy, and …
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that police forces receive the support needed to deal with people with mental health problems.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The police have a general duty of care, as well as specific duties under legislation such as the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 to support those with mental health issues and to work with other agencies in doing so. Training on mental health…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to reduce sickness absence from work on the grounds of poor mental health and how it helps employees improve mental health and remain in work.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, a directorate of NHS Health Scotland delivers a range of services to promote health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace. Advice is available to employers and employees through a dedicated website, confidentia…
16 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many GPs have undergone training on mental health issues as part of their continuing professional development in each of the last five years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally.
8 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence exists of dental patients contracting variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from a contaminated dental instrument.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Department of Health reported in 2007 that there was currently no evidence of vCJD having been spread by dentistry and this is still the case. The latest guidance from the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) on infection control of CJD, vCJD …
8 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost to dentists in primary care is of complying with the new measures to decontaminate dental instruments.
Answer · Shona Robison: As independent contractors to the NHS, General Dental Practitioners have responsibility for ensuring appropriate instrumentation is used to treat patients.</p> <p >In excess of £50 million has been allocated to NHS boards to assist general dental practitione…
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation has been carried out regarding the benefits of the Pharmore project
Answer · Shona Robison: Each of the eight pilot sites involved in the Pharmore Pilot Programme have been subject to ongoing local monitoring and evaluation since the programme launch in September 2008.</p> <p >Feedback from local project teams indicate that the Pharmore programme h…
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to roll out the Pharmore project of walk-in services being piloted at five Boots pharmacies
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-40333 on 16 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility to which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Defa…
7 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Efforts to tackle current obesity trends are probably the single biggest factor in reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes, given that unhealthy body weight affects over 80% of those with type 2 diabetes.</b></p> <p >The Scottish Government and the COSLA p…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of women has presented for a cervical cancer smear test when called in each of the last five years, broken down by age group.
Answer · Shona Robison: Data on the percentage uptake of females who had a record of a previous cervical screening test taken within the last 3.3/5.5 years, broken down by age group can be found on the Information Services Division website at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotla…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to raise awareness of the limits of protection offered by the human papilloma virus (HPV) immunisation programme and to encourage regular cervical smear testing.
Answer · Shona Robison: A range of information materials are available to support the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme. Consistent messages are provided across these materials that the vaccination will only protect against two strains of the virus and that girls sho…
2 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have occurred in the prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) genotypes in the last five years and which genotypes are the most prevalent.
Answer · Shona Robison: Extensive human papilloma virus (HPV) type-specific testing is a relatively recent development. As yet there is no data to allow any changes over the past five years to be evaluated. However, in many countries, including Scotland, the normal prevalence of HPV…