Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that small and medium-sized companies are given access and opportunities to tender for public sector contracts.
Answer · John Swinney: The government has already put in place a number of measures which demonstrates its commitment to ensuring that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are given fair opportunity to bid for public contracts. In April 2009, I wrote to heads of procurement an…
25 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether UK residents based in England are entitled to free dental and eye checks in Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: UK residents based in England can receive free NHS dental and eye examinations in Scotland.</p>
18 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were advised that they were unable to make a complaint about the NHS on the basis that they did not have a statutory right, in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The existing right to complain is not set out in primary legislation. However, anyone making a formal complaint about NHS care or services in the last ten years was entitled to have their representations investigated by the relevant NHS body provider under th…
17 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Highlands and Islands Enterprise carried out all appropriate financial checks and adhered to set procedures with regard to Rok prior to offering it sole contractor status.
Answer · Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to the member.</b></p>
12 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have received renal dialysis in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Renal dialysis can be a suitable treatment for people living with acute kidney injury (acute renal failure) or established renal failure (ERF). Data on the number of people diagnosed with ERF is collected by the Scottish Renal Registry (SRR) and is shown in t…
12 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional patients have accessed (a) behavioural activation, (b) cognitive behavioural therapy and (c) interpersonal therapy, since the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Non-pharmaceutical management of depression in adults guideline was published in January 201…
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.</b></p> <p >We are developing an access target for evidence-based psychological therapies for inclusion in HEAT in 2011-12 which will allow us to measure the referral to treatment times for psychological ther…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how independent and voluntary sector care homes will be used to provide community, respite and day-care support.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37337 on 22 November 2010. All answers to written Parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/P…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider piloting telehealth links with care homes for older people to help monitor older people in the community.
Answer · Shona Robison: In response to a request for proposals supporting the management of long term conditions NHS Shetland has proposed a telehealth solution including links to care homes. Decisions on the funding of long-term conditions bids will be made before the end of the ca…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many older people in care homes are cared for by (a) local authorities and (b) the independent and voluntary sector.
Answer · Shona Robison: At March 2010 there were 4,610 residents in care homes for older people which are run by local authorities and 29,331 residents in private and voluntary sector care homes for older people.</b></p>
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist GPs to refer older people to care homes as well as hospitals when considered appropriate to meet patient needs.
Answer · Shona Robison: Evidence from the Reshaping Care programme, and from elsewhere in the UK and wider afield, demonstrates that better outcomes for people, including older people, coupled with better use of resources and a better experience of care, can all flow when services a…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to reduce the time taken to access an appropriate care package for older people in (a) the community and (b) a residential care home.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government and COSLA issued joint guidance on National Eligibility Criteria for Social Care Services for Older People and Waiting Times for Personal and Nursing Care on 28 September 2009. The guidance is intended to help achieve better outcomes f…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether independent and voluntary sector care home staff could be used to provide palliative and end-of-life care in patients’ homes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The provision of palliative and end of life care in a patient''s home is based on the needs of the individual concerned. The composition of the teams providing care will reflect the particular needs of individuals which may change over time. NHS boards, throu…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether more use could be made of the care home sector to provide more choice to people in need of palliative and end-of-life care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: <i>Living and Dying Well</i>, Scotland''s first national action plan for the provision of palliative and end of life care<i> </i>highlighted the increasing importance of care homes in meeting the palliative and end of life care needs of older people. A multia…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether independent and voluntary sector care homes for older people could be used for continuing care and rehabilitation of older patients rather than hospital places.
Answer · Shona Robison: Independent and voluntary sector care homes are currently being used for the continuing care and rehabilitation of older people. The Scottish Government is keen to continue to shift the focus of care from a hospital setting to one where care is planned, deliv…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether independent and voluntary sector care homes for older people could be used instead of emergency hospital admissions for non-specialist assessment, intervention and care.
Answer · Shona Robison: Independent and voluntary sector care homes, able to provide nursing care, can be used for the non-specialist assessment, intervention and care of older people. Some NHS board areas currently commission care homes places for this purpose in the absence of com…
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advances have been made in adult care homes as a result of the publication in May 2006 of Making good care better.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Considerable progress has been made in recent years to raise standards of care, in particular through <i>Making good care better: National practice statements for general palliative care in adult care homes in Scotland</i> which was published by the Scottish …
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what fee is paid to the Care Commission by a care home for older people with (a) 20, (b) 30, (c) 50 and (d) 60 beds.
Answer · Shona Robison: Under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (the Act) Scottish Ministers are responsible for setting the maximum regulatory fees which may be charged per year by the Care Commission. It is for the commission to fix fee levels within these maxima, having …
9 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) announced and (b) unannounced Care Commission visits to care homes for older people are planned in the next year.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 requires the Care Commission to inspect care homes a minimum<i > </i>of twice a year, with at least one of those inspections being unannounced. Information about announced and unannounced inspections is an operationa…
8 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop care hubs so that independent and voluntary sector care homes for older people can also provide (a) day care, (b) assessment and rehabilitation, (c) respite and crisis care, (d) meals and laundry, (e) podiatry and (f) support for self-help and mutual care services.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Reshaping Care for Older People programme has highlighted that the way care services for older people are currently provided, at times, acts against our agreed policy objective of optimising the independence and wellbeing of older people, for as long as p…
4 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence supports the banning of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis from giving blood.
Answer · Shona Robison: Following a recommendation in July 2010 by the UK Blood Services Standing Advisory Committee on the Care and Selection of Donors and the Joint Professional Advisory Committee, from 1 November 2010 across the UK, those with a history of myalgic encephalomyelit…
27 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that statutory regulation, degree qualification and continuing professional development have helped to increase the evidence base for the use of chiropractic.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has no functions in relation to the regulation of chiropractors, who are regulated as health professionals by the General Chiropractic Council (GCC), an independent regulatory body. Degree qualification and continuing professional deve…
27 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many students from Scotland are funded to attend the BSc, MSc and MChiro degree courses at the University of Glamorgan and the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in Bournemouth.
Answer · Michael Russell: I have asked Tracey Slaven, Chief Executive of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), to respond. Her response is as follows:</b></p> <p >In 2009-10, SAAS funded 11 Scottish domiciled students studying chiropractic courses at the University of Glamo…
27 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering offering a four to five year full-time chiropractic degree course similar to the one available in England and Wales.
Answer · Michael Russell: Decisions about what courses to offer are for individual universities, as independent bodies, rather than for Scottish Government ministers.</b></p>
27 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether GPs can refer patients to chiropractors paid for by the NHS.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Where NHS boards have commissioned the services of chiropractors for NHS patients, then GPs are able to refer patients to those chiropractors under the NHS, according to agreed referral protocols between the NHS boards and healthcare professionals.</b></p>
27 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many practising chiropractors there are and how many are registered with the General Chiropractic Council.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Chiropractors must be registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) in order to practise in the UK. In terms of the Chiropractors Act 1994 it is a criminal offence for anyone to describe himself/herself as any kind of chiropractor if he/she is not re…
25 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Infertility Group has set out a timeline to produce recommendations on the eight initial issues identified in its published role and remit.
Answer · Shona Robison: Sub-groups of the National Infertility Group have been established to explore the eight initial issues which were set out in its role and remit. Good progress has been made to date and the Group will provide an initial summary report of progress to Ministers …
25 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop an action plan to provide a framework and timetable to complete the implementation of the findings of the EAGISS Report once the National Infertility Group has made its recommendations.
Answer · Shona Robison: The existing guidelines from the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) are included as part of the considerations of the National Infertility Group.</b></p>
30 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is organising a structured education programme to ensure awareness of pneumococcal disease and prevention through vaccination.
Answer · Shona Robison: A wide range of public and professional information is already available in respect of pneumococcal disease and prevention through vaccination. For the public, NHS Health Scotland, who produce information materials to support the childhood vaccination program…
30 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of pneumococcal disease.
Answer · Shona Robison: In addition to the wide range of awareness raising and information materials currently produced by Health Scotland and the Scottish Government, each year the Chief Medical Officer writes to health professionals, including all general practitioners, reminding …
30 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to improve awareness of pneumococcal disease.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question SW3-36645 on 26 October 2010. 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/Busines…