Parliamentary questions

Mary Scanlon

4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors employed by the NHS carry out locum work in addition to their substantive post.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally collected.

18 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that all locum doctors employed in hospitals and for out-of-hours services are given appropriate support and full induction prior to commencing employment.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34637 on 25 June 2010. All the answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…

18 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it takes to ensure that all NHS boards carry out pre-employment checks prior to employing agency locums.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The responsibility for ensuring that pre-employment checks are undertaken on all staff working in NHSScotland is for the employing NHS board. The Partnership Information Network (PIN) Policy Safer Pre and Post Employment Checks, published in December …

18 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to allow written assessments regarding the performance of locum doctors to be shared between NHS boards and agencies, in order to highlight any concerns relating to patient safety.

18 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure that potential risks to patient safety arising from the use of locum doctors, as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Using locum doctors in hospitals, are minimised.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In March 2010 we reminded NHS boards of the need to comply with the existing code of practice for the management of temporary medical staff. We accept Audit Scotland''s subsequent recommendation that the code of practice should be updated. We are currently co…

17 Jun 2010 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that trunk road works, including land use development proposals that impact on trunk roads, give due consideration to the needs of cyclists.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We require special consideration to be given for cyclists in all new trunk road schemes and within improvements to existing trunk roads. The new Scottish Planning Policy also requires that the needs of cyclists and the promotion of sustainable modes of transp…

7 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees and in which posts in each (a) police force, (b) NHS board, (c) local authority, (d) quango, (e) Scottish Government directorate and (f) any other taxpayer-funded organisation are paid more than (i) the First Minister’s combined salary and (ii) an MSP’s salary.

Answer · John Swinney: Some of this information is already in the public domain. Information on the numbers of police officers by grade and the pay ranges for each grade is available on the Scottish Government website. In relation to NHS boards, tables showing th…

7 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure the future sustainability of the small isles.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government recognises the unique challenges that face Scotland''s rural and island communities - including those on the Small Isles of Muck, Eigg, Rum and Canna - and is committed to ensuring that appropriate support is provided to enable them to…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s pursuit to integrate local public services into a single public authority model and whether it considers that this model could be applied in other areas.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government welcomes and encourages innovation, collaboration and shared services ventures to deliver more efficient and effective public services. We are aware of the work being undertaken by the Highlands and Islands Council to explore a range o…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are being taken to share premises and services between police, fire and ambulance service in local communities in order to meet efficiency savings, improve joint working and protect frontline core and emergency care services.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the quality and efficiency of all Scotland''s public services. The ability to simplify and share resources is the right way to deliver real benefits at a local level, while helping to protect front line servic…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended time period is for exclusive (a) breastfeeding or (a) infant formula feeding.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government formally endorsed, and adopted as policy, the World Health Organization''s Guidance recommending exclusively breastfeeding for an infant''s first six months. Appropriate types and amounts of solid food should then be introduced alongsi…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how parents can be made aware of the most appropriate infant formula for their child.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the Scottish population and ensuring that all children get the best possible start in life. All NHS boards have been set a performance target specifically to increase the number of …

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of early discharge from maternity units and a lack of health visitor support in the community, how it will ensure that all mothers with newborn children are checked for postnatal depression.

Answer · Shona Robison: The screening process for postnatal depression is set out in the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline NO 60 “ Postnatal Depression and Puerperal Psychosis. This guideline states that the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EDPS) shou…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been done to audit breastfeeding rates in relation to (a) early discharge from hospital and (b) a lack of health visitor support in the community.

Answer · Shona Robison: No research has been carried out to audit breastfeeding rates in relation to these scenarios; however there is no lack of Health Visitor support in the community. Health visitors provide a universal service to families and children as laid out in Health for a…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when people will have full access to their health records.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Data Protection Act 1998 gives individuals, the right to apply to see information that NHS organisations hold about them, including health records and obtain a copy should they wish. There are a small number of circumstances where information within the h…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how patients can judge the performance of healthcare providers.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Patients can judge the performance of NHS boards through a variety of means. The NHSScotland section of the Scotland Performs website (<a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/partnerstories/NHSScotlandperformance">www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scot…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will enable patients to rate hospitals according to the quality of care that they have received.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Better Together, Scotland''s Patient Experience Programme will be publishing the provisional results of the 2009-10 inpatient experience survey on the Scottish Government and Better Together Websites on 27 July 2010. This provisional release will provide a re…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that healthcare professionals working in the NHS who are not native English speakers have passed robust language and competence tests.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is the responsibility of employers as part of the selection process to satisfy themselves that candidates have the required level of communication skills to function in the role providing high quality, safe and effective patient care. This is for …

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to maximise the number of day case operations.

Answer · Shona Robison: Same Day Surgery is the preferred delivery for a wide number of surgical procedures, which provides safe, effective and efficient use of resources. There are a number of actions being undertaken to maximise the number of day case operations. The HEAT…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is available for parents to ensure that their children are achieving optimal growth and development in the early years.

Answer · Shona Robison: Guidance to parents regarding optimal growth and development is contained within publications such as Ready Steady Baby! and Ready Steady Toddler! which are given to parents by health care professionals. Parents can discuss any concerns with h…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence base exists to support optimal infant nutrition.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is currently developing a Maternal and Infant Nutrition Strategy, providing advice to all those involved in infant nutrition and emphasising the importance of breastfeeding as part of supporting optimal infant nutrition. There…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) guidance there is and (b) checks are done to ensure that young babies are growing at the optimal rate.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government introduced the use of the newly developed WHO Growth Charts for all children born on or after 1 January 2010. The WHO Growth Charts are based on optimal growth, which is that of breast-fed babies. As part of the introduction o…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what preventive and intervention programmes are available to combat obesity in pre-school children, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how patient experiences are taken into account in terms of developing Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, a special health board, whose role is to support NHS boards and their staff to improve the quality of healthcare in Scotland. SIGN has a range of poli…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assist Scottish Natural Heritage in providing housing in order to enable more people and young families to live and work on the Isle of Rhum.

Answer · Alex Neil: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) transferred the land and assets on Rum to the Isle of Rum Community Trust (IRCT) in two phases, March 2009 and March 2010. IRCT are now responsible for developing economic activity on the island. The priorities for Sco…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will assist the National Trust for Scotland in the restoration of derelict cottages on the Isle of Canna in order to encourage more young families to live and work on the island.

Answer · Alex Neil: The application of all Scottish Government funding directed at the provision of affordable housing is determined by the relevant local authority, in this case The Highland Council, through their published Housing Strategies. Consequently the National…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/ME (or myalgic encephalopathy) are given an accurate diagnosis and treatments tailored to their individual needs.

Answer · Shona Robison: Most people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME-CFS) will initially present to their general practitioner (GP) for diagnosis and help with management of their condition. GPs, as generalists, are trained to manage all initial contact wi…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have achieved the breastfeeding target in each of the past five years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has set a HEAT Target of increasing the population of new-born children exclusively breastfed at six to eight weeks from 26.6% in 2006-07 to 33.3% in 2010-11. Information on how health boards are performing against the HEAT Target is a…

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much NHS boards have spent on infant feeding education in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is a matter for NHS boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

4 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what disciplinary processes are in place for breaching policies for infant feeding, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34139 on 15 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…