Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems are made aware of their right to access advocacy support under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Since the implementation of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, the Scottish Prison Service, at both local …
19 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect is of segregation on prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >In the event of segregation, there is a high risk that the experience may damage mental health. According to the World Health Organizatio…
19 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect overcrowded prisons have on patients with severe and enduring mental health problems.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The impact overcrowded prisons have on patients with severe and enduring mental health problems are many, examples include:</p> <p >A d…
19 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether appropriate treatments and facilities are made available for prisoners with severe and enduring mental health problems.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Treatments and facilities are available for prisoners with severe and ensuring mental health problems. SPS policy Positive Mental H…
19 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many GP practices in each NHS board have signed up to the osteoporosis direct enhanced service contract.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of GP practices in each NHS board signed up to the osteoporosis direct enhanced service is illustrated in the following table.</p> <p >Practices Signed Up to the Osteoporosis Directed Enhanced Service</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpaddin…
18 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration is being given to a pilot road equivalent tariff for the ferry service from Caithness to Orkney.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no plans to extend the current road equivalent tariff pilot.</p>
18 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to identify, diagnose and treat older people with depression (a) at home and (b) in care homes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is committed to providing appropriate care and treatment to all of those who experience depression, including ensuring early identification and diagnosis.</p> <p >We recognise that a large proportion of people in all age ranges with d…
17 Jun 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of its advertising is placed in local newspapers compared with national newspapers.
Answer · John Swinney : <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0625-01.htm">http://www.scot…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been referred to NHS obesity services in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.</p>
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements are planned for a faster and more frequent rail service from Inverness to (a) the far north, (b) Aberdeen, (c) Perth and (d) Kyle of Lochalsh and what the expected completion dates are.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A number of recent timetable improvements reflect this Government''s continuing commitment to increasing the frequency of rail services and reducing journey times, including:</p> <p >From December 2008:</p> <p >A new service each way between Aberdeen and I…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage uptake of the seasonal flu vaccination for health and social care staff was over winter 2008-09.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. However, a study carried out by the Scottish Executive in 2002 suggested that the level of vaccination uptake amongst health workers was around 20%.</p> <p >In order to promote vaccination uptake within this group a se…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage uptake of the seasonal flu vaccination for at-risk groups was over winter 2008-09.
Answer · Shona Robison: Based on information returned to Health Protection Scotland by a proportion of GPs, uptake rate in the at-risk groups for the 2008-09 seasonal influenza vaccination programme is estimated at 48.5%. This compares to an estimate of 42.9% for the 2007-08 flu sea…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance to meet childcare costs is available to parents studying in further and higher education.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There is a range of assistance available for parents studying in further and higher education:</p> <p >Further Education Childcare Support</p> <p >Each college has a further education childcare fund which parent students can apply to. This support is addi…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the evaluation of the Review of Nursing in the Community pilot will be carried out and published.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: During 2008, an external research team led by Napier University, collected baseline data to be used to inform the full evaluation study and to provide information on community nursing before nurses in the four pilot sites transition to the new model. The rese…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the provision of diagnostic and mental health services provided by the Scottish Prison Service meets the needs of all prisoners.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Prison Service strives to meet all offenders'' health care needs within available resources. The service acknowledges that …
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24343 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 June 2009, whether it considers that contact with community agencies within eight weeks of release from prison is appropriate for ex-prisoners with mental health needs.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Prison Service has processes for the case management for prisoners with significant needs, including those for mental health…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24343 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 June 2009, how it will ensure contact with community agencies for prisoners with mental health needs on release from prison.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Prison Service has in place a range of health care audit and governance procedures. This includes a specific Healthcare Stan…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people using nicotine replacement therapy has successfully quit smoking after (a) six months and (b) a year.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on quit attempts made via NHS smoking cessation services is available from the agreed national minimum dataset for cessation services. The national smoking cessation database (the primary data collection mechanism) was established in July 2005.</p…
3 Jun 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the recommendations contained in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services.
Answer · Shona Robison: We have welcomed the Audit Scotland report, which gives a fair summary of the progress that has been made in improving mental health services in Scotland. The report recognises the strong support from stakeholders for the Scottish Government''s policies, and …
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23810 by Alex Neil on 21 May 2009, how many applicants to the Low-cost Initiative for First-time Buyers successfully purchased a home under each category of the scheme (a) in 2007-08, (b) in 2008-09 and (c) to 30 April 2009, broken down by local auth…
Answer · Alex Neil: The following number of applicants to the Low-cost Initiative for First-Time Buyers have successfully purchased a home.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=127 valign=top > <p align=center >Grant Type</p> …
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each local authority have received direct payments for their mental health care in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The number of people with mental health problems who are in receipt of Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) for Scotland is provided in the following table:</p> <p >Number of People with Mental Health Problems who are in Receipt of Self-Directed Support (…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there is a range in the amount of money transferred from the NHS to local authorities to support community mental health services, ranging from £2.72 per head of population in Fife to £35.33 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Overview…
Answer · Shona Robison: Resource transfers between NHS boards and local government generally reflect local agreements in respect of the financial consequences of the closure of long stay hospitals and other local service changes so will vary from area to area depending on the extent…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether appropriate crisis and out-of-hours services for people with mental health problems are available in each NHS board to meet local demand.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards, local authorities and other partners address prevention, intervention and recovery through the careful management of individuals during periods of acute illness, relapse or mental distress. Crisis response and out-of-hours services may be delivere…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the target for early diagnosis and management of patients with dementia will be measured, as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental Health Services.
Answer · Shona Robison: The target is measured by the number of people with dementia recorded as such on the GP dementia register.</p>
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how improvement in the care and treatment of people with dementia will be measured in the HEAT target.
Answer · Shona Robison: The HEAT target on dementia focuses on a diagnosis of dementia and inclusion on the GP register. Inclusion on the register triggers automatic physical health reviews and carer assessments, both of which are of direct benefit for those who suffer from dementia…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how reductions in antidepressant prescribing can be achieved given the high levels of vacancies and long waiting times in psychological and psychiatric services as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services.
Answer · Shona Robison: The antidepressant target is intended to focus attention on prescribing practice and medication review as well as alternatives to medication, including psychological therapies but also exercise and lifestyle changes.</p> <p >For psychological therapies, we …
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the reduction in admissions to psychiatric units illustrates an improvement in patient care, this being a HEAT target.
Answer · Shona Robison: The HEAT target is intended to focus attention on three areas of patient care. It is intended to improve attention to crisis services to reduce the number of unplanned admissions. It also focuses on the quality of care within the inpatient unit and discharge …
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there is no consistent process for referring people with mental health problems being released from prisons to community mental health services, as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >The Scottish Prison Service Healthcare Standard 3 requires a member of the prison''s mental health team to make contact with community ag…
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there are no crisis mental health services for older people in Clyde or Highland, as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services.
Answer · Shona Robison: In West Dunbartonshire, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde provide both a crisis mental health service and an out-of hours mental health service for patients 18 years and over. This provides crisis services for older people if required. In practice, the need for …
28 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason NHS Highland has the lowest level of staffing for mental health psychology services at 2.85 per 100,000 population compared to NHS Fife at 9.71 per 100,000 population, as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of mental health services.
Answer · Shona Robison: Different NHS boards have different configurations of services, including different numbers of psychologists, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and these reflect different patterns of service structure and historical investment.</p> <p >We hav…