Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the short-life working group of the feasibility on the national collection of tissue as outlined in Better Cancer Care, An Action Plan will report to the Scottish Government and what action may follow this report.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Cancer Taskforce has the responsibility to oversee the actions set out in <i >Better Cancer Care, An Action Plan</i>. The first meeting of the Scottish Cancer Taskforce was held on 29 January 2009 and a short-life working group will be set up to …
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the conclusions of the research carried out by NHS Scotland into the reasons for non-uptake of cervical cancer screening.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Yes. The research is expected in March 2009 and will be published on the NHS Health Scotland website later this year.</p> <p >The National Advisory Group on Breast and Cervical Screening will consider the findings, before providing advice on potential interv…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children received an eye test on entry to primary school, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Shona Robison: Under the current programme for child health screening and surveillance, outlined in<i > Health for All Children (Hall 4)</i> issued as guidance to NHSScotland in 2005, it is recommended that children receive a pre-school vision screen (at three to five years…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children received a dental check-up (a) on entry to primary school, (b) in primary seven and (c) at secondary school in line with the National Dental Inspection Programme, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information regarding the percentage of children that received a basic dental inspection is not available broken down by local authority.</p> <p >Information, however, is available for primary 1 and primary 7 children by NHS board in tables 6 and 7 of part 2…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when a national deaf mental health service will be in place.
Answer · Shona Robison: Mental health services for those with sensory loss are developing and improving. A new dedicated community service and a deaf counselling service are now operational in Lothian. National access to specialist in-patient services when needed is provided by the …
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Medicines Consortium will follow the risk-share process in appraising new medicines, as accepted by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in England.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is aware of proposals for patient access schemes in England which are also sometimes referred to as market access or risk share schemes. The Scottish Government has asked the Scottish Medicines Consortium to examine the benefits and pr…
20 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Medicines Consortium will adopt the same cost per quality adjusted life year threshold for cancer drugs as recently proposed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) is considering the implications for Scotland of the NICE methodology changes for appraising end of life drugs. However, the SMC already has the ability to exercise considerable flexibility.</p> <p >The SMC assesses the…
19 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the proposed merger of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, the Care Commission and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland is being progressed.
Answer · Shona Robison: The proposal to establish two new scrutiny bodies covering health, mental welfare, care and social work was announced as part of the package of scrutiny changes by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 6 November. The legislative provisi…
15 Jan 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the use of telehealth and telemedicine.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: <i >This PQ was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></b></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0115-01.htm">http://www.scottis…
13 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether median earnings in Moray of £377.30, according to Scottish Economic Statistics 2008, include wages paid to RAF personnel at Kinloss and Lossiemouth.
Answer · Jim Mather: The earnings information produced in Scottish Economic Statistics 2008 are taken from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). ASHE is the preferred source of earnings estimates and is produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The main basi…
13 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what basic child health reviews and health checks for every child up to the age of five entail.
Answer · Shona Robison: Basic child health reviews and health checks<b> </b>are set out in the <i >Health for All Children (Hall 4) Guidance. </i><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/04/15161325/13390">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/04/15161325/13390</…
9 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional weeks of respite care are to be provided by each local authority in 2009-10.
Answer · Shona Robison: We have agreed with COSLA that local authorities will provide an additional 6,000 respite weeks in 2009-10. These additional weeks will be measured using the baseline of Audit Scotland''s Statutory Performance Indicators figures on respite in 2007-08.</p>
9 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional weeks of respite care are being provided by each local authority in 2008-09.
Answer · Shona Robison: We have agreed with COSLA that local authorities will provide an additional 2,000 respite weeks in 2008-09. These additional weeks will be measured using the baseline of Audit Scotland''s Statutory Performance Indicators figures on respite in 2007-08.</p> <p…
9 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding has been allocated to each local authority up to 2010-11 to achieve the target of 10,000 extra weeks of respite care.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is providing an extra £4.19 million to local authorities “ on top of the overall settlement “ to enable local authorities to deliver in full by 2010-11 the commitment in the concordat to progress towards delivering 10,000 extra respite…
9 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the NHS will be able to access capital funding from the Scottish Futures Trust.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth has made clear on a number of occasions, the Government''s strategic business case for the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), published in May 2008, does not currently envisage SFT as a direct provider of…
9 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Agenda for Change assimilation process has been completed for all staff.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Significant progress on assimilation has been made during 2008. End of December figures indicate that over 138,000 substantive NHSScotland staff have now been assimilated to Agenda for Change. Health boards are continuing to work very hard to complete the ass…
9 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for a £5 million underspend on the Dental Action Plan, as outlined in the Audit Scotland report Financial overview of the NHS in Scotland 2007-08.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Audit Scotland''s Financial overview of the NHS in Scotland 2007-08 identified a £5 million underspend by NHS Education for Scotland in their Dental Action Plan allocation.</p> <p >NHS Education for Scotland were allocated funds under the Dental Action Plan …
9 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the comments made by senior members of the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) at the Grampian Joint Police Board meeting on the 31 October 2008 when they said that the outcome of the consultation, should it deliver a majority of responses in favou…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Police Services Authority is currently undertaking consultation on the delivery of forensic services to the North and North East of Scotland. The Convener of the SPSA Board has been asked to review all the information available and the views expr…
8 Jan 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing next plans to meet the chairs of NHS boards.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: <i >This PQ 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/sor0108-01.htm">http://www.scottish.p…
23 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline what health screening, development checks, surveillance and health promotion is provided to children up to the age of five.
Answer · Shona Robison: The routine screening, surveillance and health promotion checks which children and young people receive is set out in the <i >Health for All Children (Hall 4) Guidance</i> which is available on the Scottish Government website at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www…
23 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any consultation was carried out with the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland prior to the announcement of its merger with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission and, if not, what the reasons were.
Answer · Shona Robison: The proposals supporting the First Minister''s statement to the Scottish Parliament on 30 January 2008 on Delivering More Effective Government indicated that the future of Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWCS) would be reviewed as part of the consider…
23 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to provide a helpline, outreach and information service for men suffering domestic abuse.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is aware of the increase in men reporting domestic abuse to the police and whether perpetrated by men or women, domestic abuse is never acceptable.</p> <p >Men who contact the Scottish domestic abuse helpline as a victim of domestic a…
19 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider a pilot study of the self-referral of patients for physiotherapy services with a view to reducing the recurrence of pain and time off work.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Self referral of patients for physiotherapy services was piloted in Scotland between 2003 and 2005. Patients across Scotland can now self-refer into physiotherapy services. The Scottish Government is also funding the Working Health Services pilot in Dundee. E…
19 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what help and support is given to families with overweight children, particularly those with children under the age of five.
Answer · Shona Robison: The earliest years of a child''s life has been identified as a key stage of development where behaviours and health can be set for life. Therefore the government has made this a priority area for action with several programmes aimed at providing support to fa…
19 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to identify overweight children under the age of five.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Universal Core Programme recommends the recording of a child''s weight within the first 24 hours of life, at 10 days, and six to eight weeks, at two, three, four and 13 months, at three to five years and at entry to primary school.</p> <p >Pract…
19 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will propose a quality outcome framework for GPs to help identify the earliest signs of unhealthy weight in children.
Answer · Shona Robison: Identifying the earliest signs of unhealthy weight in children is the responsibility of a range of services through schools, nurseries and community nursing as well as GP practices. There are currently no plans for the Scottish Government to propose this area…
19 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS professionals use eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing and, if so, what the main benefits are to patients.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is available within the NHS in Scotland, particularly for treating those with post traumatic stress disorders. In the broadest sense the treatment aims are to alleviate suffering, boost life stability and a…
19 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given for bereavement care for school-age children.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Education authorities have a duty under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to make adequate and efficient provision for the additional support required by children or young people with additional support needs, including those…
12 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how community pharmacists could become more involved in the provision of contraception advice and sexual health services.
Answer · Shona Robison: In August 2008, the Scottish Government introduced a new public health pharmacy contract which enables community pharmacists throughout Scotland to provide Emergency Hormonal Contraception and chlamydia testing.</p> <p >The Scottish Government has also prod…
12 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all women requiring contraception are given information, including written information, about all methods of contraception, including intrauterine and implantable contraceptives, and whether they are offered a choice of all such methods.
Answer · Shona Robison: At present it cannot be guaranteed that every woman requiring contraception is provided with information which covers all methods of contraception.</p> <p >The Scottish Government is working closely with NHS Health Scotland to provide educational materials …