Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Oct 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that care home residents with dementia receive care and treatment appropriate to their needs, given that Alzheimer Scotland’s report, The Dementia Epidemic, estimates that 4,327 people with dementia in care homes are not medically diagnosed.
Answer · Shona Robison: The National CareStandards aim to ensure that all residents in care homes receive personalised careappropriate to their individual needs. As part of this, it is vital that care homeresidents have appropriate access to NHS diagnosis and treatment.</p><p>I have…
26 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend Planning Advice Note (PAN) 65: Planning and Open Space in relation to the section entitled “Council or developers making arrangements with a suitable third party, for example, the Scottish Greenbelt Company, for long term maintenance”, in light of the concerns raised…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: PAN 65 was publishedin January 2003. The advice supports the policy set out in <i>National PlanningPolicy Guideline (NPPG) 11: Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space </i>(published1996), which will shortly be replaced by <i>SPP 11: Open Space and Physical …
25 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which patient groups and treatments are currently being considered for inclusion in waiting times targets.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have already announcedour intention to develop and publish,by the end of this year, an action plan for health and wellbeing which will setout the government’s health care strategy and key actions for the next three years.Public consultation to inform the de…
25 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which patient groups and treatments are not included in waiting times targets.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Current waiting timestargets for first out-patient consultations and hospital in-patient and day casetreatment cover consultant-led acute specialities, excluding mental health, learningdisabilities, obstetrics and homeopathy.</p><p>I have already announcedour…
25 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time was from patients with mental health problems being referred by a GP to receiving treatment from a (i) psychiatrist, (ii) psychologist, (iii) counsellor or (iv) community psychiatric nurse in the last year for which figures are available.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not available centrally.</p> <p >To improve the position we are examining a range of options, including through HEAT targets, to provide the benchmark information needed for better performance and better measure of the performanc…
25 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the impact of large wind farm developments is taken into account in the planning of upstream flood alleviation schemes.
Answer · Michael Russell: Under the Flood Prevention(Scotland) Act 1961, flood prevention schemes follow a statutory procedure underwhich schemes are brought forward by the local authority, advertised and submittedto Scottish ministers for confirmation. Flood Prevention Schemes are su…
21 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to alleviate overcrowding at HM Prison Porterfield in Inverness.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response isas follows:</p><p>The position at Inverness is closely monitored on a daily basis and assistanceis given by other establishments as and when necessary. In Novemb…
21 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the needs of mental health patients whose care and support has been adversely affected by the industrial action taken by mental health officers employed by Highland Council.
Answer · Shona Robison: The local healthboard and others involved took the necessary actions to ensure that the care andsupport of patients in Highland were not adversely affected by the recentwork to rule by some MHOs employed by Highland Council. The dispute was resolvedon 14 Sept…
20 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when two hours of quality physical education by specialist PE teachers will be provided in schools across Scotland.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Local authoritiesare working towards a target of two hours of good quality physical educationfor each child every week by the end of the school year 2007-08. Her Majesty’s Inspectorateof Education (HMIE) have been monitoring the move towards providing two hou…
20 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when free year-round access to local authority swimming pools for all children will be implemented.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3520 on 4 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how access to NHS dental services will be improved, given recent research from the University of Dundee that concluded that 3% of dental graduates are committed to work wholly in the NHS.
Answer · Shona Robison: Most high street dentistsundertake a mix of NHS and private treatment.</p><p>The number of dentistsproviding general dental services has increased from 2,301 in March 2006 to 2,474in March 2007.</p><p>In Scotland we have introduced a bursary scheme which allo…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is developing an integrated care plan involving a single point of contact for people with mental health and substance misuse problems.
Answer · Shona Robison: <strong><i>Delivering for Mental Health</i></strong><strong> (Bib. number 41410) includedan undertaking at Commitment 13 to translate the principles of <i>Mind the Gaps</i>and <i>A Fuller Life</i> to practical measures and advice on what action needs tobe tak…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards and partner agencies adequately train staff to identify and address co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems.
Answer · Shona Robison: Consultations on adraft report, <i>Delivering for Mental</i> <i>Health: Mental Health and Substance</i>Misuse (<a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations</a>)were completed on 13 September 2007. We are now cons…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all substance use services and mental health agencies have assessment processes which identify co-morbidity in order to match care to level of need.
Answer · Shona Robison: Consultations on adraft report, Delivering for Mental Health: Mental Health and Substance Misuse (<ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations</a>)were completed on 3 September 2007. We are now consideringthe resp…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which detoxification and rehabilitation units also diagnose and treat underlying mental health conditions and which mental health issues are treated at each unit.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information isnot held centrally.</p>
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychiatric hospital readmissions there have been as a result of substance misuse in each year since 1999.
Answer · Shona Robison: The numbers of firstadmissions and readmissions with a diagnosis of substance misuse (illicit drugsand alcohol) since 1999 until 2005 (most current calendar year with complete data)are contained in tables 1 (drugs) and 2 (alcohol). A copy has been placed in t…
13 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the measurements of deprivation used in rural areas and islands where the population is spatially dispersed.
Answer · John Swinney: There are no measurementsof deprivation specific to rural areas and islands where the population is spatiallydispersed. In terms of resource allocation different funding streams consider deprivationmeasures in the context of the basis on which the funding is …
6 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for recruitment and training of staff to take on the responsibilities associated with cognitive behaviour therapy.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are working withNHS Education for Scotland (NES) to improve training for a range of staff in cognitivebehavioural therapy (CBT) through a variety of initiatives. This includes workingwith partners to develop a national approach to training professionals in…
6 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recognised depression assessment tool is used by GPs and whether this tool is used by other health professionals to identify symptoms of depression.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Quality OutcomesFramework (QOF) for GPs requires the use of a screening tool for the identificationof depression. Two screening instruments are referred to: the Hamilton Anxiety andDepression Scale (HADS) and the Psychiatric Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). …
6 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will increase the capacity for cognitive behaviour therapy and whether programmes of this therapy will be extended to all areas of Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are working withNHS Education for Scotland to increase access to a range of evidence-based psychologicaltherapies (including cognitive behavioural therapy, CBT). The 2006 discussion paper<i>Increasing the Availability of Evidence- Based Psychological Thera…
5 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that sportsmen and sportswomen of all ages can be supported to achieve their full potential in competitive sports.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Sportscotland’s corporate plan 2007-11 setsout what is being done in the area of performance development to contribute toachieving the aims of Reaching Higher, the national strategy for sport in Scotland. The corporate plan, along with the business plan2007-0…
5 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase participation in all sports.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The ScottishGovernment is fully committed to working with the key delivery partners forsport in Scotland to achieve the two national outcomes ofincreasing participation and improving performance set out in Reaching Higher,the national strategy for sport.</p>
5 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether mental health issues are taken into account in the assessment, referral and treatment of people with drug and alcohol addiction.
Answer · Shona Robison: Mental health issuesshould be taken into account in the assessment, referral and treatment of peoplewith drug and alcohol addiction.</p><p>A range of initiativesto improve mental health services were launched in December 2006. These includea specific commitme…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cochlear implant operations have been performed on (a) children and (b) adults in each NHS board area in 2006-07.
Answer · Shona Robison: National datasubmission for 2006-07 hospital activity is not yet complete. The informationfor the years 2003-2006 was contained in the answer to S3W-00652, answered on 14 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long on average (a) children and (b) adults needing cochlear implants have waited for treatment in each year since 2002-03 from (i) GP to ENT consultant, (ii) ENT consultant to formal assessment and (iii) formal assessment to cochlear implant operation, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The following tablecontains information on average waiting times for assessment and treatment by thetwo Scottish centres providing cochlear implant operations. This information isnot available broken down by NHS board, nor as separate adult and children waiti…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) graduate diploma students in audiology will complete the course in 2008 and (b) BSc audiology students are expected to graduate in 2009.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In Scotland only Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh offers courses in audiology, 2005-6 was the first year in which the coursewas offered.</p><p>Queen Margaret University state that eight students are enrolled onaudiology courses at the graduate diploma l…
2 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many landlords have been considered unfit for registration under the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Governmentrecognises that the vast majority of landlords operate lawfully. No applicationsfor registration have been rejected yet, but several local authorities are takingaction on applications where there are concerns. This may involve the landl…
26 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1424 by Shona Robison on 16 July 2007, which NHS boards offer two ultrasound scans.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-832 on 22 June 2007 which listed those boards routinely carrying out foetalanomaly scans at 18–22 weeks. All boards offer ultrasound scans at booking.</p><p>All answers towritten parliamentary questions are avai…
24 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to any hospices faced with service cuts in palliative care due to funding shortages.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Funding arrangements forspecialist palliative care provided by independent voluntary hospices in Scotland areset out in HDL (2003)18. This guidance was agreed between Hospices, the NHS andthe Scottish Government. Since 1990 there has been a commitment that NH…
24 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any proven evidence linking childhood leukaemia to the proximity of electricity pylons.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Some studies have associated proximity of residence to high voltage power lines and the risk of childhood leukaemia. However, the Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency advises that the epidemiological evidence is not strong enough to j…