Mary Scanlon

17 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1774 by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 July 2007, what action is being taken to reduce the average waiting time for fertility treatment in NHS Grampian from five years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data on waiting times is notroutinely collected, and the Grampian data was from April 2005. Up-to-dateinformation is currently being gathered from all NHS boards. Once it isreceived we will consider our approach to waiting list management. The finalreport wil…

16 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1495 by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 July 2007, whether the Healthcare Associated Infections Task Force will issue guidelines to NHS boards on the inclusion of MRSA as a contributory factor to, or the underlying cause of, death in order to ensure a consiste…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is not within the remitof the Healthcare Associated Infections Task Force to give recommendations onthe recording of causes of death, for which the General Register Office forScotland (GROS) has sole legal responsibility. </p><p>The GROS guidance oncomplet…

13 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether naltrexone implants are offered on the NHS for drug addicted people and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Shona Robison: Naltrexone implants are notlicensed for use in the UK. However, naltrexone hydrochloride in tablet form isused in the treatment of formerly opioid-dependent patients.</p><p>Medicines legislation allowsfor the use of unlicensed medicines if it is considered to…

13 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how Agenda for Change has benefited (a) ambulance technicians and (b) ambulance paramedics.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Agenda for Change hasfundamentally restructured pay and terms and conditions for nearly allnon-medical staff in NHS Scotland and benefited the vast majority financially. Byreplacing the old “Whitley” system (which had each staff group working underdifferent t…

13 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended staffing level is for an accident and emergency ambulance.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The policy is that anaccident and emergency ambulance should be double crewed, with at least onecrew member being a paramedic unless in exceptional circumstances, such asshort notice sick absence or leave where cover cannot be secured.</p>

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether children under 16 are entitled to free orthodontic treatment if this treatment is recommended by a dentist.

Answer · Shona Robison: Orthodontic treatment is freeto children under 16 subject to there being a clinical need for the work to be undertaken.</p>

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has in respect of each local authority on how many equal pay claims to employment tribunals are now time barred.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to thequestion S3W-2062 answered on 26 July 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist local authorities to fund single status agreements in the future.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answerto question S3W-2063 on 30 July 2007. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it will provide to local authorities to settle claims for equal pay.

Answer · John Swinney: There are no plans to makeany specific funding available to assist local government in settling theirequal pay claims. The 2007 Strategic Spending Review, which is currentlyunderway, will be an opportunity for the Scottish Government to consider allthe pressu…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is for each local authority to implement equal pay agreements.

Answer · John Swinney: The implementation of equalpay agreements in local government is a matter for local authorities and theinformation requested is not held centrally.</p>

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why people requiring physiotherapy treatment have to wait up to 18 weeks to receive treatment.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Governmentrecognises the importance to patients of reducing waiting times for allservices. Current waiting times targets and guarantees include only thoseservices that are provided or led by consultant staff. There can be significantvariations in…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that graduates in physiotherapy find jobs in Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Over the past 10 years thenumber of physiotherapists working in NHS Scotland have increased by 37%.Locally it is for NHS boards to plan the number and skill mix of staff neededto deliver services in their areas including the recruitment of newly qualifiedstaf…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are on NHS waiting lists to see physiotherapists.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested isnot available centrally.</p><p>The first nationalcollection of information on waiting times for services provided by AlliedHealth Professionals, including physiotherapy, was undertaken on 14 September 2005. Theresults from this cen…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities will gather information regarding practised unlawful discrimination in any business activity for the purpose of determining who is a fit and proper person to let property under the national registration scheme for private landlords.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Applicants for registrationare required to list any court or tribunal judgements against them under relevantdiscrimination legislation. Local authorities may also make use of informationwhich has been brought to their attention in relation to other councilser…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications under the national registration scheme for private landlords have been rejected on the basis of offences involving (a) fraud, (b) violence or (c) drugs.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: In determining whether anapplicant is a fit and proper person to be registered as a landlord, localauthorities are expected to make a balanced judgement on the basis of all theinformation available. Local authorities are currently giving due considerationto s…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether spent convictions for offences involving fraud, violence or drugs are being taken into account in determining who are fit and proper persons under the national registration scheme for private landlords.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the questionS3W-1769 answered on 19 July 2007. All answersto written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the code of practice is for international recruitment to NHS Scotland and how doctors in training from development countries on the prohibited list are recruited into the NHS.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Code of Practice for theInternational Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals in Scotland was publishedin March 2006. It aims to promote high standards of practice in internationalrecruitment based on the principle that such recruitment should not prejudi…

5 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors children living with parents who are (a) prescribed methadone, (b) drug addicts and (c) addicted to alcohol.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Monitoring individualchildren living with parents affected by substance misuse is the responsibilityof local agencies. We expect services to work together to identify children atrisk of harm from parental substance misuse and to take appropriate,coordinated a…

5 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to children living with parents who are prescribed methadone.

Answer · Adam Ingram: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Government to set strategic directions for the drugs agenda, aswell as to establish national guidelines and the integration of services. Providing support for children insubstance-misusing households, including those w…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will offer single vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella as an alternative to the MMR triple vaccine for those currently opting not to have their children vaccinated.

Answer · Shona Robison: MMR is the safest, most effectiveway to protect all children against the risks of Measles, Mumps and Rubella. Theuptake of the MMR vaccination remains at a higher level than in recent times, butwe will continue to monitor the level of immunisation. We would e…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to develop eating disorder services.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Quality ImprovementScotland has published recommendations for healthcare professionals on themanagement and treatment of eating disorders (Bib. number 41194). Thoserecommendations are supported by our 2007 published proposals for better led,managed, organ…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to reduce the number of admissions of children and young patients to adult beds.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are committed to reducingadmissions of children and young people to adult beds by 50% by 2009 and toincreasing the number of in-patient psychiatric beds for young people indedicated units to 47 by 2008 and to 56 by 2010. Visits this year to all NHSBoards h…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to improve mental health services for children and young people.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are working with NHS boardsand other partners to deliver the objectives set in the published Mental Healthof Children and Young People (Bib. number 38415) Delivering a Healthy Future(Bib. number 42137) and Delivering for Mental Health (Bib. number 41410). …

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has increased the availability of evidence-based psychological therapies for all age groups in a range of settings and through a range of providers in line with the commitments given in Delivering for Mental Health.

Answer · Shona Robison: Our policy involves changeto the training and educational infrastructure to increase numbers of trainedstaff to deliver the range of evidence based psychological therapies, includingcognitive behaviour therapies, by our 2010 timetable.</p><p>NHSEducation for …

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all patients presenting with depression to a GP will be given a formal assessment and matched therapy in accordance with the commitments given in Delivering for Mental Health.

Answer · Shona Robison: All patients presenting to aGP with depression or anxiety should have an assessment carried out using anagreed assessment tool. The outcome of that assessment will inform what levelof need the patient has and what treatment should be offered. </p><p>In this r…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether suitably qualified and trained academic dentists are available to fill all teaching and research posts required for the proposed dental school in Aberdeen.

Answer · Shona Robison: No decisions havebeen made on the number and type ofteaching and research posts that the proposedAberdeen dental school would require. An informed response to the question cannot, therefore,be provided at this stage.</p>

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum number of patients is who can be treated by dental students in outreach centres.

Answer · Shona Robison: No maximum has been set for the number of patients who can betreated by dental students in outreach centres.</p><p>Actual information on theoutreach centre in Aberdeen shows that 3,405 patients were booked for treatmentby dental students in its first full yea…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £30 million allocated to funding new dental premises was given to (a) NHS dentists on independent contracts and (b) private dental practitioners.

Answer · Shona Robison: Capital funding of£32,907,065 has been allocated under the Primary and Community Care PremisesModernisation Programme for 2006-08 for premises to support extended NHS dentalservices and community training of dentists and dental technicians includingthe provis…

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff it has allocated to support and advise local authorities on the implementation of the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: There are currently three membersof staff whose duties include supporting the implementation of landlord registration.In addition, an external IT contractor provides support to local authorities inrelation to use of the online registration system.</p>

29 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the administrative and technical costs have been of implementing the National Registration Scheme for Private Landlords.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish government has incurredexpenditure relating to implementing landlord registration as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=516 valign=top> <p>Production of consultation paper, guidance to local authorities, a…