Mary Scanlon

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that the public is aware of and understands the scope of healthcare services available from pharmacies, in order to utilise the skills, training and experience of pharmacists for the benefit of patients.

Answer · Shona Robison: Community pharmacy contractorsare required to produce a practice leaflet giving customer advice on the NHS servicesoffered.</p><p>Thenew community pharmacy contract is designed to make better use of the professionalskills of community pharmacy in providing di…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support existing schools of pharmacy to meet the needs of pharmacists in Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: Support is provided to the existingSchools for Pharmacy to meet the needs of pharmacists in Scotland throughfunding by NHS Education for Scotland for the provision of postgraduate courses in pharmacyand extended prescribing rights.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will create an opportunity for all pharmacy graduates to access funded pre-registration placements in Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Government is currently inthe process of introducing a new NHS Pre-registration Pharmacist Scheme. It is beingdeveloped and will be administered by NHS Education for Scotland. Thescheme will be introduced fully from the beginning of the 2008-09 academic y…

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether audiology will be included in its patient waiting time target of 18 weeks.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I will announce our plansfor reducing waiting times in Scotland in the near future.</p>

31 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its 18-week patient waiting time target will be maintained following the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s announcement on 29 May 2007 on availability status codes.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Yes, I expect NHS boards tocontinue to deliver the current 18 week in-patient and day case treatmentwaiting times target, whilst ensuring that Availability Status Codes areabolished and new arrangements for measuring waiting times are introduced asquickly as …

30 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent Scottish Consumer Council research, what action is being taken to ensure that all NHS boards develop a policy and strategy on how they handle public enquiries to the NHS.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards have been askedto take action as a matter of urgency to address the issues raised in the Scottish Consumer Council Report and will be asked to provide regular updatesto allow us to monitor progress towards the development of a policy andstrategy in…

30 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to fund research and development of Sweet Gale and other non-food products in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Action, including researchand development, to exploit the commercial potential of the oil produced fromthe Sweet Gale plant is being taken forward by a consortium led by Highland NaturalProducts Ltd and Alliance Boots. We have been working with representative…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to continue payment of the mental health specific grant and, if so, whether it is considering an increase.

Answer · Shona Robison: The MentalHealth Specific Grant scheme will be considered along with all health spend duringspending review 2007.</p>

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the allocation of discretionary points to consultants in the NHS.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The criteria for the allocationof discretionary points to consultants is set out in the Annex to the Health Department’sletter of 12 January 2000. This is set as follows:</p><p>1. Discretionary Points are notseniority payments, nor automatic annual increments…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for distinction awards paid to consultants in the NHS.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The criteria for distinctionawards paid to consultants in the NHS is set out in the <i>Guide to the Consultants’Distinction Awards Scheme in Scotland</i> which is published annually by the ScottishAdvisory Committee on Distinction Awards (SACDA). The latest v…

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider merging disparate emergency services training facilities into a central Scottish unit, as recommended in the Howat report.

Answer · John Swinney: The budget reviewreport will contribute to our strategic thinking around the spending review. Itwould be inappropriate to comment on the detail or pre-empt any commitmentahead of the spending review 2007.</p>

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will improve contracts with community pharmacies and improve prescribing and monitoring of drugs spend in order to create savings in the NHS, as recommended in the Howat report.

Answer · John Swinney: The budget reviewreport will contribute to our strategic thinking around the spending review. Itwould be inappropriate to comment on the detail or pre-empt any commitmentahead of the spending review 2007.</p>

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it maximises productivity gains from the more effective use of existing technology, including information and management systems.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s plansfor the efficient and effective use of existing technology are incorporated withinits corporate strategy and information and communications technology programme.</p>

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering reducing the number of NHS boards, as recommended in the Howat report.

Answer · John Swinney: The Budget Reviewreport will contribute to our strategic thinking around the spending review. Itwould be inappropriate to comment on the detail or pre-empt any commitment aheadof the Spending Review 2007.</p>

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage research and development in new and improved medicines while ensuring that drugs are reasonably priced.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office(CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility forencouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland.CSO does not normally commission research but supports research projects …

29 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take more cognisance of skills mix, staffing levels and more productive models of care, as recommended in the Howat report.

Answer · John Swinney: The Budget Reviewreport will contribute to our strategic thinking around the spending review. Itwould be inappropriate to comment on the detail or pre-empt any commitment aheadof the Spending Review 2007.</p>

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to upgrade the A95.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Strategic Transport ProjectsReview which is due to report in summer 2008 will consider the A95 as a link connectingthe Inverness to Perth and the Inverness to Aberdeen national strategic transport corridors.</p>

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase funding to Moray Council for investment in flood alleviation measures.

Answer · Michael Russell: A total of £42 million hasbeen made available to local authorities for the period 2007-08 to supporttheir flood prevention and coast protection programmes. Confirmed floodprevention schemes that meet the Executive’s technical, environmental andeconomic criter…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be given to connect the A9 and A96 to the A82 in south Inverness.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Highland Council is currently carrying out the Inverness SouthConnectivity Study into possible improvements to the Inverness Southern DistributorRoad (ISDR), including its connections with the A9 trunk road and onwards to theA96. This study is programmed to b…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for a Nairn bypass.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-231 on 11 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Elgin bypass will be built.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland hasworked in close partnership with HITRANS and NESTRANS on a jointly fundedmulti-modal study to examine the needs of the transport corridor between Aberdeen andInverness.<b> </b>The evidence gathered by this study on transport mattersaffec…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to upgrade the A82.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The A82 Tarbet to Fort WilliamAction Plan recommended a ten year improvement programme at a cost of £90 million.The outcome of this study will feed into the Strategic Transport Projects Reviewwhich will examine the needs of our national strategic transport co…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to upgrade the A96 from Aberdeen to Inverness.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are currentlyproposals for over £30 million of programmed investments on the A96 between Aberdeen andInverness, including:</p><p>TheFochabers to Mosstodloch Bypass</p><p>JunctionImprovements at Threapland</p><p>Overtakingopportunities at Delnies.</p><p>…

24 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to upgrade the A9 north of Perth.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Completed and proposed improvementsto the A9 including the following schemes valued at an estimated £50 million.</p><p>A9 Improvements in Current Programme</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=228 valign=top> <p align=center>Scheme…

23 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a Scottish directory of detoxification and rehabilitation facilities for people addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government plansto introduce a national online directory of drug treatment and rehabilitation servicesin Scotland.</p><p>Information on available alcoholtreatment services is currently available from the website <ahref="http://www.infoscotland.co…

23 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the development of a managed clinical network in endodontics to enable patients to receive more complex dental care more locally.

Answer · Shona Robison: We have commissioned a needsassessment report on endodontics which is expected to report by the end of the year.Following the findings of this report we shall consider the need for a managed clinicalnetwork in endodontics.</p>

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the NHS fee structure for dental treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: Annual increases in dentists’remuneration are recommended by the independent Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body.A simplification of the fee-scale is also currently being considered with the intentionto reduce the current 400+ item of service fees to around 10…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to give patients a choice of hospital for their treatment.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Our discussions over the comingmonths with NHS boards and other organisations over how to further reduce waitingtimes for the benefit of patients will include consideration of giving patientsa choice of hospital of treatment.</p>

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that people with mental health problems receive support and treatment at the earliest possible stage.

Answer · Shona Robison: We will continue to work in partnershipwith NHS boards, local authorities, the voluntary sector and other partners to delivera healthier, fairer Scotland for all those with a mental health problem, and fortheir carers and families.</p><p>That work will includ…

22 May 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether emphasis on everyday activities like walking and cycling will reduce the usage of ministerial cars.

Answer · John Swinney: Ministers are fullyaware of, and recognise, all of the benefits of everyday healthy activities, includingwalking and cycling and will build them into their daily schedules whenever practical.</p>