Parliamentary questions
Mary Scanlon
4,514 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measure will be taken if a patient refuses to participate in any exercise-on-prescription scheme.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Exercise-on-prescription is oneway to encourage patients to increase their level of activity by attending leisurecentres or gyms for supervised exercise programmes.Decisions about the most appropriate treatmentor care are taken jointly by the patient and the …
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will implement independent regulation to ensure that supermarkets give space to fresh local and seasonal produce and what sanctions will be taken if supermarkets do not comply with any such regulation.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We will be consulting primaryproducers, processors and the supermarkets on how best to ensure fresh local andseasonal produce is given adequate space and clear signage in retail outlets acrossScotland. We are keen to increase our efforts in this area.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will liaise with the UK Government and food producers to achieve clearer labelling and kite markings of foods with a health benefit available for sale in Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: We will continueto be advised by the Food Standards Agency on this matter. I am advised that theagency has recently consulted both the food industry, consumer organisations andother government departments in relation to new rules on nutrition and health claim…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to any presumption against centralisation of core hospital services, which services are guaranteed to remain in service and which may be considered for closure.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38 on 1 June 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will incentivise hospitals to do more.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are considering how best totake forward this issue and will consult fully on our proposals in due course.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of the immediate abolition of prescription charges for people (a) with chronic conditions, (b) with cancer and (c) in full-time education or training.
Answer · Shona Robison: The cost of abolition will dependon the definition that is applied to “chronic conditions”, “cancer”, and “full-timeeducation or training”. We are currently considering those definitions and willadvise the parliament once decisions are taken.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which chronic conditions entitle patients to free prescriptions.
Answer · Shona Robison: The chronic conditions that entitlepatients to free NHS prescriptions are:</p><p>Hypoparathyroidism.</p><p>Hypoadrenalism (for which specificsubstitution therapy is essential).</p><p>Diabetes insipidus and otherforms of hypopituitarism.</p><p>Diabetes Mellitu…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to pursue the establishment of a protocol with Westminster which would allow the Scottish Parliament a veto over the deployment of military resources and personnel based in Scotland.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: We have no such plans at present.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make with a view to ensuring that FlyBe maintains a three flights per day schedule from Inverness to Gatwick.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In discussion with the ScottishExecutive Flybe has confirmed that it is fully committed to maintaining at leastthe current three return flights per day service on the Inverness to LondonGatwick route.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal action will be taken if any patient’s waiting time guarantee is not met.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34 on 31 May 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give every patient a legally binding waiting time guarantee for infertility treatment.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34 on 31 May 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/wa.sear…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give every patient a legally binding waiting time guarantee for drug detoxification and rehabilitation services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34 on 31 May 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.searc…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement a upper limit on artificially produced fats (trans-fats) in food, oils and fats used in the preparation of food in respect of Scottish, UK and imported foods and, if so, by what means it will implement such a limit.
Answer · Shona Robison: We will continue to be advisedby the Food Standards Agency on this matter. I am advised that the agency is currentlyconsulting on a draft saturated fat and energy programme, including the use of transfatty acids.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of providing an additional 10,000 respite weeks per year.
Answer · Shona Robison: The cost of respite is dependenton the type and level of respite provided and the client groups for whom it is provided.The Respite Task Group, established last year, estimated the average cost of residentialrespite as £629 per week. On that basis, the cost o…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give local authorities more resources to implement free personal and nursing care and, if so, how much will be given.
Answer · Shona Robison: We will establish an independentreview to investigate the level and distribution of resources available to localauthorities for free personal and nursing care. Future provision for the policywill be considered as part of the spending review.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that care home payments for elderly people will be the same in the voluntary and independent sector as in council care homes.
Answer · Shona Robison: The level of payment for an olderperson funded by a local authority in a care home in the independent or voluntarysector is agreed between the Scottish Government, local authorities and the independentsector.</p><p>The cost of providing care ina local authori…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates requires to be invested in mental health and wellbeing services in order to achieve a 10% reduction in use of anti-depressants by 2009.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS boards and theirpartners are already making a significant investment in mental health andwellbeing services. They are using this existing investment to increase theavailability of evidence based psychological therapies and to improve uptake ofself help an…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce a no-fault system of compensation to replace the current NHS clinical negligence scheme and, if so, at what estimated cost.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executive does intendto introduce a no-fault system for compensation to help foster a more open and respectful relationship betweenpatients and clinical staff and we will consult fully on our proposals in due course. However, it is too early to s…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional dentists would be required for the re-introduction of the school-based dental service.
Answer · Shona Robison: This will depend on the precisemode of implementation. We are currently actively considering the options for implementingthis manifesto commitment.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any persons will not be eligible to stand for direct election to NHS boards.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We will consider all theissues, including eligibility for election, relating to direct elections to NHSboards and will consult on proposals when we are ready to do so.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the delivery of NHS 24 through more local mini-centres would lead to improved response times and patient care.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are currently five localNHS 24 centres which were developed in partnership with local NHS boards in Highland, Ayrshireand Arran, Lanarkshire, Tayside and Dumfries and Galloway and which have been in operation since November 2005.The centres are co-locat…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that health practitioners will commit to working in rural areas.
Answer · Shona Robison: It is a matter of personalchoice on the part of the health care professional whether or not they wish towork in a remote and rural area of Scotland. Local health systems determinelocal needs and NHSScotland has a workforce planning framework in place toassist…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure independent scrutiny of NHS board plans prior to consultation.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35 on 31 May 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/search_w…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS services currently proposed for closure will be retained.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have made clear that we willreverse the previous decisions on accident and emergency services at Monklands andAyrhospitals. In considering proposals for significant service change that come to me for afinal decision in the future, I will considereach case o…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all patients receiving homeopathy treatment will have their treatment fully funded by the NHS.
Answer · Shona Robison: We recognise the benefits whichhomeopathic treatments may bring to some patients in terms of improved quality oflife. Where patients and their clinicians consider that this would be an appropriateform of treatment and where it is to be provided as an NHS serv…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any excessive charges for NHS services, other than excessive car parking charges at NHS hospitals, will be reduced and, if so, for which services charges will be reduced.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are reviewing guidance tohealth boards to ensure that charges for NHS services are not excessive.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of reducing any excessive charges for car parking at NHS hospitals.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The five NHS boards that levy charges provide car parking as an in-house service, through a private sector provider or a combination of these methods of provision and accordingly each have different charging structures.</p><p>The current guidance on car park …
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to increase the numbers of NHS physiotherapists and other allied health professionals.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I am committed to maximisingthe potential of Allied Health Professionals to reduce waiting times. In particular,I am exploring ways of ensuring that we make the most of the available pool of physiotherapists.As part of this approach, we are working inpartners…
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether private health care providers will be used to meet any legally binding waiting time guarantee.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We will consult on proposalsto introduce individual waiting time guarantees in due course.</p>
22 May 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any current NHS facility, including accident and emergency centres, will be closed as a result of investment in any new fast-track diagnostic and treatment centres.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-147 on 1 June 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…