Mary Scanlon

25 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage vacancy rate is for consultant psychologists.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As part of our drive to improvethe quality of workforce information, ISDScotland plans to publish vacancy statisticsfor staff in psychology services later in 2004.</p>

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to undertake an audit of NHS boards' progress towards implementing the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland's guideline and MEL (2000) 6 Expert Advisory Group Report On Infertility Services and when the results of any such audit will be published.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is currently reviewing the level of service provision of NHS funded infertilitytreatment across NHS Scotland against the expert groups recommendations. I anticipatethis review being completed later in 2004.</p>

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many speech and language therapists work in services dedicated to (a) mental health and (b) young offenders.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not heldcentrally.  I look to NHS boards to determine the need for local therapy servicesand to provide the services required.</p>

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that people with a communication impairment benefit from the rights conferred by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in relation to access to public services.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The Disability DiscriminationAct 1995 is reserved to Westminster and the UK Government is working with the DisabilityRights Commission to promote awareness of the legislation throughout Great Britain.It is the responsibility of service providersto ensure that…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available in relation to communication impairment in (a) people with mental health problems, (b) young offenders, and (c) people with learning disabilities.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Department is developinga range of equality and diversity partnerships aimed at delivering the <i>Partnershipfor Care </i>commitment of ensuring that whatever the individual circumstances ofpeople’s lives they have access to the right health servic…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have (a) a diagnosed communication impairment, (b) aphasia, (c) a specific language impairment and (d) a pervasive communication disorder in each NHS board area.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection is now available to assist fertility treatments and, if so, how many women have benefited from this treatment.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: All four Scottish tertiary referralcentres, in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow provide Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) as wellas standard IVF treatments.</p><p>The number of ICSI treatmentsperformed is not held centrally.</p>

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether women under the age of 40 will receive one free IVF treatment cycle where necessary.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the Member to the answergiven to S2W-8470 on 9 June 2004 that details the criteria for access to NHS fundedinfertility treatment that NHS boards have been asked to implement.</p><p>All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Pa…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the evidence-based clinical guideline, Fertility assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems, developed by the National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, will be implemented.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The National Institute for ClinicalEvidence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing nationalguidance on treatments and care for people using the NHS in England and Wales. </p><p>The report of the Expert AdvisoryGroup on Infertility Se…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what psychological and counselling support is offered to couples before, during and after infertility treatment.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The report of the Expert AdvisoryGroup on Infertility Services in Scotland (2000) recommends that couples receiving management inLevel II infertility centres (specialist infertility teams in district generalhospitals) should have access to appropriate, indepe…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the circumstances where a 38-year-old woman has to wait for two years for infertility treatment, by which time she is no longer eligible for treatment because of her age.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The eligibility criteria for access to NHS funded infertility treatment are re-applied for each treatment cycle. Thus, for example, if the woman reaches the age of 38 or if her total number of unsuccessful embryo transfers reaches three, then the couple becom…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to diagnose endometriosis at the earliest possible stage to reduce the risk of infertility problems at a later date.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Royal College of Obstetricsand Gynaecology guidelines on endometriosis have been brought to the attention ofhealth professionals through the Royal College's clinical networks in gynaecology,general practice and other health professions. Advice in the guid…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage success rate is of infertility treatments in all treatment centres, after (a) one, (b) two and (c) three treatments.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not heldcentrally. I refer the member to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authorityfor this information.</p>

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the eligibility criteria are for infertility treatment and whether these criteria apply in all NHS boards.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS). <i>Evidence and Equity</i>, was published in February 2000. The report provides a robust evidence base for the management and delivery of infertility services and it will pr…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how patients are assessed for the most appropriate and effective infertility treatment.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: As recommended by the ExpertAdvisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland, the initial investigation and management of infertility,provided by the primary care team, should be couple-based, covering basic history-takingand clinical  examination. This sta…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information is being provided to GPs to ensure that they are aware of available infertility services and understand the need to refer patients quickly to specialist clinics before age becomes a barrier to treatment.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Copies of the report of the ExpertAdvisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland, which provides a robust evidence base for the managementand delivery of infertility services, was distributed to all health boards uponits publication in 2000. The distribut…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all couples retain their place on the waiting list for infertility treatment for a second cycle of treatment, following an unsuccessful first cycle of treatment.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Expert Advisory Group onInfertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) was published in February 2000. The reportprovides a robust evidence base for the management and delivery of infertility servicesand it will provide equity of access to services and treatme…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was from the point of diagnosis to the beginning of the first cycle of IVF or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection treatment in each NHS board in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards offer the full range of infertility services, including tertiary infertility services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The table below details the assisted conception techniques that are funded by each NHS board at April 2004.</p><p>Each of these techniques are provided by one of Scotland’s four tertiary referral centres based in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.</p><t…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland's guidelines on infertility services.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Programme for ClinicalEffectiveness in Reproductive Health (SPCERH), commissioned by the Chief MedicalOfficer, held a consensus conference in 2003 to reconsider the eligibility criteriafor access to NHS funded infertility treatment. The Executive…

24 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cycles of IVF and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection treatment were provided by each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.</p><p>Table 1 below shows the amount of complete treatment cycles (diagnosis through to embryo transfer) that NHS boards currently fund per year (data submitted to Scottish Executive Health Department April 200…

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether methadone prescribing is the best option for drug addicts' health.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Drug treatment and rehabilitationprogrammes need to be tailored to the needs and circumstances of individual patients,in discussion with their medical and social care professionals. Different interventions,or combinations of interventions, work for different …

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the methadone prescribing programme has been a success as a harm reduction strategy.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Methadone is used as a treatmentin many countries, and its benefits are supported by a substantial body of nationaland international research. Both the National Treatment Outcome Research Study andthe early results from the Drug Outcome Research in Scotland s…

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times are for residential (a) drug detoxification and (b) alcohol detoxification in each NHS board area.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The following, based on information provided by Drug and Alcohol Action Teams in their annual corporate action plans, indicates the maximum waiting times for residential detoxification services in 2002-03: </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <the…

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) known methadone addicts and (b) people prescribed methadone are given regular screening assessment and referral to provide them with knowledge of their condition and options available for detoxification and rehabilitation.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Decisions on treatment interventionsand options are for individual patients and their clinicians. The UK Health Departments’<i>Drug Misuse and Dependence – Guidelines on Clinical Management </i>set out advicefor clinicians on the range of treatment options av…

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it costs to supply prescribed methadone to one person for one year.

Answer · Hugh Henry: It is not possible to providethis information. </p><p>Costs of prescribing by GPs andother medical professionals will depend on fees and remunerations which vary fromarea to area. The same principle applies to pharmacy costs, which are also negotiatedlocally.…

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all people prescribed methadone are routinely screened for consumption of heroin and other drugs.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The UK Health Departments’ <i>DrugMisuse and Dependence – Guidelines on Clinical Management</i> set out guidance forhealth professionals on assessing patients and monitoring compliance with treatmentprogrammes, including urine testing and inspection of inject…

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research and statistics are available to show whether the prescribing of methadone has reduced drug-related crime.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Both the National Treatment OutcomesResearch Study in England, and the early results from the Drug Outcome Researchin Scotland (DORIS) study confirm the benefits from treatment, in respect of reducedcriminal activity, reduced use of illegal drugs and reduced …

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to help people addicted to methadone.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Decisions on treatment interventions,or combinations of interventions, are for individual patients and their health professionals.People who are experiencing difficulty with their methadone prescriptions can discuss,for example, reduced dosage regimes, other …

11 May 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is planned to allow access to employability services for recovered drug and alcohol addicts.

Answer · Hugh Henry: A great deal of activity andfunds are already being directed to help people who have recovered, or are recovering,from drug and alcohol problems into training and employment. </p><p>For example, resources from theNew Futures Fund, which is unique to Scotland,…