Parliamentary questions

Nanette Milne

1,264 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) admissions to hospitals to treat alcoholic liver disease and (b) liver disease deaths there were in each year since 1996.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Tables providing thisinformation are available in, the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Table 1 (Bib number 40166)shows the number of discharges from hospitals with an explicit diagnosis ofalcoholic liver disease each year from 1996.Table…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the implementation of an NHS national tariff.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive beganimplementation of a Scottish National Tariff in 2005-06. The tariff is based onestimated national average HRG (Healthcare Resource Groups) costs, derived fromthe Scottish Health Service Costs (Costs Book).It is intended that…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of suspension payments for medical staff was in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The latest informationprovided by Health Boards in response to the above question on the cost ofmedical suspensions in each year since 1999 is in the following table.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=95 valign=top>  </…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and (c) sexual harassment there were against female patients in mental health units in the last five years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isnot available centrally.

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints were made against doctors in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not heldcentrally.

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) number and (b) cost to the NHS was of (i) temporary and (ii) agency nurses in each year since 1995, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the use and associatedcosts of agency nurses for individual NHS boards in Scotland canbe accessed on table E13 of the following link:<ahref="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=1350&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies were born before 37 weeks of gestation in each year since 1995.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isavailable on NHS Scotland’s Information Services Division website at:<ahref="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp?pContentID=1022&p_applic=CCC&p_service=Content.show&">http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/info3.jsp…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many intensive care units are used to treat premature babies, broken down by location.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The following hospitals havea neonatal unit:Ayrshire Central HospitalBorders General HospitalRoyal Alexandra HospitalForth Park HospitalThe Princess Royal MaternityUnitSouthern General HospitalQueen Mother’s Ho…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of cancer patients wait longer than four weeks for radiotherapy.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot held centrally. The Scottish RadiotherapyAdvisory Group is seeking to develop a core data set to capture qualityassurance information to support the continuous improvement of radiotherapyservices.

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) median and (b) average waiting times are for genetic tests for women with a family history of breast cancer in each NHS board area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the questionsS2W-26943 and S2W-27105, both answered on 24 July 2006.All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are waiting for diagnostic tests, broken down by the number of weeks they have to wait.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot available centrally.ISD Scotland is workingclosely with the Executive and NHSScotland on the development andimplementation of a data collection system for waiting times for key diagnostictests and procedures. Central dat…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) median and (b) NHS average waiting times are for diagnostic tests, including scans, internal examinations and hearing tests.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot available centrally.

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many out-patients are on hospital waiting lists, also expressed as a rate per 100,000 of the population, and how the (a) median and (b) average waiting times in days compared with the equivalent figures for England in each of the last 16 quarters.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Census information on the numberof patients waiting for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant,following referral by a general medical/dental practitioner, has only beencollected centrally since 30 September 2004. Information on the number of patie…

14 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many in-patient and day cases are on hospital waiting lists, also expressed as a rate per 100,000 of the population, and how the (a) median and (b) average wait in days compared with the equivalent figures for England in each of the last 16 quarters.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the number ofpatients on the in-patient and day case waiting list and the waiting list as arate per 100,000 of the population, for the last 16 quarters, is provided intable 1.The majority of patients whorequire in-patient and day case tr…

23 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken with healthcare professionals in NHS boards to evaluate formula feeding practices, given that 85 per cent of infants are formula fed in the first year of life.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for individualNHS boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

23 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how healthcare professionals will be kept up to date with the latest developments in infant formula feeding and its preparation to ensure that parents are given the information they need in order to minimise the risks associated with formula feeding.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for individualNHS boards.

23 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether single shared assessments are being conducted in all local authority areas across Scotland and, if not, whether it will list the local authority areas where such assessments are not being conducted.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Every local authority is carryingout single shared assessments.

14 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on the rural economy of the cost of petrol and diesel.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has made no detailedassessment of the impact of fuel prices alone on the rural economy. Nevertheless,we are aware that the Rural Scotland Price Survey showed that in 2003 fuel pricesin some rural areas were 13% higher than in urban Scotland. The…

14 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farm-related jobs there were in each parliamentary constituency in each year since 1999.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Information on the number offarm-related jobs in each parliamentary constituency is not readily available.Information from the June Agricultural Census, includingthe number of farm-related jobs, is available by Regional Groupings of Unitary Authorities…

14 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms there were in each parliamentary constituency in each year since 1999.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Information on the number offarms in each parliamentary constituency is not readily available.Information from the June Agricultural Census, includingthe number of farms, is available by Regional Groupings of Unitary Authorities.This information is pub…

7 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurse specialists there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by speciality.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Priorto 2003, centrally held information did not explicitly identify Clinical Nurse Specialistsacross NHSScotland.In 2003, Scottish Health Statistics(ISD) undertook a pilot data collection, the results of which were published onthe ISD website under Wo…

7 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurse consultants are employed in the NHS, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) speciality.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards in Scotland areresponsible for establishing approved Nurse/Midwifery Consultant posts within theirboard area.Information on nurse consultantstaff employed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics websiteunder Workforce …

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the recommendations specific to pandemics in the 2000 report by Dr Richard Simpson on influenza vaccination have been implemented and whether the recommendations contributed to the formation of the influenza pandemic contingency plans for Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executiveresponded to the recommendations in the 2000 report by Dr Richard Simpson in December 2000. A copy of thatresponse can be found at:<ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/historic/health/papers-01/hep01-01.pd…

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recommendations in the 2000 report by Dr Richard Simpson on influenza vaccination have been implemented.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executiveresponded to the recommendations in the 2000 report by Dr Richard Simpson in December 2000. A copy of thatresponse can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/historic/health/papers-01/hep01-01.p…

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a review of the Mental Health Specific Grant scheme.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The grant scheme is kept underon-going review for relevancy and value for money. Local authority partners also monitor all projects to ensureaims and objectives continue to be met.Detailed information on MHSG,including current guidance and the most rec…

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated annually to the Mental Health Specific Grant scheme since its inception and whether it will provide a breakdown of the projects funded by the scheme.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The annual allocations are shownin the following table. Details of the 370 projects currently funded can be foundat:<ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/mental-health/servicespolicy/Finance/MHSGprojects">www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/He…

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the Mental Health Specific Grant has been frozen for the second year in succession and whether it is satisfied that mental health groups can maintain their service level without additional funding in the current year.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The funds have beenmaintained at £20 million despite competing priorities and a very tight financialclimate generally. These resources continue to make a significant and continuingcontribution to 370 local community based mental health projects and initiative…

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue clear guidance to GPs and other medical professionals in respect of its new stoma care arrangements to minimise any confusion, protect patient confidentiality and ensure that its commitment to universal patient choice of appliance supplier is upheld.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Revisions to stoma appliancesupply arrangements introduced in April 2006 involve no changes to prescriptionarrangements. Further guidance clarifying this was issued through health boardmedical directors to GPs and others at the start of June.

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to monitor the implementation of its new stoma care arrangements and what steps are being taken to ensure that patient confidentiality is protected under such arrangements.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: NHS boards will carry out apatient audit which will seek the views of patients about their experience of thestoma service arrangements. A national review group is being established chairedby a senior NHS manager, which will meet when information from the pati…

31 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place to protect the welfare of patients whose stoma appliance service involves the use of external contractors to undertake the cutting and fitting of appliances; whether all such patients are made aware of the use of contractors as part of their stoma service; w…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26419 on 14 June 2006. 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.s…