Nanette Milne

25 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of Clostridium difficile have been reported in patients aged 65 and over in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested can be found in the following table: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) cases in Scotland by NHS board reported under the mandatory surveillance programme (2007 to 2013) NHS Board 2007* 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013** A…

21 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) regulations are in place, (b) plans it has to review the regulations and (c) advice it has given to local authorities regarding the breeding of dogs.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are no immediate plans to review the legislation on the breeding of dogs. The welfare standards associated with the breeding of dogs is already covered in Scotland by: the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973; the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991; The Breeding and Sale o…

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it has set for long-term reduction in the number of cases of group B streptococcus infection in babies in the first (a) six and (b) 90 days of life.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has not set any targets in relation to long-term reduction in the number of cases of group B streptococcus infection in babies in the first (a) six and (b) 90 days of life.

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase awareness of the signs of group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government recognises the recently revised guidance called The Prevention of Early-onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease issued by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) for obstetricians, midwives and neonatologists …

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase awareness among (a) pregnant women and their families and (b) maternity care health professionals of group B streptococcus infection and how to avoid such infection developing in babies.

Answer · Michael Matheson: (a) The Scottish Government funds NHS Health Scotland to develop and publish “Ready, Steady, Baby” a guide to pregnancy which is given to all pregnant women at their first booking appointment with a midwife. “Ready, Steady, Baby” advises, that in some areas, …

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to analyse group B streptococcus infection rates.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not analyse Group B Streptococcus infection rates, however Health Protection Scotland does and has produced the following table: Table 1: Number and incidence of confirmed laboratory reports of invasive Streptococcal Group B infe…

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent analysis it has carried out of adverse antibiotic reaction to intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis using narrow-spectrum penicillin to combat group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit of the University of Oxford is currently carrying out a sub-analysis of the anaphylaxis study, again looking at those women treated with antibiotics in relation to GBS/presumed GBS infection. This will, for the first t…

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met stakeholders to discuss group B streptococcus infection rates.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There have been no specific discussions about Group B Streptococcus infection rates with stakeholders.

20 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many times and (b) for how long on average the (i) A90, (ii) A96 have been closed as a result of crime scene investigations of accidents in the last three years, and for what reason these roads cannot be reopened for managed traffic flow more quickly in such cases.

Answer · Keith Brown: Details of trunk road closures on the A90 and A96 in the last three full calendar years are contained in the following table. Our records for 2013 are not yet complete. 2010 2011 2012 Road Number of Closures Average time (hrs) Number of Closures Ave…

18 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted for attacks on emergency service staff in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The available information is given in the following tables. The Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, have provisions for a person who assaults, resists, obstructs, molests or hinders emergency workers. Offences which spec…

18 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many attacks on emergency service staff have been reported in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level, and as such, do not distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the occupation of the victim. In addition, as local authority areas do …

18 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of public service reforms on the north east.

7 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that there is a need to increase the number of patients using anticoagulants who self-monitor and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Alex Neil: On the basis of current evidence, which can be found at: http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/129/index.html and http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg_-_evidence_notes/evidence_note_50.aspx there are n…

7 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to support NHS boards in implementing a comprehensive service delivery model for (a) patients on oral anticoagulants, (b) alternative therapies, (c) near patient testing and (d) patient self-testing/self-management.

Answer · Alex Neil: On the basis of current evidence, which can be found at: http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/129/index.html and http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg_-_evidence_notes/evidence_note_50.aspx there are no p…

7 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that there is a need for an increase in the level of self-monitoring among patients with heart conditions who use Warfarin and, if so, whether it plans to develop strategies to bring about such an increase.

Answer · Alex Neil: We expect people to be treated in line with the recommendations in Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 129 Antithrombotics: indications and management published in June 2013. Guideline 129 states that self-monitoring can be considered…

7 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many offences have been committed in Scotland in the last three years under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following table shows the number of offences involving dangerous dogs recorded under Sections 3 and 4 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The police recorded crime data collected centrally is based on aggregate returns, and as such, it is not possible to sepa…

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many dogs have been destroyed (a) by the police and (b) following a court order in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not held centrally.

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many suspected dangerous dogs have been (a) reported to and (b) investigated by the police in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Offences involving dangerous dogs recorded by the police in Scotland, 1998-99 to 2012-13 Year Dangerous Dogs, Failure to Control, Supervise, Destroy1,2 Failure to keep dogs under proper control, contravention of an order3 Dogs bred for fighting4 Total 1…

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many dog attacks have been (a) reported to and (b) investigated by the police in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The police recorded crime data collected centrally is based on an aggregate return from each of the eight legacy police forces in Scotland. As such, it is not possible to identify whether offences recorded by the police involve dog attacks. Depending on the s…

28 Oct 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on developing a new stroke care action plan.

21 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been supported by telecare services in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested has only been collated as part of the annual Community Care Statistical Return, as collected by the Scottish Government’s Health Analytical Services Division, since 2011. The following tables show the information for 2011 and 2012, w…

21 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on telecare services in homes in each year since 1999.

Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is not held centrally. However as part of the Telecare Development Programme, which ran from 2006–11, £17.6 million was allocated by the Scottish Government directly to health and care partnerships to drive service expansion.

21 Oct 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to develop telecare services for people across Scotland.

23 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what best practice Police Scotland has developed regarding dealing with officers who are off work due to stress.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The management of Police Officers who are off work due to stress is a matter for the Chief Constable. Police Scotland take their responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their staff seriously and have recently published their Stress Management Standard …

23 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers have (a) been off work due to stress and (b) applied to leave the force in each year since 1999.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The requested statistics are not held centrally.

19 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on ministerial cars since 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: The following table details the yearly cost of the Government Car Service since 2007. Year Total cost £ (1) (2) 2007-08 1,130,487 2008-09 1,108,426 2009-10 1,131,010 2010-11 1,058,341 2011-12 1,109,232 2012-13 1,204,864 Notes: 1. Total costs i…

19 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many ministerial cars have been caught speeding in each year since 1999.

Answer · John Swinney: The following table details the number of government car service vehicles issued with speeding fines. No records are held prior to 2011. Year Total number 2011 2 2012 2 2013 (1) 2 1. Partial data up until 01 September 13

16 Sep 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase digital participation among people over 65.

9 Sep 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to install average speed cameras on the A96.

5 Sep 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, following publication of the Stroke Association report, Feeling Overwhelmed, what its position is on (a) the prioritisation of improved emotional and psychological support for people affected by stroke in the next Scottish Stroke Action Plan, (b) the needs of stroke survivors and their …

Answer · Michael Matheson: Our Better Heart Disease and Stroke Action Plan, backed by over £1m in Scottish Government funding recognises that services should focus on empowering and supporting people with stroke through the process of recovery. This includes meeting emotional and psych…