Questions · Shona Robison

1 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly built medical centres have been opened by NHS Tayside in each year since 1997.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Information requested is provided in the following table. No newly built medical centres opened in Tayside in the period 1997-2000 inclusive.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> 2001 </td> <td> …

1 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new trained consultants have been employed by NHS Tayside in each year since 1997.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The number of newly trained consultants employed by NHS Tayside since 1997 are shown in the following table . Newly Trained Consultants Appointed to Grade and Started in Post in NHS Tayside During 1 October TO 30 September<table border=1 cellspaci…

21 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what improvement there will be in services for tinnitus sufferers as a result of the review of audiology services.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15438 on 19 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

21 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on treatment for tinnitus sufferers since the matter was debated in the Parliament on 23 November 2000.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: As part of the Public Health Institute of Scotland (PHIS) Needs Assessment Report on Audiology Services in Scotland research was conducted into services for people with tinnitus and balance disorders. The report recommended that: “NHS Boards should establish …

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the scoping exercise on morbidity and the implications for patients of living with cancer made any estimates of the additional costs faced by cancer patients as a result of their treatment and care.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-15394 on 18 April 2005. 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.…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the scoping exercise on morbidity and the implications for patients of living with cancer estimated how many (a) cancer patients receive care at home and (b) carers supporting cancer patients remaining at home require support themselves.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-15394 on 18 April 2005. 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.…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions have been taken to implement the conclusions of the scoping exercise on morbidity and the implications for patients of living with cancer.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-15394 18 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the conclusion was of the scoping exercise on morbidity and the implications of living with cancer for patients and services, announced by the Minister for Health and Community Care on 4 September 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: A review of levels of morbidityassociated with cancer treatment is underway by the Cancer Care Research Centre,University of Stirling in collaboration with the Information Services Division,National Services Scotland. This will not estimate how many cancer pa…

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1233 by Malcolm Chisholm on 17 July 2003, what action has been taken by each NHS board on the recommendations of the fatal accident inquiry into the death of James Mauchland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer to my answers toquestions S2W-15003 and S2W-15004 on 15 March 2005.All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament'swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that any good practice guidance arising from the evaluation of NHS board action plans produced in line with the findings of the fatal accident inquiry into the death of James Mauchland is disseminated across all NHS boards and that appropriate training will be in pl…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive Health Department has asked NHS board chief executives to report on progress in addressing matters arising from the fatal accident inquiry and inviting them to highlight examples of good practice. The department will be working with the…

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS board action plans produced in line with the findings of the fatal accident inquiry about the death of my constituent, James Mauchland, will be evaluated to ensure that people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable patients are treated with dignity, respect and equali…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive Health Department has asked NHS Board Chief Executives to report on progress in addressing the matters arising from the fatal accident inquiry. We will examine the reports carefully with a view to identifying and disseminating good prac…

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS board action plans produced in line with the findings of the fatal accident inquiry about the death of my constituent, James Mauchland, will be publicly available.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Individual NHS boards are responsible for determining arrangements for publicising these or any other service planning documents. Most such documents are now also likely to be available under the Freedom of Information Act.

2 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards are using Zometa® for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not available centrally. Zometa® is given as an infusion and should be used by clinicians experienced in the administration of intravenous bisphosphonates. Data on drugs dispensed in hospitals are not available centrally. Centrally collect…

24 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authority employees were given retirement on health grounds in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority and expressed also as a percentage of the number of people employed by each local authority.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The tables give a breakdown of the numbers of local government employees who are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and who retired on grounds of ill-health, broken down by fund administering authority for each of the last five years and ex…

31 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for funding for hospital-acquired infection related research have been approved in each of the last five years.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: In the last five years, the Chief Scientist Office has funded three projects on hospital-acquired infection related research, one project in 2001-02 and two projects in the current financial year, 2004-05.

31 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for funding for hospital-acquired infection related research have been received in each of the last five years.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO is largely a response mode funder of research and this role is w…

14 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended maximum waiting time is for NHS 24 to deal with priority one calls.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13509, on 1 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/…

14 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the maximum waiting time was for a priority one call to be dealt with by NHS 24 over the Christmas and New Year period.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13509, on 1 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/…

14 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time was by NHS 24 to priority one calls over the Christmas and New Year period.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13509, on 1 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/…

14 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many priority one calls were received by NHS 24 over the Christmas and New Year period.

Answer · Andy Kerr: On those occasions when a significant number of calls are being received by NHS 24, the organisation will implement a system of call-back. Calls are prioritised as follows:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> Life Threatening …

5 Jan 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects postcode prescribing to end.

Answer · Andy Kerr: We are committed to ensuring there is no postcode prescribing in the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Medicines Consortium provides a single national source of advice about all newly licensed medicines. SMC recommended medicines should be available across Scotla…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS budgets will be increased to accommodate any increased cost associated with receiving publications previously distributed post-free by The Stationery Office and which are now being distributed by Blackwells.

Answer · Andy Kerr: No increase in NHS budgets is necessary. Although initially Blackwells were charging for distribution of publications, this ceased on 16 December 2004. All such distribution costs incurred by NHS boards prior to 16 December 2004 are to be reimbursed.

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its publications previously distributed by The Stationery Office to NHS libraries post-free will continue to be post-free under the Blackwells' contract for distribution of these documents.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Blackwell’s bookshop is the official outlet for Scottish publications under the Design, Print, Publishing and Associated Services contract which was awarded to Astron on 4 August 2004. Blackwell’s do not charge postage for distributing Scottish Executive publ…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support a review and update of the role of clinical nurse specialists in breast care in order to examine the new roles being undertaken by breast care nurses and the support, resources and training needed to undertake these new roles.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The requirements for, and thedevelopment of, nursing roles is primarily a matter for individual NHS boards.The Executive are committed toproviding national leadership on workforce design, new roles and new ways of working,and workload across the health…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider (a) recommending to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) that it reviews the guidance on the maximum caseloads for breast care nurses as part of its current update of guidance on breast cancer and (b) directing NHS boards to implement the SIGN gu…

Answer · Andy Kerr: SIGN guidelines are producedindependently of the Scottish Executive Health Department. Recommendationswithin SIGN guidelines come about after a rigorous consideration of theclinical evidence.All boards are asked to takeaccount of SIGN guidelines when p…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure the recruitment and retention of sufficient numbers of breast care nurses to ensure that the needs of patients are met.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive remainscommitted to building the capacity of the workforce of NHSScotland and weremain on track to achieve our Partnership Agreement target of attracting12,000 nurses and midwives into NHSScotland by 2007.Under the banner of Facingthe …

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been given to the MacFarlane Trust to enable it to administer the Skipton Fund and from which budget such additional funding came from.

Answer · Andy Kerr: No funds have been made available to the MacFarlane Trust to administer the Skipton Fund.

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the funding of the Skipton Fund is used for administrative purposes, broken down into (a) office costs, such as rent, business rates, telephones, electricity and any other such costs, (b) medical panels, (c) the processing of initial decisions and (d) processing appeals.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not held.The Skipton Fund is a private company limited by guarantee, engaged to operate the ex gratia payment scheme on behalf of the four UK Health Departments. The fund opened for business on 5 July 2004 and will be required to su…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appeals panel in respect of the Skipton Fund is paid for by the fund and, if not, where the funding for the panel comes from.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the question S2W-12642 answered on 13 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether applicants to the Skipton Fund are entitled to legal aid if they appeal against a decision taken by the fund.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the question S2W-12642 answered on 13 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…