Adam Ingram

28 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has in place for teaching professionals to enable them to deal effectively with incidents of deliberate self-harm among pupils.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive’shandbook on child protection in education, <i>Safe and Well</i> (2005), providesinformation on a range of issues concerning children’s care and welfare to guidethe practice of teaching professionals. <i>Safe and Well</i> contains a sec…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the prescribing of anti-depressants for people who may be suffering from social problems rather than psychological problems.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Chief Scientist Office(CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility forencouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. Itsupports research projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated b…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has calculated the financial support required to roll out the Doing Well By People with Depression initiative to all NHS board areas.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: An external evaluation of theDoing Well initiative has been commissioned and will report over the summer. Theoutcomes will inform consideration of wider practical applications of the successesof the initiative, attention to which is continued through commitme…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional planned expenditure it has set aside to tackle depression for the next two years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No specific funding is beingset aside to tackle depression. It is for each NHS board, working with theirpartners, to meet the health care needs of their area from the funds availableto them, taking account of national and local priorities.</p><p>NHS boards ha…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people presenting with depression were offered treatments such as psychological interventions, cognitive behaviour therapy and talking therapies as an alternative to the prescribing of anti-depressants, broken down by NHS board area, in each year since 2001.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Referral option informationis not available centrally. Treatment options are a matter for Clinicians inconsultation with all relevant professionals and the individual. Care options,including psychological interventions, cognitive behaviour therapy andmedicati…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people presenting with depression were offered self-help options as part of their treatment, broken down by NHS board area, in each year since 2001.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Referral option informationis not available centrally. Treatment options are a matter for clinicians inconsultation with all relevant professionals and the individual. Care options,including psychological interventions, cognitive behaviour therapy andmedicati…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what aspects of the Doing Well By People with Depression initiative ministers can recommend and roll out across Scotland as a means of reducing the number of people prescribed anti-depressants.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The external evaluation of the Doing Well By People with Depression programme will report in June 2006 andwill provide a solid information base on which to make decisions on therecommended initiatives for roll-out.</p><p>The programme has aimed toincrease acc…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards submitted bids for projects under the Doing Well By People with Depression initiative and how many were successful.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: All NHS boards were invitedto submit bids for projects under the Doing Well By People With Depression Programmein 2003. Of the then 15 health boards, a total of 11 sites applied for fundingof which seven were successful. The seven sites to go forward were, NH…

21 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards use uniform evaluation criteria for the Doing Well By People with Depression initiative and, if so, whether it will provide details of the criteria.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Doing Well By PeopleWith Depression Programme has commissioned an external evaluation which is dueto report in June this year. The evaluation has been conducted to provide bothquantitative and qualitative information and to do this will report on thefollo…

20 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding for Sure Start services has come from outside funding streams, such as through the Health Improvement Strategy, expressed as a percentage of the total funding for Sure Start.

Answer · Robert Brown: Scottish Executive funding forSure Start Scotland currently stands at £56.9 million (2006-07). However,given the cross-cutting nature and objectives of activity funded through Sure Start– around 70% of which combines Sure Start resources with funding from a r…

20 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the negative aspects of Sure Start Scotland, as referred to in Sure Start Scotland Mapping Exercise 2004 and supporting communications.

Answer · Robert Brown: <i>The Sure Start Scotland MappingExercise 2004</i>, published on 22 December 2005, provideda detailed picture of the expansion of Sure Start Scotland servicessince 2001 and their impact on children and families. The complete findings of theresearchers are av…

20 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many policy projects are currently being undertaken by its Education Department and, of these, how many are behind schedule.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Education Department is focusedon the delivery of 103 Partnership Agreement (PA) commitments. Only one will notbe achieved within the specified timescale, Commitment 217 Promote New Deal programmefor sports assistants. The focus of the UK New Deal program…

20 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce an integrated early years strategy.

Answer · Robert Brown: The Executive consulted on adraft integrated early years strategy in 2003. In the intervening period, integratedchildren’s services planning and related developments have taken this agenda forwardat a more strategic level. As the Minister for Education and Yo…

20 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the reference to an integrated early years strategy was removed from the final version of Sure Start Scotland Mapping Exercise 2004.

Answer · Robert Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24442 on 29 March 2006. As a separate strategy document hadnot been published and the strategic approach had instead been incorporated in otherpolicies, the reference was removed to avoid any confusion.</p><p>A…

17 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will endorse the nine-point plan by Professor Tom Devine to improve understanding amongst students of Scotland’s history and the nation’s place in the world.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The curriculum in Scotland is notbased on statutory prescription. It is for schools, in the light of the curriculumframework within which they operate, to determine how best to organise the syllabusfor all subjects, including history, in schools.</p><p>A key …

20 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was available to overcome communication and language barriers for deaf and deafblind people with mental health problems in each year since 1999.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: While specific funding is notprovided for these areas, NHS boards must consider with their planning partnershow best to respond to the guidance issued in June 2005 on Disability DiscriminationCompliance: Access to Mainstream and Specialist Services for those …

20 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical misdiagnoses of deaf and deafblind patients with mental health problems there were in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not collectedcentrally.</p>

20 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide training and recruitment opportunities for deaf and deafblind people to enable them to work with deaf and deafblind patients.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: NHSScotland employersappoint on merit and are committed to providing equality of opportunity to all.Employers should make all necessary reasonable adjustments to ensure that staffare able to fulfil their potential.</p><p>In addition, NHSScotlandoffers a range…

20 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has undertaken with NHS boards to ensure that they are meeting their obligations under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and Disability Discrimination Act 2005 with specific regard to the treatment and care of deaf and deafblind people who hav…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: To support effective implementationof the new Mental Health Act we have required regular progress reports fromlocal area partnerships. These reports are published on the web. There is an on-goingprogramme of visits with the local partners to discuss progress.…

20 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide out-patient and in-patient services for deaf and deafblind people with mental health problems.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have no plans forseparate provision. Guidance published in 2005 offered approaches for improvedaccess to mainstream services by those with a sensory loss and a mental healthproblem. A copy of which has been place in the Scottish Parliament InformationCentr…

20 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaf and deafblind patients were treated by the NHS in each year since 1999 by each NHS board.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isnot held centrally. National hospitalactivity returns hold information on patient demographics, diagnosis and anyoperations performed. No specific note is held of existing disabilities such asdeafness and/or blindness.</p>

20 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of consultant psychiatrists who are specially trained in working with deaf and deafblind people.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Guidance has been publishedon improving access to mainstream and specialist services for those withsensory loss and a mental health problem. A copy of which has been place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38922). It is for NHS boards…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the Scottish Qualifications Authority in respect of the teaching of history in schools and possible proposals to end the teaching of history as a distinct subject.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has not received any representations from the Scottish Qualifications Authority in respect of the teaching of history in schools. There are no proposals to end the teaching of history as a distinct subject.</p>

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research in the next 12 months to specifically examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has not undertaken any comparative European studies to examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.</p>

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research in the next 12 months to specifically examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has no plans over the next 12 months to commission research to examine the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.</p>

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out since 1999 which specifically examines the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has not carried out any research since 1999 which specifically examines the value and contribution of history as part of the school curriculum.</p> <p>We have, in relation to the current Curriculum Review, commissioned a review of res…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Brix briefing notes it holds in respect of removing history as a distinct subject from the school curriculum and whether it will publish these.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive do not hold any Brix briefing notes concerning the removal of history from the curriculum.</p>

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees that the teaching of history as a distinct school syllabus reflects each of the capacities for “successful learners”, “responsible citizens” and “effective contributors” laid out in the Executive’s proposed Curriculum for Excellence.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The teaching and learning of history in school is well placed to help enable our young people to develop as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.</p> <p>The curriculum in Scotland is not based on statutor…

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the teaching of history in schools to levels in line with European averages.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The curriculum in Scotland is based on guidance, not statute. The Scottish Executive has no plans to prescribe time allocations for the teaching of history in schools to levels in line with European averages.</p>

8 Feb 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the teaching of history in schools by properly trained and qualified teachers only.

Answer · Peter Peacock: All teachers are required to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. Teachers of all subjects should have the appropriate professional skills and knowledge to carry out their duties.</p>