Parliamentary questions

Adam Ingram

1,244 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

19 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many mothers diagnosed with (a) post-natal depression and (b) puerperal psychosis have been admitted to psychiatric units in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The number of patients explicitly diagnosed with post-natal depression or puerperal psychosis and discharged from in-patient care in psychiatric specialties are shown in the following table, for years ending 31 March 1998 to 2002. It is understood that these…

19 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many mothers have been diagnosed with (a) post-natal depression and (b) puerperal psychosis in each of the last five years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is not currently possible to obtain a reliable estimate of the incidence of these specific conditions.

13 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how all Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines are monitored to assess their impact and whether their implementation has been successful.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In 2001, a survey of progress by NHSScotland in implementing Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines was carried out by a sub-group of the Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG) and a summary report was published in July 2002. A copy o…

13 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28446 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 September 2002, how many prisoners diagnosed with a mental illness are currently in receipt of specialist treatment and what form this treatment takes, broken down by prison.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:This information is not available in the form requested.While prisoners with a mental illness may be receiving treatment through groupwork, …

13 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28445 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 September 2002, when the studies carried out by Dr David Cooke, Psychological Disturbance amongst Prisoners, and Dr James McManus, Mentally Disturbed Prisoners, will be updated in order to determine the current situation…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:There are no plans to update these studies.

13 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28420 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2002, how much funding has been allocated to mental health research in 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03 to date.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland.The following table provides details of the amoun…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients with a mental illness have been inappropriately detained under section 18 of the Mental Health (Scotland) 1984 Act in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: This information is not collected centrally in the form requested.The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland publishes, in its annual reports, information on requests for discharge from detention. In 2000-01, the commission reviewed the cases of 233 patien…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a detailed breakdown of the availability of community care services in each (a) NHS board and (b) local authority area since the introduction of community care for people with mental illness.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: It is the responsibility of local authorities and health boards to assess local needs for mental health services, and to make appropriate provision. Information about services provided by these authorities is available within community care plans, which are a…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many social workers working solely in the field of mental health there have been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) local authority area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychiatrists working in the field of adult psychiatry there have been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) local authority area.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The following table shows consultant psychiatrists (whole-time equivalents) by NHS board for "adult psychiatric specialities" (which is taken to be all consultant psychiatrists less those registered under Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). The figure…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any increase since 1990 in the number of patients diagnosed with a mental illness repeatedly seeking hospitalisation due to any reduction in the number of in-patient beds.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In all cases the aim is to match care to assessed needs. This can involve a mix of hospital and community based care, as an individual's needs change. Where re-admission is required this is of course arranged. The aim overall is to provide the right care wher…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Advocacy Safeguards Agency was established; what the total (a) cost of setting up the agency was and (b) running costs to date have been; what the remit of the agency is, and where the agency is based.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Advocacy Safeguards Agency was established on 1 April 2002. The total budget for the agency for 2002-03 is £358,700. The cost of setting up the agency to 31 August is £7,169; the running costs up to 31 August are £63,992. The remit of the agency is divide…

29 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been detained under section 18 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally. The following figures have been produced from data provided by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland. They indicate the number of admissions to hospital under section 18 in each year and do not necessarily reflect …

26 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is an upper age limit on membership of Children's Panels and, if so, whether it will consider removing it in order to take advantage of older persons and their life skills.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: By way of background I would refer to answers given by Mr Sam Galbraith in response to Mr Bristow Muldoon and Mr Alex Neil on the same matter (S1W-1004 and S1W-1240 on 14 September 1999). There is no statutory upper age limit for children's panel members. In …

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evaluation has been made of the Breathing Space project on reducing the suicide rate amongst young men.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No formal evaluation has yet been undertaken, as the line has only been in operation for some five months. However, on-going monitoring is taking place, and a formal evaluation will be arranged once the service has been running for a more substantial period.

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the Breathing Space project on reducing the suicide rate amongst young men is staffed and what relevant training is provided.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A pool of several specialist advisers staff the Breathing Space line, with two usually on duty during opening hours. These advisers mostly have a social work or other professional mental health background. Staff receive several days' intensive training on a r…

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls the Breathing Space project on reducing the suicide rate amongst young men has received since the projects launch.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In the period from its launch on 8 April 2002 until 31 July, Breathing Space operators dealt with 2,546 calls.

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost has been to date of setting up and operating Breathing Space.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Approximately £160,000 was spent in 2001-02. The budget for the project is £400,000 in each of the years 2002-03 and 2003-04. These figures cover the development and setting up of the line, service provision, publicity and other running costs.

22 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the duration is of the Breathing Space project on reducing the suicide rate amongst young men.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Funding for the Breathing Space advice line is initially for the three years from 2001-04. Breathing Space will be reviewed on a regular basis to assess its performance.