Parliamentary questions
Adam Ingram
1,244 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to undertake a national survey to ascertain the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We have no such plans.
10 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the SIGN guidelines on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder will affect the budgets of local authorities and health boards.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: It is for health boards and local authorities to respond to the implications of ADHD, based on their assessment of local needs and available resources.
10 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a specialist fund will be set up to implement the "shared care" approach recommended by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are no plans to set up such a fund.
10 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a specialist fund will be set up to assist local authorities, health boards, education departments and social work services in the ongoing training of staff to treat and manage attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: There are no plans to set up such a fund.
10 Jul 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers, psychologists, paediatricians, psychiatrists, social workers and general practitioners will need to be trained in awareness and treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to ensure that the SIGN 52 guideline is fully implemented.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A wide range of professionals are involved in the treatment of ADHD. It is not possible to establish with any degree of accuracy how many will have training needs. The implementation of SIGN guidelines is a matter for health boards, in consultation with other…
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently being prescribed anti-depressants.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available.
19 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will scrutinise the guidelines from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in case of any bias towards drug therapy.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The guideline was seen in draft by the Scottish Executive Health Department's Medical Officers. It covers non-pharmacological interventions as well as drug therapy.
19 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network will publish its guidelines regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) clinical guideline on <I>Attention Deficit and Hyperkinetic Disorders in Children and Young People</I> was published in July.
12 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are undergoing treatment for gender dysphoria in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information in the form requested is not available centrally.<P>Treatment for gender dysphoria normally comprises a series of treatments, such as counselling, hormone therapy, and in a few cases, surgery. Most of these will be carried out in hospital and comm…
5 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15512 by Susan Deacon on 15 May 2001, what plans it has to update the criteria regarding the conditions which confer an exemption from prescription charges.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We have no plans to update the criteria.
16 May 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the good practice guidance on the administration of medication in schools will be published.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Draft guidance was issued to interested parties, including education authorities, NHS boards, Trusts and voluntary organisations for comment in September 2000. It is expected that amended guidance will be available by the beginning of the new school year.
8 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made or plans to make to the report on BBC Scotland News on 18 April 2001 of an increase in the number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive has no plans to make any response to this report.
8 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what drugs other than Ritalin are currently licensed to be used to control children with behavioural problems.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Methylphenidate hydrochloride (brand names Ritalin and Equasym) is licensed for use as part of a comprehensive treatment programme for children with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder when remedial measures alone prove insufficient. Dexam…
8 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Information Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency holds figures on the number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and on whether those children are being prescribed Ritalin and, if so, whether it will detail (a) the number of childre…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Information Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency does not hold figures on the number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, it is possible to provide estimates of the total number of patients seen by GPs…
8 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will name the members of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network who are currently drawing up guidelines on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, giving professional background information for each member, and whether it will detail the consultation process to be fo…
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information. This question should be directed to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network at the Royal College of Physicians, 9 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JQ.
1 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, as part of its consideration of mental health issues following the report of the Millan Committee's review of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, it has reviewed or intends to review current policy in relation to the levying of prescription charges on mental health patients.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We have no plans to do so.
1 May 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11571 by Susan Deacon on 8 January 2001, what criteria or guidelines are used in agreeing with the medical profession the list of conditions which confer exemption from prescription charges.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The criteria used when the list was agreed in 1968 were that the conditions should be easily recognisable, lifelong and life-threatening.
26 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mental health patients in each health board area are currently being prescribed psychiatric drugs.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not held centrally.
26 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the prescribing of psychiatric drugs has cost each health board in each year since 1997.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information relating to the calendar years 1997, 1998 and 1999 is given in the table "Drugs Most Commonly Used for Mental Health Problems" published by the Common Services Agency, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bi…
26 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many mental health patients are hospitalised each year and what the average cost is of such hospitalisation.
Answer · Susan Deacon: During financial year ending March 2000, 26,522 patients received inpatient hospital care in mental illness specialties in Scotland. Some of these patients will have received more than one episode of care throughout this period.<P>Costs for the provision of i…
23 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to collect centrally data recording the incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder broken down by health board area, gender and age.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We have no such plans.
23 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to address any concerns of parents and professionals regarding any increase in the prescribing of Ritalin to children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Next month, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) will publish evidence-based guidance for NHSScotland on the diagnosis, assessment and management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. This guidance, which will draw on best…
18 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it is envisaged that the Changing Children's Services Fund will be distributed through formula-based grant allocations rather than on the basis of targets.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Our consultation paper <I>Changing Children's Services Fund</I> consults on priority objectives for the fund and mechanisms for allocation of funding. The consultation period ends on 14 May 2001. The consultation paper proposes that the fund should be distrib…
18 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism is envisaged to monitor spending by each local authority under the Changing Children's Services Fund.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Our consultation paper <I>Changing Children's Services Fund</I> consults on priority objectives for the fund and mechanisms for allocation of funding. The consultation period ends on 14 May 2001. One matter for consultation is whether the funding to be alloca…
17 Apr 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer how many parliamentary debates and committee meetings have been signed to date.
Answer · David Steel: Where there is an item of plenary business or a committee agenda item directly relating to deaf issues, British Sign Language signing facilities are provided. This has occurred once for chamber business: 16 February 2000 for a Members' Business debate (S1M-52…
17 Apr 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer how many British Sign Language signers are employed by the Parliament to assist in the translation of debates and committee meetings.
Answer · David Steel: I refer to my answer to question S1W-15129. The Parliament does not directly employ British Sign Language interpreters but has contractual arrangements in place to provide deaf signers for plenary debates and committee meetings based on need.
17 Apr 2001 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what the policy of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is regarding the use of British Sign Language to sign debates in the Parliament.
Answer · David Steel: At present, provision is made for British Sign Language interpreters on a basis of need. Contractual arrangements are in place with Edinburgh and East of Scotland Deaf Society and the Scottish Association for Sign Language Interpreters (SASLI) for the provisi…
17 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure on (a) hospital and community services, (b) mental health services and (c) acute services for resident populations is forecast for 2000-01 and planned for the following three years, in total and broken down by health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The table shows the latest forecast outturn expenditure by health board on hospital and community services, mental health services and acute services for 2000-01. These figures will be subject to revision as estimates of health board expenditure in 2000-01 ar…
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder in each of the last five years, broken down by health board area, gender and age at diagnosis.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally<FONT SIZE=2>.
4 Apr 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines exist for schools on administering prescribed medication to pupils.
Answer · Jack McConnell: A number of local authorities have issued guidance to schools on the administration of medicine including prescribed medication. The Scottish Office also issued guidance for staff who provide intimate care for children and young people with disabilities entit…