Parliamentary questions
Brian Fitzpatrick
529 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice or guidance has been issued by the NHS to ensure that there is full community representation and participation in the options appraisal exercises being undertaken by health boards and NHS Trusts.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive believes that it is absolutely essential to engage communities and the public generally in the design of health care services, including option appraisal exercises. The new NHS Boards are committed to that principle. Formal advice to th…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which specialisms within general, medical and surgical practice and among nursing staff will be invited to participate in the Expert Group on acute services reviews.
Answer · Susan Deacon: In <I>Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change</I>, I set out my intention to establish an expert group to support and advise local NHS boards in managing changes in the configuration of services and to advise the Health Department on the app…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations have been held with the Department of Health in England on workforce planning in the NHS; what steps are being taken to ensure that patient and service needs are the main drivers of workforce planning and development in the NHS, and what work in this area is presently …
Answer · Susan Deacon: My department is in regular contact with the Department of Health on a number of issues, including workforce planning. The Scottish Integrated Workforce Planning Group (SIWPG) has identified a number of principles for effective workforce planning in NHSScotla…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to build career pathways and improve career development in the NHS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: We have appointed a dedicated NHSScotland SVQ/Modern Apprenticeship secondee to encourage all staff to take up formal qualifications that are workplace based and assessed.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In addition to this, we have provided support funding for Return to L…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to develop the NHS as a learning organisation and to promote lifelong learning for all staff there.
Answer · Susan Deacon: There are already provisions in place within NHSScotland's <I>Learning Together </I>Strategy that promotes lifelong learning for all NHSScotland staff. This strategy provides a framework for all staff to strengthen and improve upon existing practices that pro…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with the Department of Trade and Industry on changes to Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment legislation as it effects the NHS in Scotland.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Employment law is a reserved matter. However, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is currently consulting widely on its proposals to change the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations. Both the Scottish Executive and NHSScotland e…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to reduce short-term contracts and promote family-friendly policies in the NHS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Health Department issued guidance in 1999 to NHSScotland advising that temporary contracts should only be used in exceptional and defined circumstances. The Scottish Partnership Forum, which represents all NHS Scotland staff group has established a Guidel…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure equal pay for work of equal value in the NHS.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is playing a full part in taking forward Agenda for Change - proposals for modernising the NHS pay system. These proposals aim to ensure that issues of equal pay for work of equal value are addressed and that all NHSScotland staff are r…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to speed treatment and shorten waiting times in the NHS particularly in the areas of heart disease, cancer and mental health.
Answer · Susan Deacon: An extensive range of actions is under way or planned in the key priorities of cancer, heart disease and mental health which will assist in reducing waiting at every stage of the patient's journey through the NHS.<I>Cancer in Scotland: Action for change</I>, …
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the planned per capita spending in the NHS is for 2002-03 and 2003-04.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The planned per capita expenditure in the NHS for 2002-03 and 2003-04 is £1,258 and £1,345 respectively.
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its planned expenditure on NHS modernisation initiatives was in each quarter from November 1998 to date.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is committed to making substantial increases in health spending for the duration of this Parliament to deliver sustainable improvements for patients across Scotland. Significant resources totalling £5.9 billion are being invested in NHS…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what capital baseline for NHS investment was available to it in each quarter from November 1998 to date.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Capital investment in NHSScotland continues to increase year on year.<P>The resources made available for capital investment in NHSScotland in 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02 totalled £138 million, £180 million, £238 million and £285 million respective…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what real term increases in NHS spending and planned spending there were in each quarter from November 1998 to date.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information is not available on a quarterly basis. The available information on the resource based Departmental Expenditure Limit at 2000-01 prices is as follows:<P><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=529><TR><TD WIDTH="13%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FAC…
19 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in securing joined-up working on initiatives aimed at preventing children becoming involved in youth crime.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Every local authority has established multi-disciplinary teams involving the statutory and voluntary agencies concerned with juvenile justice. These teams are identifying areas of need and gaps in existing resources. They are also developing programmes to tac…
12 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on its commitment to address the rate of suicide amongst young men.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We are committed to improving the health of young people and working to reduce the rate of suicides among young people and we will report on progress in our forthcoming Social Justice Annual Report.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">We plan to issue widely in October 2001 ou…
4 Sep 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make Drug Treatment and Testing Orders more widely available to courts.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I can today announce that funding is being provided to the local authority areas of Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Angus, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde for the purposes of establishing Drug Treatment and Testing Order schemes, leading …
26 Jun 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to increase the number of Independent Assessors to oversee the public appointments system.
Answer · Angus MacKay: Independent Assessors play a vital part in ensuring that the principles of the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code are adhered to and that public appointments are made on a fair, open and transparent basis.<P>As I made clear in my statement to Parliame…
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits Eco-schools will bring.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Eco-schools programme will give young people in Scotland the opportunity to learn about sustainable development, to put it into practice in their local environment and to share their ideas and experiences with other young people around the world.<P>As the…
20 Jun 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote good practice in integrating asylum seekers and refugee children into schools.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: We are aware that a great deal of good practice exists in our schools in integrating asylum seeker and refugee children into the school community. Last week Nicol Stephen launched a newsletter<I>, Welcoming Newcomers</I>, which aims to share best practice and…