Dr Richard Simpson

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the number of health visitors in work and in training will meet any increased demand and the switch into family nurse partnerships.

Answer · Alex Neil: While it remains for individual NHS boards to plan and deliver services according to the needs of their population, the Scottish Government is working closely with NHS boards to monitor and manage the potential impact of expanding the Family Nurse Partnership…

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will carry out a review of how data are collated on nursing and midwifery staff to allow a retrospective review of the workforce following the integration of health and social care.

Answer · Alex Neil: This is subject to on-going consideration associated with the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament.

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will collect data on the family nurse practitioner workforce separately from other nurse categories.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We already collect data on the family nurse partnership workforce for national purposes, including alignment to the licensing agreement for the programme.

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what undertakings the Scottish Ambulance Service has made regarding its sickness absence rates.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has sought and received assurance from the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) that it continues to address sickness absence levels. A key action point arising from the 2013 Annual Review was that SAS would make sustained progress toward…

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what centres are designated as suitable for the control of major accident hazards under the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 do not provide for the designation of centres. However, the Regulations, for which Health and Safety Executive and SEPA are the competent authority in Scotland, provide for the preparation of on-site emer…

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of avoidable mortality and morbidity arising from the configuration of accident and emergency services.

Answer · Alex Neil: Health boards review morbidity and mortality constantly and various local and national means are used to assure and improve the safety and quality of hospital care. NHS boards are responsible for assuring the quality and safety of specific services.

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any major trauma centres do not have support staff on duty on the premises 24-hours, seven days a week for (a) heart attacks, (b) strokes and (c) major orthopaedic operations.

Answer · Alex Neil: Major trauma centre is not currently a designation used by NHS Scotland.

28 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the country's (a) current and (b) planned major trauma centres.

Answer · Alex Neil: Major trauma centre is not currently a designation used by NHS Scotland.

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will invite Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland to include people under 15 in future statistics on long-acting reversible contraception.

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the latest Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland report on long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), which found that the presence of a local enhanced primary care contract was associated with a greater uptake, whether it will consider making the provision of LARC …

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has asked Health Improvement Scotland to take to support NHS boards in areas with significant (a) deprivation or (b) rates of unplanned teenage pregnancies and below average prescribing of long-acting reversible contraception to improve performance, and which boards have re…

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will be able to supply data comparable to other NHS boards in respect of long-acting reversible contraception.

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) includes or (b) plans to include details of deaths within 30 days of discharge in the data for hospital mortality rates.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information Services Division (ISD) produces quarterly hospital standardised mortality ratios (HSMR) for all Scottish hospitals participating in the Scottish Patient Safety Programme. HSMR are provided to enable these acute hospitals and the Scottish Governme…

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to the decision to amend the age levels for cervical screening prior to issuing Scottish Quality and Outcomes Framework 2013-2014, Guidance for NHS Boards and GP Practices.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The eligible age range for cervical screening in Scotland has not changed since the national programme was introduced in 1988. All women aged 20-60 years old are invited to cervical screening every three years as part of the Scottish cervical screening progra…

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on screening for human papillomavirus (a) in addition and (b) as an alternative to cervical screening.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In January 2011 the Breast and Cervical Screening National Advisory Group (NAG) established the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Reference Group to review the evidence and make recommendations regarding incorporating further HPV testing into the Scottish Cervical S…

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on allowing cervical screening for post-menopausal women who have had three previous consecutive negative smears.

Answer · Michael Matheson: All women in Scotland aged 20-60 are invited to cervical screening every three years, regardless of their smear history or menopausal status.

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) lower and (b) upper age levels are for cervical screening; when they were last amended, and on what date they came into force.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The lower age range for women being invited to participate in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme is 20 years old. The upper age range is 60 years. This eligible age range for women to be invited to cervical screening in Scotland has not changed since …

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide (a) guidance and (b) funding for a system that will allow NHS staff to reflect on stresses at work.

Answer · Alex Neil: Managing Health at Work, all NHSScotland boards require to have local policies that deal positively with stress at work These policies require measures to be in place to provide both managers and staff with appropriate guidance and training to identify and d…

6 Nov 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to (a) regulate and (b) inspect GP practices.

Answer · Alex Neil: The General Medical Council (GMC) is the regulatory body for doctors in the UK and its purpose is to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine. All doctors have to be registered …

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments in the October 2013 report by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman regarding prisoners’ access to the NHS complaints process.

Answer · Alex Neil: NHS boards have been reminded of their responsibility under the Patient Rights Act 2011 and supporting legislation in relation to the handling and learning from complaints. In particular assurances were sought and were received that the procedures set out in …

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce robotic surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Alex Neil: To add to the evidence for clinical and cost-effectiveness of robot-assisted surgery for prostate cancer (and other conditions that may benefit), a research proposal will be drawn up by a sub-group of the National Planning Forum, which is expected to start wo…

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission research on the benefits and risks of so-called all single-room hospital design, and what action it will take to ensure that such design does not have an adverse effect on services at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government undertook a considerable body of work prior to the adoption of the single room policy in NHSScotland. The Single Room Provision Steering Group was established in order to review available literature and evidence for single rooms, a pub…

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings in the report, What would it take to eradicate health inequalities?: Testing the fundamental causes theory of health inequalities in Scotland, whether it will (a) undertake a cost effectiveness review of all health inequalities programmes and (b) consider moving…

Answer · Michael Matheson: In reviewing our programmes we are increasingly examining their effectiveness for the least well off amongst our communities for example the forthcoming Health Scotland report into smoking cessation. However the Government does not have control of the socio-e…

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a detailed response to the report, What would it take to eradicate health inequalities?: Testing the fundamental causes theory of health inequalities in Scotland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Government’s active response to Health Inequalities is clearly set out in the three jointly linked social policy frameworks of Equally Well, the Early Years Framework and Achieving Our Potential. The first of which is currently under review through the Mi…

30 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what effect it considers welfare reform will have on health inequalities.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This Government has made clear its concerns of the negative impact on those who will lose out in the face of the Westminster Government’s welfare reform programme. We know that those dependent on welfare benefits are at risk of poorer health outcomes associ…

17 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15365 by Alex Neil on 7 June 2013, how it would decide that stoma care services were a particular area of strength or challenge for an NHS board.

Answer · Alex Neil: NHS boards have an on-going responsibility to ensure that provision of a service is effective, is of a high standard and meets the needs of the patient. There are numerous ways in which the performance of a particular service can be monitored such as liaising…

17 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15366 by Alex Neil on 12 June 2013, what role local stoma care forums will have in the proposed quality and cost effectiveness review.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17896 on 12 November 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA…

17 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15366 by Alex Neil on 12 June 2013, what action it took to encourage the setting up of local forums.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17896 on 12 November 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA…

17 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15356 by Alex Neil on 13 June 2013, who will decide on the scope of the quality and cost effectiveness review.

Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-17896 on 12 November 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA…

17 Oct 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15363 by Alex Neil on 13 June 2013, whether the further work to establish a national group is different to the quality and cost effectiveness review group mentioned in the answer to question S4W-15356 by Alex Neil on 13 June 2013 and which group wil…

Answer · Alex Neil: It is for each health board to plan, deliver and audit the provision of stoma care in its area. A quality and cost effectiveness review on stoma care is being led by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for NHS Scotland and will take forwards all service issues wit…