Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Aug 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which accident and emergency units have social work attachments that assess access to emergency community social care.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. As the member will be aware work is currently being undertaken by health boards to address issues around unscheduled care. Within the National Unscheduled Care Improvement Programme a significant amount of work is bei…
21 Aug 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which accident and emergency units have (a) community psychiatric and (b) mental health nurses to help patients with (i) mental health problems and (ii) alcohol or drug issues.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally.
21 Aug 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which accident and emergency units have consultant cover for at least 18 hours every day.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. As the member will be aware work is currently being undertaken by health boards to address issues around unscheduled care. As part of the National Unscheduled Care Improvement Programme a significant amount of work is…
17 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards (a) have and (b) plan to establish clinical portals with connectivity to (i) regional or tertiary centres and other (ii) NHS boards where their patients can be treated.
Answer · Michael Matheson: NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and NHS Dumfries and Galloway have a clinical portal built on the same product platform (CareFX) which provides connectivity for clinicians across these boards. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Golden Jubi…
17 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards are using clinical portals and on what dates the remaining boards expect their portals to be operational.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The following NHS boards are using clinical portals: NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Fife, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian, NHS Tayside and NHS Golden Jubilee. NHS Ayrshire and Arran are piloting in August 2013 and plan…
17 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason consultants from the West of Scotland Cancer Network at the Beatson Oncology Centre do not have access through NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's portal to data on patients attending the centre who are on the clinical portals of NHS (a) Ayrshire and Arran and (b) Forth Valle…
Answer · Michael Matheson: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Golden Jubilee and NHS Ayrshire and Arran have or are in the process of implementing the clinical portal using different instances of the same product platform (Orion). The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde clin…
16 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that people travelling on pilgrimage to Mecca in 2013 are given advice about Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, in light of the reported possible fatality rate of over 60%.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Health Protection Scotland published its Weekly Report on 17 July 2013 (Volume 47 No. 2013/29) which provides advice to Hajj/Umrah pilgrims. This advice aims to reduce the spread of coronavirus. This is accessed online at: http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.u…
16 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it is issuing to GPs to increase awareness and surveillance in relation to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and what arrangements it has made to ensure (a) rapid laboratory testing of suspected cases and (b) effective contact tracing of any diagnosed cases.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Health Protection Scotland produced information and guidance for clinicians and public health professionals in relation to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV, referred to as “novel coronavirus”). This includes guidelines for case managemen…
16 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have a Scottish Care Information or equivalent laboratory IT system that produces results that that can be accessed by clinicians across (a) that board only, (b) all boards and (c) a limited number of boards, showing which boards the results are shared with.
Answer · Michael Matheson: All territorial NHS boards, and the NHS Golden Jubilee have access to a SCI Store. Access rights to SCI Store information is managed by each NHS Board. Lab results are produced by different IT systems and mostly recorded on the NHS board’s SCI Store. At this …
16 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many of the elements of the most recent General Medical Services Quality and Outcomes Framework that relate to Scotland did not have electronic software support at the time of implementation, and which elements still have to receive such support.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Every effort is made to ensure the codes and other software support needed for incorporation into GP clinical systems is available as quickly as possible following any changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) at national level. Where Scotland speci…
16 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when Scottish Care Information's IT system will be fully compatible with all regional and special NHS boards.
Answer · Michael Matheson: SCI Store is used in all NHS boards. National Services Scotland who manage SCI Store on behalf of NHSScotland are not aware of any compatibility issues with specific systems within NHS boards.
16 Jul 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS Fife's Scottish Care Information results are not shared with other NHS boards.
Answer · Michael Matheson: An NHS Board’s SCI Store can be accessed by another NHS Board in two ways – through a clinical portal or by the remote SCI Store access facility. NHS Fife’s SCI Store results can be accessed via the clinical portal currently operating in NHS Fife, NHS Lothian…
26 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14197 by John Swinney on 2 May 2013, when each NHS board will publish gender pay gap information and information on equal pay.
Answer · Alex Neil: All NHSScotland Boards have published gender pay gap information and statements on equal pay. This is hosted on each board’s website.
26 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board should have been allocated using the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee formula in each of the last six years and how much each received.
Answer · Alex Neil: The NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula was first used to inform the allocation of health funds in 2009-10. When accepting the recommendations of the committee, the then Secretary for Health and Wellbeing noted that she placed “high impo…
25 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the cancer networks have integrated electronic record systems linked to and accessible by all clinicians responsible for elements of the patient's care.
Answer · Alex Neil: A number of significant steps have been taken. The same chemotherapy prescribing and administration system is used throughout Scotland. The West of Scotland and South of Scotland regional cancer networks have integrated their systems and records at a regional…
25 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken or will take to ensure that, where clinicians are unable to meet the cancer referral to treatment targets, any (a) concerns and (b) resource issues are (i) recorded and (ii) reported to the NHS board.
Answer · Alex Neil: Validated performance against the cancer waiting times standards by NHS Board and by tumour type is published quarterly by ISD and the latest performance statistics can be viewed at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/Cancer/. Submission…
25 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken or will take to ensure that patients for whom the cancer networks have not met the 31 or 62-day waiting time targets are subsequently treated as a priority.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has set national standards for cancer waiting times which have been met in all but three quarters since prior to the delivery date of December 2011. It is for NHS boards to plan and organise the services they provide to meet these stan…
25 Jun 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the commencement date is for the 31-day target to first treatment section of the waiting times for patients with cancer who are referred to a different NHS board for initial diagnosis and how the pathway is recorded under the New Ways waiting times system.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has set access standards for patients diagnosed with cancer. These state that patients should begin treatment within 31 days from the date that the “decision to treat” was agreed with the patient, irrespective of whether the NHS board …
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14761 by Alex Neil on 22 May 2013, how much it pays toward participating in the UK pay review bodies and how much it would cost to establish a separate set of bodies in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Office of Manpower Economics which provides a secretariat for all six pay review bodies (including the NHS pay review body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ review body) is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which is in turn funded…
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14763 by Alex Neil on 22 May 2013, whether an independent Scotland would have its own body to provide such advice.
Answer · Alex Neil: As I stated in my answer to S4W-14763, the Scottish Government values the independent scrutiny and recommendations of the pay review bodies and we will maintain independent pay advice in the future.
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that older people who require support with stoma care (a) at home or (b) in a care home receive this from an appropriately trained person.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government expects older people’s health or personal care needs to be clearly detailed within their care plans and, for them to be supported by appropriately trained staff, irrespective of whether they are at home or in a care home. The National …
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it decides which NHS staff should be responsible for the prescribing of stoma appliances.
Answer · Alex Neil: Prescribing may be under taken by appropriately qualified practitioners, on the NHS Boards list, within their area of competency and are accountable for all aspects of their prescribing decision.
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many and what percentage of clinical nurse specialists in stoma care have been trained in prescribing in each year since 2006, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Alex Neil: The information requested is not centrally held.
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide training for (a) clinical nurse specialists, (b) GPs, (c) pharmacists and (d) other NHS staff regarding (i) stoma care and (ii) working with new stoma care appliances.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHSScotland Boards are responsible for ensuring that they have an appropriately skilled workforce within their area to provide person-centred, safe and effective care. Individual Boards are supported and facilitated to meet training and continuous professiona…
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the discontinuing of the provision of free samples has had on the (a) opportunities for stoma care clinical nurse specialists to assess products and (b) cost of stoma care supplies to the NHS.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15368 on 25 June 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how product innovation is encouraged in the procurement process for stoma care appliances.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15368 on 25 June 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the hospital formulary system is advisory and whether all (a) patients, (b) stoma care clinical nurse specialists and (c) clinicians are aware of the option of choosing other stoma care appliances.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15368 on 25 June 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S3W-35393 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 August 2010, how many of the 1,460 stoma service suppliers still supply the NHS.
Answer · Alex Neil: As of 17 June 2013, there were 23 dispensing appliance contractors registered with NHS national procurement as stoma appliance suppliers. In addition, there were 1236 community pharmacy contractors and 47 dispensing practices who were also eligible to provide…
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the procurement process for stoma care appliances (a) maintains and (b) protects (i) patient and (ii) clinician choice.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-15368 on 25 June 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…
29 May 2013 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether patient choice is at the heart of the stoma care service.
Answer · Alex Neil: The selection of the appropriate stoma appliance to be prescribed for a particular patient is a clinical matter for the specifying clinician taking into account the needs and preferences of the patient concerned. Health board joint formularies are in place t…