Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether bus companies have a duty of care to protect passengers from potential passengers who are intoxicated or on drugs.
Answer · Keith Brown: The duty of care to protect passengers is included as part of the terms and conditions of the operating licence from the Traffic Commissioner. Most bus operators currently use conditions of carriage to which both the passenger and the bus operator themselves…
13 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to reduce the time taken by the process for local authority housing officers to deal with antisocial behaviour.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government consultation Affordable Rented Housing: creating flexibility for landlords and better outcomes for communities included a number of proposals to give social landlords (local authorities and Registered Social Landlords) greater flexibil…
13 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what new legislation is being considered to deal with antisocial behaviour by tenants.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government consultation Affordable Rented Housing: creating flexibility for landlords and better outcomes for communities suggested 10 proposals for legislative change. Four of these proposals would give social landlords (local authorities and Re…
13 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to allow local authority officials to combat antisocial behaviour by (a) tenants and (b) home owners.
Answer · Keith Brown: In March 2009 the Scottish Government and COSLA jointly published their Framework for tackling antisocial behaviour, Promoting Positive Outcomes. It followed a thorough review of national antisocial behaviour policy, recognising that prevention; early and eff…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reduction has been in the number of (a) band (i) 7 and (ii) 8 team leaders and (b) band 2 support workers in midwifery posts following the recent 25% reduction in management costs.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Published information on headcount and whole time equivalent of (a) band 7, (b) band 8 and (c) band 2 staff in midwifery posts, as of 31 March 2012 can be found on the workforce statistics website at: http://www.isdscotland.scot.nhs.uk/Health-Topics/Workforc…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what risk assessment it has carried out of the effect of (a) demographic changes over the next 10 years and (b) an increase in the number of staff taking early retirement on the number of midwives.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is for each NHS board to decide how best to plan and deliver their services to meet the needs of their population. This includes how best to utilise funding and staff, taking account of national and local priorities to meet local health needs.
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that the Scottish Women Held Maternity Record is available in electronic format.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Woman Held Maternity Record (SWHMR) was updated in 2011 and is part of a range of actions underway to support NHS boards’ implementation of the Refreshed Framework for Maternity Care (2011), to ensure that care in Scotland is person centred, safe…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual caseload is for community midwives in NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Lothian.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally. However, we expect NHS boards to plan services to suit the needs of their local population and ensure that care is person centred, safe and effective. We are aware there is a need to have midwives in the right…
12 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to complete the cleansing of the data regarding the (a) number of clinical midwives, (b) average and range of midwife to birth ratio and (c) caseload of each full-time equivalent community midwife in each NHS area.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The work being taken forward by Scottish Government and key stakeholders including NHSScotland and the Royal College of Midwives to improve the quality of workforce data for Midwifery staff is due to be completed and published by National Services Scotland, I…
8 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long it took in 2011-12 for medicines that had been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium to be (a) approved by each area drug and therapeutic committee and (b) added to the appropriate clinical care pathway.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally.
8 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS plans to revise the QFracture algorithm.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is now revising its guideline on the management of osteoporosis. This review will include risk estimation tools for osteoporosis and key questions that will be asked include: which diagnostic measurement…
7 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason NHS boards use drug and therapeutic committees to approve the use of cancer medicines that have already been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS board area drugs and therapeutics committees review a medicine that has been accepted by the Scottish Medicines Consortium in the context of existing comparable medicines available to treat the same condition via the board’s formulary or approved list. Th…
7 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what medicines have been approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence but not by the Scottish Medicines Consortium.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: From August 2006 to May 2012 NICE has published 93 Single Technology Assessments (STAs) on new medicines. There are 8 medicines that have been recommended by NICE and not yet recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) as follows. Medicine Indica…
7 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards are required to report on how many deaths there have been of patients on the delayed discharge database.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards are not required to centrally report how many deaths there have been of patients on the delayed discharge database. However, I wrote to board chairs on 10 February 2011 to ask that medical directors review any future cases where a patient has been …
7 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what training is given to managers in the NHS regarding concerns raised by staff.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold information on training given to managers in the NHS regarding concerns raised by staff. However, NHS boards are required, under the NHSScotland Staff Governance Standard, to have local policies in place which are compli…
7 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS staff annual appraisal process asks employees to report whether they have raised concerns.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are a number of different personal development planning and review (PDP & R)/appraisal processes which apply to NHSScotland employees depending on staff group. They operate as part of a continual process of planning, monitoring, assessment and support t…
7 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many induction programmes for NHS staff cover (a) patient safety training and (b) how to raise concerns.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of induction programmes for NHS staff which cover (a) patient safety training and (b) how to raise concerns.
30 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how and (b) when the change fund for justice will be allocated.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government’s aim is to use the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund to help secure a significant improvement in the way services targeted at reducing reoffending are funded, commissioned and sustained. The government has been working with a stakehold…
30 May 2012 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with NHS boards that show significant variation below the mean in the recording of either referral to treatment or waiting time targets.
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason optometrists qualified as independent prescribers may not write NHS prescriptions when working in general ophthalmic services.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We are currently exploring options to allow those optometrists recognised as prescribers to be able to prescribe under the NHS. Information will be issued to NHS boards and optometrists about this as soon as possible.
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the pilot is in place to offer prisoners working in the laundry at HMP Glenochil the opportunity to undertake an SVQ and when all prisoners will be offered such an opportunity, as recommended in the HM Inspectorate of Prisons report, Report on HMP Glenochil: Follow-up Inspection -…
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Whilst the recommendation will be kept under review HMP Glenochil has decided not to offer an SVQ for prisoners who work in the laundry and …
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that all relevant prisoners have been assigned a Personal Officer as recommended in the HM Inspectorate of Prisons report, Report on HMP Glenochil: Follow-up Inspection - 22-24 November 2011.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: SPS has recently commenced a review of the role of the Personal Officer across the prison estate which will inform the nature, scope, job de…
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether HMP Glenochil has provided a comprehensive job description for the role of the Personal Officer and training for such officers and for Lifer Liaison and Lifer Contact Officers as recommended in the HM Inspectorate of Prisons report, Report on HMP Glenochil: Follow-up Inspection - …
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: In regards to the role of the Personal Officer, SPS has recently commenced a review of their role across the prison estate which will inform…
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to provide support to visitors as recommended in the HM Inspectorate of Prisons report, Report on HMP Glenochil: Follow-up Inspection - 22-24 November 2011.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The SPS aims to ensure children and families visiting prisons are treated with dignity and respect. We are currently reviewing our Good Prac…
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it (a) has taken or (b) will take to ensure that the public is provided with information about the (a) risks, (b) limitations and (c) possible benefits of screening for medical conditions involving (i) the use of genetic testing and (ii) exposure to radiation offered by commerc…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not provide the public with information about risks, limitations and possible benefits of screening provided by commercial companies. The Scottish Government provides the public with information about the risks, limitations and p…
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the joint report by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Safer Prescribing in Prisons.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to his question S4W-04025 on 23 November 2011. 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/parliamen…
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to implement the guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence that recommends screening for tuberculosis in hostels and prisons.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish TB Action Plan, which was published in March 2011, recommended that the Scottish Health Protection Network should review the output of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) initiative to develop guidance aimed at reduci…
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 requires the publication of a collated record of comments, concerns and complaints and action taken for each NHS board and, if so, when they will be published.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07572 on 11 June 2012. 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/parliamentarybus…
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure the implementation of the provisions in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 regarding recording, collating and reporting of comments concerns and complaints.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Secondary legislation to support the implementation of the provisions in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 in relation to feedback, comments, concerns and complaints came into force on 1 April 2012. This includes the Patient Rights (Complaints Procedure …
29 May 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that all NHS boards record at both area partnership and board level all concerns raised by staff and the actions taken.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHSScotland Partnership Information Network (PIN) Policy, which was published in December 2011, includes provision for audit and review. The PIN Policy clearly sets out boards’ obligations in terms…