Dr Richard Simpson

21 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the (a) variation between and (b) monthly variation within NHS boards as shown in Appendix B of the report, Review of aspects of Waiting Times Management at NHS Lothian, other than those stated in the appendix, and whether the data for NHS (i) Greater Glasgow and …

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Published waiting times statistics are based on the most up-to- date status of data extracted from local systems and submitted by NHS boards to ISD each quarter. Since publication follows in a timely manner, this means that the data can be updated from one pu…

19 Mar 2012 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will reconsider its support for the continuation of the bonus points scheme for hospital doctors in light of a reduction in NHS jobs and a general pay freeze in the public sector.

15 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities (a) are and (b) are not awarding Eat Safe awards.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There are currently 23 out of 32 Scottish local authorities awarding Eat Safe Awards. The 23 local authorities that are awarding Eat Safe are: Aberdeen City Council Aberdeenshire Council Argyll and Bute Council City of Edinburgh Council Clackmannanshire…

15 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have not implemented the Food Hygiene Information Scheme.

Answer · Michael Matheson: All local authorities in Scotland intend to implement the scheme, subject to FSA agreeing support arrangements with those most recently coming on board. Twenty local authorities have already launched the scheme. Information on these can be found at the foll…

15 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital departments have a derogation from the European working time directive for junior doctors, broken down by (a) post and (b) hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No hospital departments or doctors in training have any derogations from the Working Time Regulations

15 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the two newly agreed software systems for primary care to replace G-Pass include recording and updating of family history and the ability to link intergenerational data.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The two new software systems for primary care include the same functionality as GPASS to record and update family history. GPASS did not link intergenerational data and there are no current plans to do so with the two replacement systems.

15 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to develop validated questionnaires to capture family history data in primary care.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Validated questionnaires to capture family history data in primary care have not been developed. GP systems have the facility to record family history in an individual’s patient record. The information to be included in a patient’s record is a matter of profe…

15 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current guidance is on the value of identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes in patients being treated with warfarin.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no current guidance on the value of identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes in patients being treated with warfarin. Current expert guidance from the British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) does not re…

14 Mar 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Skills Development Scotland and what issues were discussed.

7 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can guarantee that the registration of nurses seeking to return to work after a career break will be protected if it expires during their job search, without the need to undergo retraining at their own expense.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Regulation of the nursing profession is specifically reserved to the UK Government by the Scotland Act 1998. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has UK-wide statutory responsibility for safeguarding the public by maintaining the register of nurses who are…

7 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the sale of different sizes of multipack of the same container of alcohol whereby a larger multipack is sold at a lower price.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are unaware of any instances of a larger multipack being sold at a lower price than a smaller multipack.

7 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can guarantee that every kinship carer will be given a full assessment and be provided with an emergency plan on request and, if so, what the programme for this will be.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 places a statutory duty on local authorities to carry out an assessment when a child is to be placed with a kinship carer. These regulations also place a duty on local authorities to have procedures in pla…

22 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the introduction of alternative telephone numbers for non-urgent (a) health, (b) fire and (c) police matters similar to that recently piloted by some NHS trusts in England.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is currently considering the adoption of the “111” number for access to non-emergency healthcare services and work is ongoing to fully understand the technical, financial and service implications of adopting this number in Scotland. We…

22 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS staff have been informed about (a) their obligations regarding and (b) how they should be protected when raising concerns regarding patient care and safety, as set out in the Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy, Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangemen…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The revised Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHSScotland Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy details the rights and responsibilities of staff in relation to whistleblowing. NHSScotland boards’ local HR policies must meet or e…

22 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what reports are made to its health directorate and NHS (a) boards and (b) partnership forums on concerns raised by clinicians.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHSScotland PIN policy clearly sets out boards’ obligations in terms of local policies developed in line with the PIN. The operation of local policies, which should be monitored by the area partner…

22 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS staff contracts have been revised to include terms and conditions regarding the protection of whistleblowers.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 provides legal protection in relation to whistleblowers. Such protection is therefore an implied term within the contracts of employment of all NHSScotland employees, and does not need to be stipulated as a specific wri…

22 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether every NHS board has implemented the Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy, Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHSScotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHSScotland boards’ local policies must meet or exceed the minimum standards set out within NHSScotland Partnership Information Network (PIN) Policies. Given that local policy review mechanisms will differ amongst individual boards, where new/revised PIN poli…

22 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures the safety of patients who are provided with telehealth services by medical practitioners who are (a) not UK residents and (b) not registered with the General Medical Council.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Telehealth delivered through NHS 24 and the Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare is at present provided by existing staff within territorial NHS boards. The Government is not aware of telehealth services being provided by non-UK resident, non-GMC regis…

22 Feb 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire and Perthshire have asked for further support in implementing the Curriculum for Excellence.

18 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of patients requiring treatment for immunological and allergy conditions being sent to Newcastle and, if so, for what reason this treatment cannot be accessed in Scotland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Our generic approach to the management of all long-term conditions is about making sure people get services which are responsive to their needs and which can be provided as locally as possible, with ready access to specialist services where necessary. In Sco…

17 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps Health Improvement Scotland takes to (a) review and (b) follow up the outcomes of NHS board responses to (i) fatal accident reports and (ii) sheriff judgements in relation to NHS treatment.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As part of their role in supporting NHS boards to deliver high quality healthcare, Healthcare Improvement Scotland reviews fatal accident inquiries (FAI) and sheriff judgements in relation to NHS treatment and advises NHS boards of any significant national le…

17 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether community pharmacists will be required to provide a role for NHS boards in the emergency supply of oxygen for use at home.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Community Pharmacy involvement in the provision of home oxygen therapy is a matter for local determination between relevant contractors and NHS boards who are responsible for planning the provision of healthcare services based on the assessed needs of their r…

17 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Dolby Medical can guarantee full coverage of oxygen supply to patients at home in all areas of Scotland, especially in remote and rural areas.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for Health Facilities Scotland, a division of NHS National Services Scotland, who may be contacted at [email protected].

5 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnant women in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010 were referred to a children's hearing or the Scottish Children's Reporter because of alcohol or drug abuse.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Children’s reporter Administration (SCRA). I have asked the principal reporter to respond. He has responded as follows: The information is not available in the format requested from SCRA’s central Referrals Admi…

5 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with its audit and research on foetal alcohol (a) syndrome and (b) spectrum disorder.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government and Chief Scientist’s Office have co-funded a four year surveillance study on fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) only. This study has just entered its third year of operation and is collecting and collating information on the incidence of fe…

5 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how its recently published figures on perinatal mortality compare with those for the rest of Europe.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Perinatal deaths are defined in Scotland as stillbirths and deaths in the first week of life. The most recently published full-year figure on perinatal mortality in Scotland is 6.9 perinatal deaths per 1,000 live and still births http://www.gro-scotland.gov.…

5 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it takes 13 months from the end of one year to publish the figures on perinatal mortality.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Figures on perinatal mortality are published by National Records of Scotland (NRS) on a quarterly basis, usually three months after the end of the relevant quarter. These figures are published here: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/theme/vital-events…

5 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend its advice on vitamin D supplements to include older people (a) in care homes or (b) who are confined to home.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The current recommendations specify that people over the age of 65 should take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D. In addition it is recommended that people under the age of 65 who are not exposed to much sun, for a variety of reasons al…

2 Feb 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-03746 by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 November 2011, whether it is possible that a multi-pack of beer can be sold at a price less than it would cost if the same quantity of items in the pack were sold individually and, if so, whether it will amend the Alcoh…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: If a retailer sells a single can of beer then a multi-pack of the same beer must be sold for no less than the appropriate multiple of the single can price. If a retailer does not sell a single can then no such restriction applies. We have no current plans t…

26 Jan 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were taken into care as a result of a parent being admitted to prison in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.