Parliamentary questions

Dr Richard Simpson

2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has seen of (a) outcomes agreed and (b) progress made from the meeting on 27 September 2011 between sportscotland, Sport England, Scottish Swimming and the Swimming Teachers' Association.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04609 on 11 January 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/parliamentaryb…

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what update it has received from sportscotland on the meeting on 27 September 2011 between sportscotland, Sport England, Scottish Swimming and the Swimming Teachers' Association.

Answer · Shona Robison: I understand from sportscotland that the meeting held on 27 September was reasonably productive but that both British Swimming, its home country members and the Swimming Teachers Association agreed that further discussions on the content and format of their q…

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the metal used in all hip implant systems to determine if they have similar problems to those reportedly associated with the DePuy ASR system.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No, however, my officials continue to work with the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) which is responsible for the regulation of medical devices in the UK.

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken steps to alert patients who might have been affected by heavy metal ions from DePuy ASR hip replacements.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A medical device alert prepared by the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) on this issue was circulated in September 2010 to NHS boards by NHS National Services Scotland’s Incident Report and Investigation Centre. This advised NHS boa…

14 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) DePuy XL ASR hip replacements and (b) ASR hip resurfacing implants there have been in each year since 2003, broken down by parliamentary (i) region and (ii) constituency.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the numbers of (a) DePuy XL ASR hip replacements and (b) ASR hip resurfacing implants there have been in each year since 2003 is not available centrally.

8 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out a public awareness campaign regarding the risks that might arise from second-hand smoke in cars and, if so, whether this will include those to (a) child passengers and (b) road safety for drivers.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As I indicated in response to S4O-00410 on 24 November 2010, we will explore what additional measures might be taken to further protect children and adults from the impact of second-hand smoke as we develop our new Tobacco Control Strategy. In the meantime we…

8 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the comments made at page 20 of the Regulatory Reform Group Annual Report - 2011 that (a) “... there is no single register for alcohol licenses in Scotland every time central Government needs to put together national statistics or needs to examine issues in this ar…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Whilst a national database of licences could be of value, the benefits of such a system, including possible savings in data gathering costs and the easier availability of information would have to be set against the substantial costs of developing an IT syste…

7 Dec 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met NHS boards and what was discussed.

6 Dec 2011 · Written Question

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) does not have PVL data on isolates pertaining to 2005 and 2007. In 2009 and 2010 the percentage of PVL Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the bacteraemia dataset was 0.6% and 1.3% respectively. For MRSA only, from the bactera…

6 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements the NHS has in place to monitor the level of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin positive Staphylococcus aureus.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Whilst this information is not held for the NHS as a whole, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) produces quarterly and annual reports in which they highlight the importance of clinicians remaining vigilant to infections suggestive of PVL Staphylococcus aureus. …

5 Dec 2011 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the Royal College of Nursing survey, that shows that 37% of nurses have been discouraged from reporting, or told not to report, their concerns about issues such as patient safety and staffing levels at their workplace.

30 Nov 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect children and young adults from measles, in light of reports of a substantial rise in the number of cases in the south of England and across Europe.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We are not seeing significant numbers of measles cases in Scotland. The number of notifications of measles so far this year is very similar to the number reported last year, and we have had no reported cases of measles in Scotland since July. As our MMR uptak…

23 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to address the shortage of short-term supply teachers as reported in TES Scotland on 11 November 2011.

13 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the Royal College of General Practitioners' guidance, Safer Prescribing in Prisons.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government welcomes the Royal College of General Practitioners’ guidance, Safer Prescribing in Prisons, which provides further guidance to the different healthcare teams who have a responsibility to work with patients in secure settings such as p…

10 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish an up-to-date national audit of cardiac rehabilitation.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Heart Disease Programme National Overview Report, was published on the 28 September 2011. The report contains results from a cardiac rehabilitation audit, which shows that following a heart attack, people get access to high q…

10 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on Argyll and Bute Council's proposed (a) 20% reduction in adult learning service speech and language therapy budgets and (b) 50% reduction in funding for speech and language therapy for children and young people.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The speech and language therapy service in Argyll and Bute is jointly funded by NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council. I understand that the council have discussed these proposed budget cuts with NHS Highland and have agreed to continue the current arrang…

10 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any NHS rehabilitation coordinator post has (a) had its time allocation reduced or (b) been eliminated since 2008 and whether there are plans to reduce the time allocation or eliminate posts in 2012-13.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04012 on 5 December 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/parliamentaryb…

10 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who the rehabilitation coordinators are for each NHS board and what protected time is available for this role.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Rehabilitation co-ordinators were appointed to all but one of the NHS boards across Scotland. The recruitment process was open to all health and social care staff with expertise in rehabilitation and strategic leadership skills. All but two of the rehabilitat…

9 Nov 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Scottish Ambulance Service and what matters were discussed.

3 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it would cost the ambulance service to change the terms and conditions of all frontline staff responding to 999 calls to match those of other emergency services.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service is an integral part of the NHS family and it is right that its staff work under the Agenda for Change terms and conditions package. Fire and police services have their own terms and conditions packages tailored to those services…

3 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure the continuation of the work of Fine Cell Work in prisons if the new Scottish Prison Service rules prevent payment to prisoners for work done in cells.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: There are no barriers to Fine Cell Work continuing their work without direct payment to prisoners. However, as reward is integral to Fine Cell Wo…

3 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers doing needlework to be therapeutic and valuable for prisoners.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The SPS fully supports any activity that promotes self esteem, develops skills and contributes to a way forward for prisoners on release.

3 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Scottish Prison Service is stopping payments to prisoners for work done in cells.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Prisoners continue to be able to be paid for work done in cell where that work is instigated and paid for by the Scottish Prison Service as part …

2 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to amend the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Act 2010 to ensure that there is an end to discounting for volume.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Measures in the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Act 2010 to limit irresponsible promotions, including banning quantity discounts in the off-trade, came into force on 1 October 2011. We have no plans to consider further steps at present. The Scottish Government has a…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask acute hospitals to introduce an hourly rounding system for all patients over 70.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A number of NHS boards in Scotland are already implementing “intentional” or “care” rounding approaches and will be evaluating the impact on the quality of care and patient experience and a project is currently being led by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HI…

25 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings of the 2010 Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Independent Inquiry, what steps have been taken to ensure that all NHS staff understand that they have a responsibility to report concerns about practices that may affect patient safety.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Following the publication of the investigation findings on the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, the Chief Executive of NHS Scotland wrote to all health boards in March 2009 asking them to clarify their local arrangements to detect and act on shortcomin…

25 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings of the 2010 Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Independent Inquiry, what consideration it has given to introduce an NHS helpline for staff who believe that their concerns are not being addressed by local management.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The answer to question S4W-03587 on 11 November 2011 sets out in detail what action we have taken as a result of the findings of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry. A PIN Policy specifically dealing with whistleblowing arrangements is current…

25 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission Professor Anne Ludbrook from the University of Aberdeen to undertake research into the effects of introducing minimum unit pricing of alcohol on different income groups and different types of alcohol consumer in each income group .

Answer · Michael Matheson: We have no current plans to commission Professor Ludbrook to undertake further work on the potential effects of introducing minimum unit pricing of alcohol on different income groups. Previous research undertaken by Professor Ludbrook in 2010 demonstrated tha…

24 Oct 2011 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will investigate claims that patients are being offered unrealistic surgery appointments in England in order to circumvent waiting times targets.

20 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that GPass data held by the Scottish Prison Service will be maintained when prisoner medical services are transferred to the NHS on 1 November 2011.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: From the 1 November 2011 NHS clinicians working within the prison health centres will continue to input and maintain data in the prison GPass system.