Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-02259 by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2011, whether it will provide an update on how many cases of verotoxin producing bacterial infection have been identified in Scotland in 2011 and how many cases were identified in (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Health Protection Scotland receives laboratory notifications of culture positive cases of VTEC (verotoxigenic Escherichia coli) bacterial infection. These are defined as: All culture positive cases of Escherichia coli O157, and All culture positive cases of…
19 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made toward replacing all transfats with polyunsaturated fats.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02252 on 5 September 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/parliamenta…
19 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will routinely test for phenazepam as part of the monitoring of deaths where (a) drug and (b) drug and alcohol abuse is suspected.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02251 on 5 September 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/parliamenta…
19 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) Health Protection Scotland, (b) the Food Standards Agency and (c) the Royal Environmental Health Institute on any (i) risks arising from and (ii) management of future outbreaks of E. coli in light of the emergence of a new strain in Germany in 2011.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Health Protection Scotland (HPS), in liaison with the Scottish Government, the Food Standards Agency, the Royal Environmental Health Institute for Scotland and other relevant stakeholders, is currently drafting a VTEC (Vero cytotoxin-producing E. coli) Action…
19 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has asked the Scottish Pollution Control Coordinating Committee to examine the problems created by noise and vibration from freight trains at night.
Answer · Keith Brown: No, the Scottish Government has not requested assistance from Scottish Pollution Control Coordinating Committee on the specific issues of noise and vibration relating to freight trains at night. Officials do, however, meet with this group to discuss noise is…
19 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38676 by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 January 2011, whether it will consider taking action regarding direct-to-consumer genetic testing, in the light of the British Medical Journal editorial of 28 May 2011 on this issue.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Ethical and legal matters relating to human genetics are reserved issues. The Human Genetics Commission (HGC) provides advice and may from time to time make recommendations in specific areas, such as (in general terms) broad human genetics issues.
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether paediatric occupational therapy services are subject to a waiting list guarantee.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Paediatric occupational therapy services, like all allied health services are not subject to a national waiting time guarantee. However, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 introduced a framework to support children and young …
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on a patient not having an appointment 18 months after referral to a paediatric occupational therapy service for a non-urgent issue.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is not acceptable for a patient to have to wait over 18 months for an appointment with the paediatric occupational therapy service. Information provided by NHS boards across Scotland would indicate that the average waiting time for paediatric occupational…
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) median and (b) maximum waiting times are for paediatric occupational therapy services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no national waiting time guarantee for access to allied health services, including occupational health therapy services in Scotland, and information about waiting times for these services in individual NHS boards is not collected centrally. NHS boar…
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funds are being made available to the Scottish Ambulance Service to implement the interim agreement on emergency interruption of rest breaks.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As I stated when answering questions on the issues raised in my statement to parliament on 6 October, additional resources that the interim arrangements will necessitate will be provided by the Scottish Government to the Scottish Ambulance Service. However, …
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what adjustment is being made to the annual payment to the ambulance staff who were on the voluntary register agreement on emergency interruption of rest breaks.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The pre-existing arrangement for those staff on the voluntary register was £250 per annum for their flexibility, with £5 paid each time they were disturbed. The interim arrangement introduces a payment regime of £250 per annum plus £100 per disturbance. Staf…
6 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will cap the funds provided to the Scottish Ambulance Service to implement the interim agreement on emergency interruption of rest breaks.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Whilst talks between the ambulance service management and unions are ongoing it may prejudice these to provide further detail on potential costs. It is, however, a key aim of the Scottish Government to support a negotiated agreement which provides a cost effe…
4 Oct 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact has been on site road maintenance and ownership as a result of the lease to the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board of part or all of Site 6 at Almondbank.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Under the Licence between the Scottish Ministers and the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board the board has responsibility for the maintenance of the road. The Scottish Ministers will complete the transaction to acquire complete ownership of the road from DEF…
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce treatment waiting times for patients accessing rheumatology services.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to reduce waiting times, the Health Directorate’s Quality and Efficiency Support continues to work with all NHS boards to redesign and transform services across Scotland to improve access through all stages of t…
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time has been for a patient to be seen for first assessment by rheumatology specialist services in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: New ways of defining and measuring waiting lists were introduced on the 31 December 2007 and led to a significant change in how NHSScotland collects and defines waiting times. Data prior to this is not directly comparable. Information on the median wait for …
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultant rheumatologists there are per 100,000 population in each NHS board area and whether this is the level recommended by (a) it, (b) the British Society for Rheumatology, (c) the Royal College of Physicians and (d) the World Health Organization.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested on the number of consultant rheumatologists per 100,000 population by NHS board is shown in the following table: NHS Board Consultants per 100,000 population NHS Ayrshire and Arran 0.3 NHS Borders 0.8 NHS Dumfries and Gallowa…
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken or will take to improve the early referral of patients with symptoms likely to be rheumatoid arthritis.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Decisions regarding the care of individual patients are a matter of professional judgement for the clinician responsible for the patient’s care. In referring patients for any clinical condition, GPs are expected to follow UK and Scottish clinical guidelines a…
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of NHS boards’ ability to meet the guidelines set by the British Society for Rheumatology on patient access to treatment.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) Guideline 123, provides the most recent expert advice on the management of early Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). SIGN expects that the guideline will help ensure: early referral to a rheumatology specialist; ear…
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of how the number of consultant rheumatologists available affects NHS boards’ ability to meet the guidelines set by the British Society for Rheumatology on patient access to treatment.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is a matter for NHS boards to decide how to deliver the services they provide to best 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.
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for patients to access (a) second and (b) subsequent appointments with consultant rheumatologists.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally. The time of any second or subsequent outpatient appointments would be a matter for the consultant to determine based on the individual patient’s clinical need.
30 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time has been for a patient to receive treatment from rheumatology services in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: New ways of defining and measuring waiting lists were introduced on the 31 December 2007 and led to a significant change in how NHSScotland collects and defines waiting times. Data prior to this is not directly comparable. Information on the median wait to b…
29 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that funding for the provision of independent advice on issues such as debt, welfare rights and benefits should be part of its move to preventative spending and a focus on earlier intervention.
Answer · John Swinney: Funding for debt and welfare rights advice is a matter for local authorities, who are best placed to assess local needs for advice services and put in place appropriate provision. The Scottish Government considers improving money management to be the focus fo…
29 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to provide funding to Citizens Advice Scotland for the additional provision of financial advice, welfare rights and employment advice in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.
Answer · John Swinney: Citizens Advice Scotland is funded by the UK Department of Business Innovation and Skills.
29 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what increase in service was provided by Citizens Advice Scotland with the funding that it received from the Scottish Executive in December 2008 to provide additional support for people affected by the economic downturn.
Answer · John Swinney : A total of £1.109 million was distributed to 55 bureaux, covering 29 local authority areas. The increase in service varied according to the approach taken by individual bureaux, for example extended opening, training additional volunteers. Citizens Advice Sco…
29 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued on the food and drink provided at breakfast and after-school clubs and what research it has commissioned on the nutrition provided and the role of these clubs in promoting healthy eating.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 places a duty on schools and local authorities to ensure that health promotion is at the heart of a school’s activities. The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Reg…
22 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether bevacizumab is used in the NHS in the treatment of wet macular degeneration and, if so, whether side effects have been identified such as those recently reported in veterans in the United States of America.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Bevacizumab (Avastin) is licensed for the treatment of other conditions but is not licensed for the treatment of wet macular degeneration. However, the drug is used in many countries, including the UK, as an unlicensed medicine for the treatment of wet macula…
21 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made on recruitment to (a) dental practices and (b) NHS dentistry before the decision was made to withdraw the NHS dental bursary scheme.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02874 on 3 October 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/parliamentarybu…
21 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was carried out before the NHS dental bursary scheme was withdrawn.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The NHS dental bursary scheme has not been withdrawn.
21 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made of access to dentistry studies by people from less-well-off families before the decision was made to withdraw the NHS dental bursary scheme.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02874 on 3 October 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found a http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybus…
21 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what notice students already in receipt of bursaries were given that the NHS dental bursary scheme was being withdrawn.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02874 on 3 October 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/parliamentarybu…