Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
27 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that police forces and NHS boards have joint protocols for place of safety orders made under section 297 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Section 297 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 provides a power to police constables to remove a relevant person from a public place to a place of safety where the constable reasonably suspects the person to have a mental disorder a…
13 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assess changes in (a) the number of prescriptions issued, (b) the costs of medicines prescribed and (c) GP consulting time since 1 April 2011 in relation to medicines previously available under the minor ailments scheme.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Information and Statistics Division of NHS National Services Scotland publish regularly data on the number and cost of items provided under the Minor Ailments Service and separately prescribed by GPs. The list of medicines which may be supplied under th…
30 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged between 10 and 16 are not immune to measles (a) as a result of not being vaccinated and (b) despite vaccination.
Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the childhood immunisation programme, two doses of MMR vaccine are routinely offered to children by 5 years of age. In Scotland, 30,422 children between the ages of 10 and 16 (8.4% of the 10-16 age group) had not received any doses of MMR vaccine a…
28 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities reached the agreed minimum target of carrying out visits providing advice and support to 20% of tobacco retailers in their area per annum during the Enhanced Tobacco Sales Programme in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The local authorities which reached the agreed minimum target of carrying out visits providing advice and support to 20% of tobacco retailers in their area per annum during the Enhanced Tobacco Sales Programme in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 are a…
28 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities reached the agreed minimum target of carrying out test purchasing exercises in 10% of tobacco retailers in their area per annum during the Enhanced Tobacco Sales Enforcement Programme in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The local authorities which reached the agreed minimum target of carrying out test purchasing exercises in 10% of tobacco retailers in their area per annum during the Enhanced Tobacco Sales Enforcement Programme in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 are…
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the development of a national register of patients who might be prepared to participate in clinical trials.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Scientist Office within the Health Directorate is currently funding a pilot study to develop and test a register of pre-consented patients who have agreed to be approached to take part in research. The pilot study is due to complete in August 2011, …
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reverse the decline in clinical trials.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A decline in commercial clinical trials is being experienced across Europe for a number of reasons, but long delays to trial commencement and poor patient recruitment are frequently cited as areas where the UK lags behind other countries. The Chief Scientist …
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the reported prevalence of measles and the call by the European Union to step up vaccination programmes to eradicate measles.
Answer · Michael Matheson: At present there are many cases of measles across Europe, however the prevalence of measles in Scotland remains very low. There is limited evidence of transmission of measles in Scotland and the few cases that have occurred this year have primarily been seen …
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals (a) have or (b) do not have a transplant coordinator, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Specialist Nurses - Organ Donation, previously known as donor transplant co-ordinators, are embedded in the large hospitals shown, by NHS Board, in the following table: Board Hospital National Waiting Times Centre Golden Jubilee National Hospital NHS …
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used by each NHS board when considering whether to accept clinical recommendations to fund the use of Eculizumab in the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Ministers expect NHS Boards and clinicians to take full account of recommendations from the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) in the planning and provision of NHS services. The SMC issued advice in Novembe…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) measures the rates of unplanned admissions in its criteria for good care in care homes.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) assess the quality of care in care homes against the National Care Standards. Any other criteria it may use is an operational matter for SCSWIS. For information you can contact the Interim Chief Execu…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that every patient identified by Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission or Admission (SPARRA) with more than two unplanned admissions receives a (a) personalised health and social care programme and (b) structured discharge plan.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health and social care staff should systematically use risk prediction tools to identify people who are frail and at greatest risk of emergency admission to hospital. Current good practice is that those at highest risk should have an anticipatory care plan co…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce the median length of stay for patients declared fit for discharge who, because they remain in hospital for less than six weeks, are not classified as delayed discharge cases.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The median length of delay at the April census was 21 days. This compares with 31 days in April 2007 and 87 days when the numbers peaked in October 2001. We are working with NHS and local authority partnerships to reduce these, not least through the introduct…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason treatments recommended by the centrally funded UK-designated specialist service outreach clinic at Monklands Hospital for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria are not funded nationally.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Boards are expected to manage costs of treatment for particular conditions from their annual funding allocation. Blood transfusions recommended for a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria will normally be overseen by the patient’s local consul…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the administrative cost of the minor ailments scheme is and how this compares with the cost of administrating the previous prescription exemption scheme.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The aggregate costs to National Services Scotland Practitioner Services Division for administering prescription charges exemptions and the Minor Ailment Service in 2010-11 were: Costs associated with payment verification - £88,443 Costs of administering Pre…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated reports of patients dying in hospital after being declared fit for discharge who, because they remained in hospital for less than six weeks, were not classified as delayed discharge cases.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This is a matter for individual NHS boards. I wrote to the Chairs of NHS boards on 10 February 2011 asking that Medical Directors review any future cases where a patient has been deemed medically fit for discharge and subsequently dies before that discharge …
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will lower from six weeks the maximum time limit for patients not to be regarded as delayed discharge cases after being declared fit for discharge.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Patients are recorded as delayed discharges from the moment they are clinically ready for discharge. Six weeks is the agreed maximum period for that discharge to then take place. We are in discussion with NHS and local authority partnerships about making sure…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to maintain its commitment to keep the level of delayed discharges at zero.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Yes, we intend to maintain the commitment to sustain the zero level of patients inappropriately delayed in hospital for longer than the agreed 6 weeks discharge planning period while also tackling the level and length of delays under 6 weeks.
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) rejected the application for the use of Eculizumab in November 2010, in part on the basis that a health economic analysis of the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria was not provided, and whether SMC h…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) operates independently from the Scottish Government. Details about the nature of SMC processes and further information about SMC decisions are available from their website: http://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk The Scot…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38009 by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 December 2010, what progress has been made toward establishing a national plan for rare diseases.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The EU Council Recommendation on An Action in the field of Rare Diseases was published on 8 June 2009, and contains a number of recommendations for EU member states to take forward between now and 2013, including “plans and strategies in the field of rare dis…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage change in emergency admissions has been for the NHS in each year since 2008-09, also broken down by (a) NHS board, (b) community health partnership, (c) GP practice and (d) per 100 patients identified by Scottish Patients at Risk of Readmission or Admission (SPARRA).
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Tables showing the percentage change in emergency admissions between 2008-09 and 2009-10 for NHS Boards, Community Health Partnerships and GP practices have been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib number. 53052). Statistics per 100 pat…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to monitor (a) the uniformity of approach by NHS boards to the new exceptional needs system and (b) whether the scheme's processes are (i) transparent and (ii) acceptable to applicants and clinicians.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards were asked to align their local policies by 1 April 2011 to the framework set out in the guidance on the introduction and availability of newly licensed medicines in the NHS in Scotland published on 17 May 2010. The guidance, CEL 17 (2010) which t…
16 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce the number of patients fit for discharge who, because they remain in hospital for less than six weeks, are not classified as delayed discharge cases.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Patients inappropriately delayed in hospital for less than 6 weeks are classified as delayed discharges and information on these delays is included in the published quarterly census. The total figure has fallen by more than 2,000 in the last 10 years. The re…
13 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the local contracts with Citizens Advice Bureaux that are due to end on 30 June 2011 pending the implementation of the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Consideration is currently being given to an extension of the local contracts with Citizens Advice Bureaux for the provision of the Independent Advice and Support Service.
8 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its proposals for the future of prison visiting committees.
8 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will replace Professor John Savill as Chief Scientist in its health directorates, given that the post has been vacant since October 2010, and, if so, when.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is currently considering the provision of scientific advice. The Chief Scientist post is part of that consideration and an announcement on the outcome will be made shortly.
1 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that patient safety is not jeopardised and that unacceptable variations in practice do not emerge following the cancellation of the Scottish Arthroscopy Project.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Arthroplasty Project has not been cancelled.
11 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Medicines Consortium proposes to take action in light of the study in The New England Journal of Medicine claiming that bevacizumab is as effective as ranibizumab in the treatment of wet macular degeneration.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraises all newly licensed medicines for clinical and cost-effectiveness and publishes advice for NHSScotland. The SMC does not appraise a medicine to treat a condition for which the pharmaceutical company that manufa…
11 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that classroom assistants who have been encouraged to give up their posts to undertake teacher training are given an assurance of employment on satisfactory completion of their probationer year.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government does not employ teachers and cannot therefore offer a guarantee of employment beyond the offer of employment for a one-year probationary period. However, under the terms of the budget agreement, local authorities have undertaken that …
11 May 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reductions in staffed beds other than temporary closures and winter pressure planning NHS boards reported in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11 and are planning for 2011-12.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of available staffed beds by NHS board is routinely published by Information Services Division on the beds section of their website http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/3425.html. Information for the financial year 2010-11 will be published on 28 June …