Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which neurosurgical units have modern intraoperative assistance to achieve maximal safe resection of brain tumours
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Of the four neurosurgical units in Scotland, those in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, but not the unit in Aberdeen, provide fluorescence-guided surgery. All four centres have image-guided surgery. Neither intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging nor intraoper…
15 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the availability has been for awake neuro-oncological operations in eloquent brain areas in the last 10 years and whether such operations are being accessed by all suitable patients from all NHS board areas
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Awake craniotomy has been available in Scotland since 1997. It is currently performed in the Edinburgh Centre for Neuro-oncology, in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.</p> <p >Prior to 2010, specific data on awake craniotomy proced…
3 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly diagnosed patients each nurse specialist will be responsible for on an annual basis in (a) breast, (b) colorectal, (c) lung, (d) urological, (e) gynaecological, (f) upper gastrointestinal and (g) haematological cancer.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of newly diagnosed patients each nurse specialist will be responsible for on an annual basis is not collected centrally. The number of nurse specialists in breast, colorectal, lung, urological, gynaecological, upper gastrointestinal,…
3 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the provision of whole-time equivalent nurse specialists is for each cancer network that is specifically working in (a) breast, (b) colorectal, (c) lung, (d) urological, (e) gynaecological, (f) upper gastrointestinal and (g) haematological cancer.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.</p> <p >However, information showing the number of clinical nurse specialists by their specialty and NHS health board at 30 September 2009 is available at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/serv…
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average, (b) median and (c) longest delays are in courts hearing applications for all forms of guardianship under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 in each of the last three years
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.</p>
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15371 by Adam Ingram on 27 August 2008, for what reason it did not provide the necessary matched funding to allow it to take up the European Commission grant for the provision of free fruit and vegetable scheme.
Answer · Adam Ingram: There was no need for the Scottish Government to provide match funding in order to participate in the EU school fruit scheme. The regulations associated with the EU scheme allow Scotland to claim up to 100% of eligible costs of an extension, up to the value o…
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34309 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 June 2010, whether as part of its review of the appendix 3.1 Model freedom of speech in the Partnership Information Network (PIN) guideline, Dealing with employee concerns, the revised model will ensure that concerns th…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Dealing with Employee Concerns Partnership Information Network (PIN) guideline, which contains the model freedom of speech policy, is currently under review. As part of this process, the review group will consider and include the provisions of the Public …
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the use by NHS boards of returns of Redeployment Assessment Forms as outlined in Appendix 3.2 of the Partnership Information Network (PIN) guideline on redeployment.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The redeployment of staff forms part of individual NHS boards'' workforce management arrangements. NHS boards are responsible locally for monitoring the effectiveness of those arrangements, including redeployment. As set out in the Redeployment Partnership In…
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reports it has received in the last 12 months from any part of the NHS that have evaluated success in redeployment measured as (a) turnover post-redeployment compared with pre-redeployment and (b) number of staff successfully redeployed.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The redeployment of staff forms part of individual NHS boards'' workforce management arrangements. NHS boards are responsible locally for monitoring the effectiveness of those arrangements, including redeployment. As set out in the Redeployment Partnership In…
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many posts in the NHS are currently advertised on the national website as being available for redeployment.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Advertising and filling vacancies through redeployment is a matter for NHSScotland NHS boards as employers. The data requested is not held centrally.</b></p> sì»!
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards the current plan for reductions of 1,523 nursing, 68 doctor and 230 allied health professional posts as sufficient for any or all NHS boards to require to implement the Partnership Information Network (PIN) Redeployment guideline for boards to have a substantive post de…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Ministers have made clear their expectation that NHS boards will work towards compliance with Partnership Information Network (PIN) policies. All NHS boards have a designated redeployment co-ordinator as specified in the Redeployment PIN guideline. I…
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have visited Stirling district since 2007; on what dates, and for what purpose.
Answer · John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as this is available. A copy of the response will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51765).</p>
1 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have visited the Raploch area in Stirling since May 2007 and on what dates.
Answer · John Swinney: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as this is available. A copy of the response will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51764).</b></p>
25 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which cancers are not audited for the purpose of determining whether they meet the cancer waiting times targets, broken down by (a) regional cancer network and (b) NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In answer to this question we will note which cancers are audited. There are no regional or NHS board differences, so the following are valid across NHSScotland. All monitoring is for new diagnoses only, not recurrent disease. The cohorts are applicable for p…
18 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of NDM-1 have been recorded in the last 12 months and what the outcome was for each case
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has confirmed there have been no recorded cases of NDM-1 over the past 12 months.</p>
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill will ensure that every patient for whom an insulin pump is deemed appropriate will receive it as well as education and support for its effective use.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 17 March 2010. The policy content of the Bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum. The bill is now going through the parliamentary process and the final shape of the bill will be …
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advocacy service is proposed for young people to ensure that their rights are protected under the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The provision in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill at 16(d) (ii) states that a function of the Patient Rights Officers is to direct people ˜to persons providing representation or advocacy services'' and this applies to all patients, irrespective of age. The …
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it carried out with children and young people regarding the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A written consultation about proposals for a patient rights bill ran from September 2008 to January 2009. Several written responses were received from organisations working with children and young people, including Scotland''s Commissioner for Children and Yo…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rights will be given to children under the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill and whether they will be given a guarantee of access to appropriate education if they are an inpatient for a specific length of time.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 17 March 2010. The policy content of the Bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum. The bill is now going through the parliamentary process and the final shape of the bill will be …
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill differs from the patients’ charter in respect of the provision of compensation.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 17 March 2010. The policy content of the bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum. The bill is now going through the parliamentary process and the final shape of the bill will be …
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rights patients have in respect of (a) waiting time for a diagnostic CT scan, (b) waiting time for thrombolysis and (c) admission within 24 hours to a specific unit for stroke treatment and rehabilitation.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The national waiting time standard for a CT scan is six weeks. This is a maximum waiting time. Latest waiting time statistics published on 31 August showed that no patient had waited more than four weeks for a CT scan.</p> <p >Most stroke patients will requi…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, under the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill, it will retain a waiting time guarantee for diagnostic procedures as at present or have a specific guarantee included under the overall referral to treatment guarantee.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 17 March 2010. The policy content of the bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum. The bill is now going through the parliamentary process and the final shape of the bill will be …
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what services are not proposed to be part of the 12-week guaranteed maximum waiting time contained in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill; what guarantees will be for a shorter period than 12 weeks, and for what provisions.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 17 March 2010. The policy content of the bill is set out in the Policy Memorandum. The bill is now going through the parliamentary process and the final shape of the bill will be …
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff in each NHS board are employed to deal with complaints and how much this costs.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Patient Rights Officers proposed in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill will (a) differ from the present complaints system and (b) be independent of the NHS board about which a complaint is being made.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Patient Rights Officers (PROs) will deliver the functions of the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) set out in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill at provision 15(2).</p> <p >The Common Services Agency (CSA) will secure the provision of the PASS, which…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who will act as an advocate for vulnerable and other patients in relation to any complaints made under the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35684 on 31 August 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Patient Rights Officers proposed in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill will have in cases where compensation is being sought.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The role of Patient Rights Officers as set out in provision 16 of the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill includes providing advice and support to individuals to make a complaint under the NHS Complaints procedure. Patient Rights Officers will not be involved with…
10 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rights patients have to access medicines approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium and whether any rights will be embodied in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) assesses newly licensed medicines for clinical and cost-effectiveness and provides advice to NHS Boards. Where the SMC has accepted a newly licensed medicine, NHS boards are expected to make it (or its equivalent) avail…
5 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to examine the state of NHS websites and whether it has had access to the UK Department of Health’s digital communications review, circulated internally in June 2010, and, if so, what action it will take to ensure that NHSScotland websites do not contain any defici…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have not had access to the Department of Health''s digital communications review and are therefore unable to comment on the contents.</p> <p >NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) is currently reviewing the provision of web-based information within NHSScot…
3 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the pharmacy budget will be transferred to the NHS from the Scottish Prison Service as part of the transfer of medical services in autumn 2011
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Responsibility for pharmacy services and, with it, the pharmacy budget will be transferred from the Scottish Prison Service to NHS boards…