Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of published guidance by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on borderline and antisocial personality disorders, what action the Scottish Prison Service and community justice authorities are taking to implement programmes with offenders to deal with …
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >From a clinical perspective, there are very few prisoners in custody with a formal diagnosis of either antisocial personality disor…
19 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of published guidance by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on borderline and antisocial personality disorders, what steps it is taking to ensure that individuals with such disorders have access to the necessary assessments, treatment management and…
Answer · Shona Robison: Services for people with personality disorders are planned and delivered by NHS boards and their partners in line with national clinical guidelines and in accordance with the standards for integrated care pathways for personality disorders, published by NHS Q…
19 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons the guidance on Clostridium difficile on the Health Protection Scotland website has not been amended to include the testing of all symptomatic patients, with diarrhoea, aged 15 and older.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Surveillance will be extended from 1 April 2009 to include patients aged 15 and over. Guidance is currently being amended to take account of this change.</p>
19 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons the criteria for submission of Clostridium difficile isolates to the Scottish Clostridium difficile Reference Service have not been revised since October 2007.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Since November 2008, following introduction of the Protocol for Clostridium difficile snapshot programme, the criteria for submission of Clostridium difficile isolates has been expanded to include a representative collection of isolates originating from patie…
11 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the emergence of the 078 strain of Clostridium difficile and its potentially higher level of toxicity, whether it has issued new guidelines to replace those requiring samples to be submitted where (a) a patient has developed a severe disease, including (i) admission to hospit…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) confirm that their current guidance on Prevention and Control of Clostridium difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) in Healthcare Settings in Scotland provides for the possibility of more virulent strains being identified. HPS al…
11 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18599 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 December 2008, where the study of Clostridium difficile ribotypes will take place; when it will start and finish; when it will be published on the Health Protection Scotland website, and when the results are expected to…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has indicated that results from their study, which started in January 2009, will be included in each of the Clostridium difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) quarterly surveillance reports which are published on the HPS website.…
11 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18600 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 December 2008, when the review of NHS board compliance with the Protocol for the Scottish Surveillance Programme for Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease by the HAI National Taskforce will be (a) completed and (b) p…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS board practice in the area of surveillance is monitored through the National HAI Action Plan and progress is reviewed by the HAI National Task Force, as confirmed in the answer provided to question to S3W-18600 on 15 December 2008.</p> <p >There is no re…
5 Feb 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that every primary school pupil receives two hours of high quality physical education per week.
Answer · Maureen Watt: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0205-01.htm">http://www.scot…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that there is a standardised data collection system for recording toxin testing for Clostridium difficile.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A standardised data collection protocol for recording Clostridium difficile toxin testing was introduced in October 2007 and can be found on the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) website at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/sshaip/gui…
29 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18600 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 December 2008, what monitoring the Healthcare Associated Infection Task Force has undertaken in each NHS board for compliance with the Protocol for the Scottish Surveillance Programme for Clostridium difficile Associate…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Monitoring is carried out by laboratories who submit quarterly reports to Health Protection Scotland (HPS). These reports are quality assured by HPS who check with each NHS board that all episodes have been reported. In addition, HPS report findings to the Sc…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will keep the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland independent of the NHS while keeping NHS Quality Improvement Scotland within the NHS, if the two organisations are merged.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20151 on 6 February 2009. 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/Apps…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the independence of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland will be retained in any new structure arising from its proposed merger with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission.
Answer · Shona Robison: Ministers have been made aware of the views of the affected bodies and their stakeholders on these proposals which include concerns about the continued independence of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, particularly in carrying out its safeguarding r…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what functions of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWCS) are to be subsumed within any new organisation resulting from the proposed merger of MWCS with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission, rather than retained within an independent section, unit, directorat…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20148 on 6 February 2009. 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/Apps…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits and enhancements, other than financial savings, it envisages achieving in merging the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission that could not be achieved by closer joint working.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20148 on 6 February 2009. 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/Apps…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial savings it would expect to make by merging the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission.
Answer · Shona Robison: The new bodies will be empowered to plan and work together collaboratively on, for instance, joint inspections in a manner which is not achievable with their current legislative powers.</p> <p >The changes proposed envisage the creation of two new scrutiny b…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of any consultations it has had with stakeholders in respect of the proposed merger of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20163 on 6 February 2009. 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/Apps…
23 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it undertook with stakeholders prior to announcing the proposal to merge the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission, listing (a) who was consulted, (b) the method of consultation and (c) when it took place.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20163 on 6 February 2009. 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/App…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what quality assurance measures are in place to ensure that no patient information is deleted from accident and emergency unit monitoring screens prior to being seen and treated.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In relation to the Emergency Department Information System (EDIS) only EDIS administrators are able to delete information. EDIS administrators are normally senior clinicians or senior members of staff or members of the IT department and there would be an audi…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the practice of removing patient information from monitoring screens in order to meet four-hour targets ceased at Monklands Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have stated that they do not, and have never, removed patient information from monitoring screens.</p>
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were moved from the Monklands Hospital accident and emergency unit to its clinical decision unit to ensure that the accident and emergency four-hour target was being met in each of the last two years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have stated that the clinical decision area is not used in order to meet the four-hour target but is used to manage patients appropriately.</p>
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring arrangements are available to patients moved from the Monklands Hospital accident and emergency unit to its clinical decision unit.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have informed us that the clinical decision area is staffed by registered nurses with additional support from medical staff. This area is the formal clinical responsibility of the consultant accident and emergency staff.</p>
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the clinical decision unit at Monklands Hospital is included in calculations relating to the accident and emergency four-hour target.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have confirmed that the clinical decision area is used predominantly for patients who have been assessed by a clinician and diagnosed as fit for discharge. During times of peak activity a very small number of accident and emergency patients, w…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for the winter at Monklands Hospital took into account the closure of 23 orthopaedic beds and 16 surge beds.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Lanarkshire have stated that they have not closed any orthopaedic beds at Monklands Hospital.</p> <p >NHS Lanarkshire has a comprehensive system-wide winter plan. All hospitals operate as an emergency clinical network during periods of peak activity. In …
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any NHS boards are failing to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council minimum standard ratio of one supervisor to 15 midwives and, if so, which ones.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Seven NHS boards in Scotland do not meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council requirement. They are: NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lanarkshire.</p> <p >All potenti…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time-equivalent midwives there are and what the ratio of midwives is to the number of births, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) community health partnership.
Answer · Shona Robison: Table 1 shows, by NHS board, the number of whole-time equivalent (WTE) midwives, the number of births in Scottish hospitals, and the ratio of births to midwives. Latest available complete information for births in Scottish hospitals is for year ending 31 Marc…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of each of the 19 investigations undertaken by supervisors of midwives or the local midwives supervising authority in 2007-08 and what the method was for reporting each of the outcomes.
Answer · Shona Robison: Notification of the outcomes of supervisory investigations is provided in the same way in all Local Supervising Authority regions within Scotland. The Local Supervising Authority Midwifery Officer (LSAMO), midwives involved in the investigation and their name…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the breastfeeding rates were in maternity wards or units dedicated to women suffering from substance misuse in the last year during which such wards or units existed.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not centrally available as maternity ward or unit level information cannot be identified from national data collected on breastfeeding rates.</p>
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that the rising birth rate and the increased workload resulting from a renewed focus on pregnant women with substance misuse problems is matched by increased numbers of midwives.
Answer · Shona Robison: It is for NHS boards to determine the staff required in their local areas. However, we expect NHS boards to take account of local population needs and changes in service provision to ensure a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency approach to the provision of ca…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many supervisors of midwives will reach retiring age in each of the next five years.
Answer · Shona Robison: Specific information about the numbers of supervisors of midwives about to retire is not held centrally. However, we expect Local Supervising Authority Midwifery Officers to succession plan to ensure the appropriate number of supervisors are in place if, and …
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional remuneration and dedicated resources it would recommend as incentives for midwives to become supervisors.
Answer · Shona Robison: Under current nationally agreed terms and conditions, an allowance of £500 per annum is available for supervisory midwives in recognition of the statutory regulatory duties they perform. The provision of any additional resources is a matter for NHS boards.</p…