Parliamentary questions
Dr Richard Simpson
2,702 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all NHS hospitals or units where external cleaning and catering contracts are (a) in operation, (b) subject to best value reviews or test marketing, (c) in operation under extended PFI/PPP contracts or (d) planned to operate in hospitals or under construction.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: With regard to cleaning services I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15208 on 22 August 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: </p> <p ><a h…
26 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3M-15208 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 August 2008 indicating that a number of hospital cleaning and catering services contracts is subject to review, whether this position contradicts the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s letter to NHS boards on …
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The announcement I made on 18 October, 2008 is in line with the answer to S3W-15208 and the guidance issued to NHS Chief Executives on 20 October 2008 which indicates that existing contracts for the provision of such services are not affected.</p> <p >All …
26 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 18 known deaths due to, or associated with, Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital between December 2007 and May 2008 were identified by type (a) before the patient’s death, (b) within two weeks of the patient’s death, (c) within one month of the patient’s dea…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18242 on 8 December 2008. 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…
26 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 18 known deaths due to or associated with Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital between December 2007 and May 2008 were (a) type 027, (b) other types of Clostridium difficile and (c) not identified by type.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information sought forms part of the Outbreak Control Team''s report which has been provided to the Area Procurator Fiscal for Argyll and Clyde by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to assist in his on-going investigations and the parallel investigations that …
18 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedures for child screening will (a) remain universal and (b) be undertaken by or under the supervision of a fully trained health visitor for neonates or for infants in the first (i) 10 days, (ii) eight weeks, (iii) three months, (iv) four months, (v) 13 months and (vi) thr…
Answer · Shona Robison: Child health screening, surveillance and health promotion will remain a universal service as described in Health for all Children guidance issued by the Scottish Executive in 2005. Contacts outlined in the core programme include neonate, first 10 days of life…
18 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support and approve an NHS board freezing recruitment of frontline clinical staff as a measure to achieve efficiency savings or a balanced budget.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Only schemes that comply with the definition of an efficiency saving would be accepted. The definition of a cash‘releasing efficiency saving is where the organisation delivers the same service at a reduced cost, demonstrated by delivering the same outcome(s) …
18 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards are permitted to include accountancy adjustments to achieve 2% efficiency savings.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Accountancy adjustments would not in themselves be permissible in demonstrating achievement of efficiency savings. However, accountancy adjustments that relate to real changes in the way in which services are delivered may be included in demonstrating their o…
18 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards are permitted to include projected property sales to achieve 2% efficiency savings.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Efficiency gains may be either recurring or non-recurring. Non-recurring efficiencies can deliver a variety of valid one-off efficiencies. <i >The Scottish Government Efficient Government Programme 2008-09‘2010-11, Efficiency Process & Guidance</i> cites …
18 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on how it defines efficiency savings.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All NHSScotland boards have been issued with guidance, namely <i >Version 3.1 of the</i> <i >Scottish Government Efficient Government Programme 2008-09 “ 2010-11 - Efficiency Process & Guidance</i>. This document sets out the principles underpinning the S…
12 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations received funding under the previous administration’s Sexual Abuse Service Development fund and when the funding for each organisation ends.
Answer · Shona Robison: The organisations which received funding under the Sexual Abuse Service Development Fund are detailed on the Scottish Government website: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/VAUnit/CSAapplicants">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/…
12 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration will be given to transferring medical and nursing services supporting those in police custody to the NHS, in light of the decision to transfer medical and nursing services in the Scottish Prison Service to the NHS.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Individual police forces are responsible for health care and forensic services in police custody. The delivery of improved healthcare and forensic services through partnership working between the police force, health board and the university is being explored…
12 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional costs would be of devolving the functions of NHS 24 to territorial NHS boards.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has no plans to devolve the functions of NHS 24 to territorial NHS boards. On that basis, such costing information is not held.</p> <p >However, the Scottish Government is committed to the development of local NHS 24 services across S…
12 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of a substantial reduction in nursing teaching in dermatology, what steps it is taking to ensure that nurses are adequately trained to manage dermatological conditions.
Answer · Shona Robison: The responsibility for determining the educational requirements for all pre-registration nursing education programmes rests with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). NMC decides the standards of expertise to be maintained, in partnership with the higher e…
12 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of a substantial reduction in undergraduate medical teaching in dermatology, what steps it is taking to ensure that GPs are adequately trained to diagnose and manage dermatological conditions.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We are not aware of any reduction in undergraduate medical teaching in dermatology, and this view is borne out by NHS Education for Scotland and the British Association of Dermatologists.</p> <p >The introduction of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) has prov…
12 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and which pilot dermatology services established in the period 2004-06 were (a) continued, (b) abandoned and (c) proposed for mainstreaming.
Answer · Shona Robison: We do not hold information about every NHS board''s funding decisions following completion of a centrally funded programme during this time. However we do know that eleven out of 15 NHS boards were given time limited funding for clinical leadership and projec…
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether personal child health records will be made available to all members of primary health care teams in all circumstances.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Whist parents are encouraged to make the Personal Child Health Record available at all health care appointments, including those appointments with primary health care teams, that availability cannot be guaranteed because the Personal Child Health Record is he…
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what decisions have been taken in relation to screening for haemoglobinopathies in the first 10 days of life.
Answer · Shona Robison: On 11 July 2008, CEL (2008) 31 letter was issued to all NHS boards setting out the <i >Changes to the Pregnancy and Newborn Screening Programmes </i>including screening for haemoglobinopathies. This information is available via:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.s…
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15574 by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 September 2008, what constitutes an outbreak in terms of infection control.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The definition of an infection control outbreak is detailed in the Protocol for Surveillance Programme for Outbreaks of Healthcare Associated Infection guidelines which was published by Health Protection Scotland in 2005. This protocol is supported by the Wat…
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual employees in each NHS board are awaiting resolution of Agenda for Change pay rates.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In order to fully assimilate staff to the Agenda for Change pay system they must first of all go through the job evaluation process to determine which pay band they should be on. Payroll departments must then place them on that pay band: then assess for, and …
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-15695 and S3W-15696 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 September 2008, when the Scottish Health Technologies Group will complete its consultation and when the results will be published.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Health Technology Assessment Report was considered by the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) on 11 September 2008. The SHTG have requested further work on the potential level of end user demand. If there is sufficient demand, National Procurement …
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15591 by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 September 2008, whether further analysis of the death rate, referred to on page 12 of Independent Review of Clostridium difficile Associated Disease at the Vale of Leven Hospital from December 2007 to June 2008, has been…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Outbreak Control Team (OCT) have completed their report and a copy has been provided to the Area Procurator Fiscal for Argyll and Clyde, to assist in his on-going investigation. However, the publication of part or all of this report at this time may have …
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14745 by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 July 2008, what changes are proposed in surveillance systems and reporting following the NHS boards’ six-month review of Clostridium difficile cases by hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Good progress is being made by NHS boards and Health Protection Scotland in implementing these key action areas of the Scottish Government''s National HAI Action Plan published on 7 August 2008. The action plan is available from the HAI Task Force website at:…
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14712 by Shona Robison on 22 July 2008, when its review of the domiciliary oxygen therapy service will be completed and published and when any resulting decisions will be announced.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15298 on 21 August 2008. 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…
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14713 by Shona Robison on 22 July 2008, whether the supply of lightweight oxygen cylinders for domiciliary use has been fully restored and, if not, when it will be.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has been working closely with the portable oxygen supplier, BOC, to monitor progress towards resolving the current shortages in the availability of lightweight DD cylinders. BOC''s most recent report, for the period up to the end of Oc…
11 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S3W-14714 by Shona Robison on 22 July 2008, which NHS boards have at any time used funds from the better blood transfusion programme to acquire intra-operative cell salvage equipment.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Grampian, NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde used funding from the better blood transfusion programme in cell salvage projects in 2007-08. Information on the use of better blood transfusion lead clinician funds utilised directly by NHS boards i…
29 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what attendance levels were at accident and emergency departments at (a) Monklands and (b) Ayr hospitals in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08, broken down into quarters.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Accident and Emergency attendance information for Monklands and Ayr Hospitals in 2006-07 and 2007-08 is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under accident and emergency waiting times. </p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/F…
28 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, given the success of ASSIST in Wales in preventing early uptake of smoking, whether the Scottish Executive will consider rolling out the Cannabis and Smoking Education (CASE) programme without introducing a randomised controlled trial if the University of Glasgow evaluation of the CASE p…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The current reform of the education system through Curriculum for Excellence will play a significant role in educating young people about tobacco, alcohol and drugs, through promoting resilience, confidence, independent thinking and positive attitudes. It wil…
15 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, as part of its approach to reducing knife crime, whether it has ensured that where victims attending accident and emergency units are not prepared to involve the police that anonymous data on the location and time of offence is collected, collated and passed to the relevant police force …
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is committed to working with the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to tackle knife crime in Scotland. In order to prevent assault injuries we need to understand the nature and true scale of violent crime, including knife-related incidents.…
15 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring and surveillance arrangements are in place for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All clinically significant blood infections, including Stenotrophomanas maltophilia, are reported to Health Protection Scotland on a weekly basis by NHS bacteriology laboratories, a national arrangement which has been in place since 1969. Antibiotic resistanc…
15 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the progress from 50% to 56% in admitting patients with strokes to specialist units, when it expects the target figure of 70% to be reached.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We welcome the progress across Scotland as a whole, in terms of patients admitted to a stroke unit within one day of presentation at hospital, from 51% in 2005 to 56% in 2007.</p> <p >Each NHS board has been asked to identify the actions that are being taken…