Dr Richard Simpson

29 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients with a learning disability and who have been designated as code 9 in the Delayed Discharges Definitions and Data Recording Manual have faced delayed discharge in each of the last 16 quarters.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following table shows the number of delayed discharge patients in Scotland recorded on the Information Services Division (ISD) delayed discharge census as a code 9 within a learning disability specialty at each quarterly census from July 2011 to April 201…

29 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients with a learning disability faced delayed discharge over (a) four weeks in each of the last four quarters and (b) six weeks in each of the last 16 quarters, not including patients designated as code 9 in the Delayed Discharges Definitions and Data Recording Manual.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following table shows the number of standard delayed discharge patients recorded on the Information Services Division (ISD) delayed discharge census in Scotland recorded with a standard reason for delay code within the learning disability specialty. The f…

25 May 2015 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that the concerns of 56 doctors at the Beatson Cancer Centre regarding patient safety are fully addressed.

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23899 by Jamie Hepburn on 15 January 2015, when the work under commitment 23 of the mental health strategy will be (a) completed and (b) published.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The work is on-going but nearing completion. A core data set of key performance indicators of crisis and community mental health services has been created and consulted upon through the work of the Scottish Crisis and Acute Inpatient Care Network for Mental H…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether clinicians dealing with patients who have been referred by NHS Fife to services in NHS Tayside or Lothian can access the patient's (a) electronic clinical record other than by using the EMC or KIS systems and (b) laboratory results for tests carried out in NHS Fife.

Answer · Shona Robison: Clinicians in NHS Lothian share a common clinical portal with NHS Fife and can access the information for NHS Fife patients via the clinical portal. NHS Tayside provide services to patients in NHS Fife in areas such as ear, nose and throat and vascular specia…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the patient management information systems used by each NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Borders, NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Highland, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian, and NHS Shetland use the Trakcare Personal Medical Services (PMS) information systems. NHS Orkney and NHS National Waiting Times Cent…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the closure of the TrakCare system in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area for a 20-hour period in November 2014 for upgrade work, whether it (a) took steps to ensure this could not be repeated and, if so, what, (b) advised the other NHS boards that use the system that the…

Answer · Shona Robison: The planned downtime that was required in November 2014 was as a result of a major version upgrade. Such upgrades are infrequent and are planned in full consultation with clinical teams. Such planning ensures that appropriate contingencies are in place and th…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS contracts with TrakCare do not (a) ensure full continuity of access and (b) prevent possible interruption for up to several hours to access to clinically-important services when the contractor is carrying out updates.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS contracts with Trakcare do include penalties for any unscheduled downtime. NHSScotland is working with the Trakcare supplier to reduce downtime during upgrades which are scheduled. NHS boards will discuss updates with suppliers in advance and ensure that …

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S3W-34514 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 June 2010, what (a) role it had in the procurement of and (b) guidance it issued regarding the TrakCare contract for NHS (i) Lothian, (ii) Grampian, (iii) Highland, (iv) Orkney and (v) Shetland.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Lothian had procured the Personal Medical Services (PMS) Trakcare system prior to the announcement of the contract with the consortium boards referenced in S3W-34514. NHS Grampian were one of the five consortium boards in that procurement. NHS Highland an…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S3W-34514 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 June 2010, what role it had in the procurement of the TrakCare contract for each of the NHS boards.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract was negotiated on behalf of a consortium of NHS boards. There were two main governance boards. A consortium management group chaired by the Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde with membership drawn fro…

21 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of clinicians being part of a region-wide managed care network, for what reason they cannot access the clinical details of patients at the Scottish Care Information Store in cases where electronic records are held in different NHS board areas.

Answer · Shona Robison: Each health board has a separate instance of the Scottish Care Information (SCI) Store. It is recognised that in some situations clinicians require access to records in the SCI Store of other health boards. National Services Scotland, who operates SCI Store o…

19 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the £40 million of additional funding for general practice that was announced in 2015 has been allocated and which (a) practices and (b) primary care teams have received support.

Answer · Shona Robison: Further discussion on how best to invest this funding has taken place, since the announcement, with key stakeholders. Priority will be given to addressing workload issues within general practices to improve patient care. The details are being discussed and ag…

18 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action the working group that is developing the new drug and alcohol information system (DAISy) is taking to ensure that data will be collected on young carers in households in which there is at least one adult known to NHS alcohol and drug partnership services.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The DAISy dataset subgroup has developed, in broad consultation with Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs), treatment and support services, service users and people in recovery, a set of data requirements for DAISy which include the following mandatory questio…

14 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Medicines Consortium (a) has considered or (b) will consider the use of bevacizumab in the treatment of wet macular degeneration.

Answer · Shona Robison: Bevacizumab is not licensed in the UK for the treatment of wet macular degeneration. It is the remit of the Scottish Medicines Consortium to provide advice to NHSScotland on licensed medicines.

5 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that paediatric inpatients can access appropriate multidisciplinary mental health care and treatment.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: NHS boards should have in place procedures to ensure that mental health service link in to other services including paediatrics. Some health boards have mental health liaison services which can provide advice and support. The Scottish Government committed £3…

2 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing legislation to ensure that doctors who act on the basis of the evidence in a Cochrane Library review are protected from legal action.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25434 on 14 May 2015 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

2 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Cochrane Library review, Systemic (whole body) safety of bevacizumab versus ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, which suggests that bevacizumab is an effective and less expensive alternative to ranibizumabin in the treatment of wet ma…

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25434 on 14 May 2015 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

2 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported increase in (a) diagnoses of disorders in young people that require both physical and mental health care and (b) the age range of those accessing paediatric services.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: A definition of ‘diagnosis of disorder in young people that requires both physical and mental health care’ is not available nationally. The national policy regarding age appropriate hospital care for children and young people was outlined in Better Health, B…

2 May 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to treat wet macular degeneration with ranibizumabin in each of the last three years, and what information it has regarding how much it would have cost if bevacizumab had been used.

Answer · Shona Robison: Bevacizumab is not licensed in the UK for the treatment of wet macular degeneration. Information on how much it has cost to treat wet macular degeneration with ranibizumab in each of the last three years and information on how much it would have cost if bevac…

23 Apr 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police pipe bands there are; how many there were prior to the establishment of Police Scotland; whether the change in the number of bands has led to a saving being made and, if so, how much.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. This is a matter for Police Scotland with the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.

20 Apr 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action NHS boards have taken to address the increase in the number of GP vacancies reflected in the Primary Care Workforce Planning Survey 2013, and with what outcome.

Answer · Shona Robison: Under this government, the number of GPs employed in Scotland has risen by 6.9 per cent to nearly 5,000 – the highest ever on record. We have also increased funding by 10 per cent and there are more GPs per head of population in Scotland than in England. The …

20 Apr 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when NHS National Services Scotland will publish the primary care workforce planning survey for the year to January 2014 and, in light of the January 2013 survey being published in September 2013, what the reason is for the delay.

Answer · Shona Robison: The national primary care workforce planning survey is the method by which the Scottish Government currently obtains evidence from independent contractor practices about their staffing arrangements. While every effort is made to ensure practices participate, …

20 Apr 2015 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in implementing the recommendations in the report by the Commission on Women Offenders.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to delivering on the recommendations of the Commission on Women Offenders, and has made significant progress as set out in the annual progress reports provided to the Scottish Parliament. Key developments include: Fundin…

20 Apr 2015 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS staff to deal with stress.

17 Apr 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it issues to ensure that equipment such as metal crutches, walking aids and braces is returned after use.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government issued Guidance on the Provision of Equipment and Adaptations in 2008. This guidance emphasises the importance of recycling community equipment. We have also published a report highlighting the benefits and savings to be made through e…

17 Apr 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all NHS boards have reached agreement with local authorities regarding the issue of equipment such as metal crutches, walking aids and braces in order to ensure a fully integrated approach.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Health boards and their local authority partners work together in a variety of ways to provide community equipment, including walking aids. Guidance issued by the Scottish Government in 2008 on the provision of equipment and adaptations encourages this joint…

12 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Department for Transport objected to Access for All funding being allocated to any railway stations proposed in Scotland between 2006 and 2014 and, if so, when and on what basis.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Department for Transport (DfT) did not object to any of the 20 Scottish stations recommended and subsequently included them in the Access for All (AfA) programme between 2006 and 2014. In the first phase of the programme to 31 March 2014, all 20 Scottish…

12 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which railway stations it discussed with the Department for Transport in relation to approving Access for All funding for 2006 to 2014.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Phase 1 of the Access for All (AfA) Programme 2006 to March 2014: When the first phase of the UK Government’s AfA programme was launched in 2006, it was agreed that the Scottish Ministers would recommend the Scottish stations for inclusion in the UK programme…

5 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23887 by Shona Robison on 21 January 2015, how much of the (a) £100 million, (b) £18 million and (c) £10 million each local authority or NHS board has received or will receive.

Answer · Shona Robison: A breakdown of these figures is contained in the following table: Board Total funding for 2014* £100 million funding (2015-16 to 2018-19) Ayrshire and Arran £1,874,731 £7,700,000 Borders £414,000 £2,130,000 Dumfries and Galloway £394,727 £3,040,00…

2 Mar 2015 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what measures the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that NHS 24 is able to recruit and retain the staff it needs.