Parliamentary questions
Ross Finnie
558 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the number of NHS clinical staff who are carriers of MRSA.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: No such estimate is available. However, current guidelines state that routine staff screening is not recommended. It is the responsibility of the Infection Control Management Team within individual hospitals to make any decision on staff screening based on ri…
19 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the housing debt has been for each local authority in each of the last five years, also showing the annual percentage increase and average debt per house.
Answer · Alex Neil: The following tables are based on local authorities'' Housing Revenue Accounts and show:</p> <p >Table 1: Annual outstanding housing debt;</p> <p >Table 2: Annual percentage increase, and</p> <p >Table 3: Average outstanding debt per house.</p> <p >Table…
19 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many housing association properties there have been in each (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency in each year since 1999.
Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Karen Watt the Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator to respond.</p> <p >Her response is as follows:</p> <p >The number of self-contained properties owned by housing associations (by local authority area) as at 31 March each year …
12 Feb 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to retain anaesthetics at the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: <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/sor0212-01.htm">http://www.scot…
22 Jan 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will oppose the renaming of Low Moss Prison as HMP Bishopbriggs.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: <i>This PQ 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/sor0122-01.htm">http://www.scottish.pa…
15 Jan 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to deal with retailers selling alcohol to under-18s.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: We are currently implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. This contains broad new powers to allow tough action to be taken against those who sell alcohol to children. The act comes fully into force on 1 September and we encourage licensing boards to us…
15 Jan 2009 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government has made towards ending unintentional homelessness by 2012.
Answer · Alex Salmond: <i > This PQ 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/sor0115-01.htm">http://www.scottish.p…
8 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people under the age of (a) 14, (b) 16 and (c) 18 were treated for alcohol-related health problems in each of the last 12 months, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on the number of patients aged under 14, 16 and 18 years discharged with an alcohol related diagnosis in 2006-07 by NHS board of treatment and month of discharge is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47367).</p>…
15 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it anticipates would be the impact of any new nucleic acid blood testing system in the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) on current arrangements for SNBTS testing of blood products from Northern Ireland.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service has informed the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service of its intention to enter into a joint tender with England and Wales for a state of the art nucleic acid testing system. The Northern Ireland Blood Tra…
15 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it had in the decision that Scotland would enter into the tender with England and Wales on nucleic acid testing for blood products.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government encourages the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service to work closely with the other UK blood services to facilitate continuous quality improvement and effective and efficient service delivery. These efforts are co-ordinated throu…
15 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service about future nucleic acid testing of blood products.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has had regular discussions with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service about future nucleic acid testing of blood components.</p>
15 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would refuse to accept provision of nucleic acid testing of blood from a provider offering a test for hepatitis C but not offering similar testing for HIV.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service intends to award a tender to a supplier who can supply both hepatitis C and HIV nucleic acid testing assays to the necessary standards.</p>
15 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13172 and S3W-13173 by Shona Robison on 3 June 2008, whether the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service intends to introduce a separate tender for the provision of nucleic acid testing of blood for hepatitis C and HIV to cover Scotland only.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is currently taking part in a tender process which has not yet reached a conclusion.</p>
15 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13173 and S3W-13172 by Shona Robison on 3 June 2008, whether it anticipates that the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service will continue to be a part of the current tender for the provision of nucleic acid testing of blood products for hepati…
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is participating in a joint tender for the provision of nucleic acid testing (NAT) of blood components for hepatitis C in England, Wales and Scotland. SNBTS has undertaken HIV NAT testing since 2002 and …
4 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals which did and did not achieve its hand washing targets in each month for which figures are available.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Since the introduction of the hand hygiene targets in January 2007 Health Protection Scotland (HPS) have collected and published the figures at an NHS board level.</p> <p >The latest HPS quarterly report Compliance with Hand Hygiene Audit Report was publishe…
4 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often an assessment will be made available during the year-long pilot scheme to screen patients for MRSA in Ayrshire, Grampian and the Western Isles.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) established a project steering board consisting of the three pilot boards and key stakeholders. The steering board regularly meets to discuss progress with the pilot programme in the three pilot areas and will do so until the …
4 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who is ultimately responsible (a) at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley and (b) in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for the second outbreak of MRSA in under three years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14657 on 4 July 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/webapp/wa…
4 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken against the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley for the second outbreak of MRSA in under three years.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I have been advised that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde followed the guidance set out in Annex 4 of the document <i>Managing Incidents Presenting Actual or Potential Risks to the Public Health: Guidance on the Roles and Responsibilities of Incident Control Tea…
4 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many babies have been tested for (a) MRSA and (b) clostridium difficile and, of these, how many have tested positive.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is for each NHS board to decide on the clinical circumstances under which it will test babies for MRSA and clostridium difficile and data are not collected centrally. However, all NHS boards are required to provide Health Protection Scotland with monthly p…
4 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Scottish Ambulance Service has needed to call on the services of the St John Ambulance Service or the Red Cross in the last five years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that this information is not recorded. However, the Scottish Ambulance Service has a Memorandum of Understanding with the British Red Cross which sets out a framework for responding to major incidents and major publi…
4 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance on clostridium difficile and MRSA has been offered to first aid organisations such as the St John Ambulance Service and the Red Cross.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) is the source of expert advice and support to government, NHS, other organisations and the public on health protection issues in Scotland. Information, advice and guidance on Clostridium difficile and MRSA is available on the …
24 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how frequently ambulances and emergency vehicles are used for transporting patients to be tested for (a) clostridium difficile and (b) MRSA.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not recorded by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).</p> <p >As with all other NHS boards, the SAS works in accordance with the NHS Scotland Code of Practice for the Local Management of Hygiene and Healthcare Associated Infection. NHS Qu…
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) set-up and (b) ongoing costs have been of each NHS24 call centre since its inception.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Establishment and running costs for NHS 24 are not recorded by location. However, details of the net operating costs, or running costs, of NHS 24 are set out in its annual accounts each year and laid before the Parliament.</p>
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are based in each of NHS24 call centres.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS 24 operates four regional centres and the numbers of staff based in each centre, as of 1 May 2008, were:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=245 valign=top > <p >Riverside House, Aberdeen</p> </td> <td valign=top …
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which telephone operating company has the contract for NHS24 and when the contract will be due for renewal.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14264 on 24 June 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/webapp/w…
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the monthly costs have been of www.nhs24.com in each month since its inception.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not recorded by month. However, the annual maintenance cost of the website for 2007-08 was £7,200. This covers technical support, server and database monitoring, uploads, creation/modification of page designs including images and the devel…
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of setting up www.nhs24.com.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The initial costs of establishing NHS24.com were not recorded separately by NHS 24 as they were included within a number of infrastructure and application developments.</p> <p >However, as part of an on-going process to improve public accessibility to NHS 24…
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many visits have been made to the www.nhs24.com in each month since its inception.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Visits to <a href="http://www.nhs24.com/">www.nhs24.com</a> have only been recorded by NHS 24 since November 2006. The monthly breakdown since then is set out in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td…
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed by NHS24 as (a) call handlers, (b) nurse advisers, (c) pharmacists, (d) dental nurses or (e) health information advisers as at 1 May 2008, broken down by grade and those employed (i) full-time and (ii) part-time, also showing how many were on (A) permanent an…
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS 24 have provided the requested information and this is set out in the following table. All of these staff are employed on permanent contracts.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >&…
19 Jun 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time is for a substantive reply to an email sent to NHS24.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14397 on 7 July 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/webapp/wa…