Ross Finnie

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many emails have been received by NHS24 in each month since its inception.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: In August 2007, NHS 24 set up an online inquiry service for people seeking health information advice. The numbers of emails received each month are set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td va…

17 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for stroke patients between referral and first appointment with a language therapist.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not collected centrally.</p>

17 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many stroke victims have been identified in each of the last five years as having problems with speech.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of patients with a diagnosis of stroke and identified as having speech problems as a result of their stroke is not available from central statistical sources.</p> <p >The final report of the Aphasia in Scotland Project, commissioned…

17 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many language therapists were employed in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is set out in the following table:</p> <p >Speech and Language Therapists Employed by NHS Board (Head Count)</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p >&nbsp;</p> </td> <td…

17 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist support is available to stroke victims.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Stroke remains one of the clinical priorities of NHSScotland. Stroke managed clinical networks operate in each NHS board area and work together with the voluntary sector to deliver and improve services for stroke patients.</p> <p >The current revision of the…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of work-related stress have been reported by its employees; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work-related stress and at what cost, and what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress and at what …

Answer · John Swinney: For Scottish Government main employees (the core Scottish Government and certain agencies and associated departments) sick absence records capture only stress as a reason for absence. Scottish Government records do not capture the assessed reasons for stress-…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of deaths from cervical cancer occurred in women aged (a) 60 and over, (b) from 30 to 59 and (c) under 30 in each year since 2001.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The proportion of deaths from cervical cancer occurring in women, by age group (under 30; between 30-59; over 60) and by year (2001-07) is as follows: </p> <p >Table 1 Number of Deaths from Cancer of the Cervix by Year and by Age Group</p> <table border=1 …

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many accident and emergency ambulances/units are available in Scotland, broken down by (a) parliamentary region and (b) NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held in the format requested. However, the following table sets out the numbers of all accident and emergency vehicles by operating division, as at May 2008. A number of types of vehicle make up the accident and emergency flee…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a ministerial statement on cervical cancer screening in Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is no ministerial statement planned on cervical cancer screening.</p>

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwife-led postnatal units there were in each of the last five years in (a) Scotland and (b) each parliamentary region.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are 40 maternity units across Scotland, 22 Community maternity units and the remainder level 2 and 3 consultant-led maternity units. All units are part of a network of care within their NHS board/region.</p> <p >In all cases the bulk of postnatal care …

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards provide maternity services.

Answer · Shona Robison: All 14 NHS boards within Scotland provide maternity services. These are:</p> <p >NHS Ayrshire and Arran</p> <p >NHS Borders</p> <p >NHS Dumfries and Galloway</p> <p >NHS Western Isles</p> <p >NHS Fife</p> <p >NHS Forth Valley</p> <p >NHS Grampian </p> …

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many days per week on average GP surgeries have a practice nurse onsite; how many GP surgeries which formerly had practice nurses onsite have ceased to have them in the last two years, and what proportion of the NHS budget for GP surgeries is ring-fenced for employing practice nurses.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information is not recorded. It is the responsibility of GP surgeries who have a contract with a NHS board to decide the manner in which their practice is staffed to ensure patients receive the services they require. The proportion of the NHS budget for G…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues on the number of nurses per child designated to care for (a) sick and (b) premature babies in intensive care.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Care should be responsive to the needs of babies and their parents, and organised so that the most appropriate and experienced professional is the care provider at any given time, in accordance with the needs of the baby. Regarding neonatal care for sick and …

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent research it has commissioned into the effect of aircraft noise on young children.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have not commissioned any research into the effect of aircraft noise on young children.</p>

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees who regularly use computers have taken up the offer of a free eye test and how this service is advertised to (a) current and (b) new staff.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government (SG) employees can receive assistance towards the purchase of spectacles where this is required for working with display screen equipment. This may involve an eye test. In 2008-09, 6 SG employees received support for eye tests. Records are…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many members of staff are employed by NHS24 and, of those, how many have direct caller contact.

Answer · Shona Robison: As at June 2008, there are 1,418 staff delivering NHS 24 services in both frontline and support roles across Scotland. Of these, 1,192 staff (84.1% of total) work across a variety of skill sets, and have direct contact with patients.</p> <p >This includes 65…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a system of recording the performance of NHS24.

Answer · Shona Robison: Every NHS board, including NHS 24, is subject to a process of public review and scrutiny as part of the annual review process. The forthcoming annual review of NHS 24, covering the 2007-08 period, will take place on Tuesday 12 August 2008.</p> <p >In additi…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the monthly running costs are of NHS24.

Answer · Shona Robison: The net operating costs, or running costs, of NHS 24 are set out in their annual accounts each year and laid before the Parliament.</p>

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the user is of telephoning NHS24.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS 24 operates a low rate 08454 number. This means that no matter which operator the caller uses when phoning from a landline, the caller only incurs a minimal cost. As every caller would have their own operator and subsequently a call package or contract ta…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to review the service and contract provided by the telephone company operating the NHS24 telephone lines.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is an operational matter for NHS 24.</p> <p >NHS 24 is almost seven years into a 10 year contract with British Telecommunications (BT) for the delivery of the organisation’s telephony infrastructure and service. As part of the delivery of this service, …

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff employed by NHS24 are on a salary of (a) under £20,000, (b) £20,000 to £30,000, (c) £30,001 to £40,000 and (d) over £40,000 and what percentage of each category are female.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available. A copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46122)</p>

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff who have worked for NHS24 since inception and what percentage are (a) male and (b) female.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The latest information available is set out in the following table:</p> <p >NHS 24 Staff Head Count</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=38 nowrap valign=bottom > <p >&nbsp;</p> </td> <td width=286 nowr…

16 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress NHS24 made towards achieving the Efficient Government sickness absence target of 4% by end of March 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS 24 is working well in partnership with its workforce to support employee wellbeing and has several work streams in place aimed at promoting attendance and managing sickness absence. The target for most health boards was to achieve a sickness absence rate …

12 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has commissioned into the incidence of cancer in areas around (a) Edinburgh airport and (b) other airports.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have not commissioned any studies into the incidence of cancer in areas around Edinburgh airport or any other airports in Scotland.</p>

12 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the public health impact of (a) Edinburgh airport and (b) other airports.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have not conducted studies on, or made an assessment of, the impact on public health of Edinburgh airport or any other airports in Scotland.</p>

12 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the availability of cheap alcohol products in supermarkets.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I was pleased to learn that Ross Finnie shares my concerns about the impact cheap alcohol has on alcohol misuse in Scotland.</p> <p >I have already announced the government’s intention to crack down on irresponsible promotions in supermarkets and other off-…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to holding discussions with doctors’ representatives on the issue of the removal from the Medical Act 1983 of the requirement for pre-registration doctors to be resident at the hospital where they are working.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are well established mechanisms, both in Scotland and at UK level for discussing junior doctors pay, terms and conditions. It is of course open to the BMA to raise any matters of concern to their members through these mechanisms.</p>

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with doctors’ representatives, such as the BMA in Scotland, on the removal from the Medical Act 1983 of the requirement for pre-registration doctors to be resident at the hospital where they are working.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government meets with junior doctors representatives at UK level in the relevant Joint Negotiating Council (Juniors), known as JNC(J). In Scotland, the Scottish Government and NHSS employers meet the BMA Scottish Junior Doctor Committee (SJDC) on…

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government on the issue of the removal from the Medical Act 1983 of the requirement for pre-registration doctors to be resident at the hospital where they are working.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to the UK Government on the issue of the removal from the Medical Act 1983 of the requirement for pre-registration doctors to be resident at the hospital where they are working.</p>

27 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what view it takes on the removal from the Medical Act 1983 of the requirement for pre-registration doctors to be resident at the hospital where they are working.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government view is that the removal of the residency requirement for F1 trainees represents an improvement in their conditions of service, reflecting the improvements in their working hours. It is also our view that as salaries for doctors in tra…