Parliamentary questions

Ross Finnie

558 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

19 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical negligence claims have been made against the NHS relating to pressure ulcers or sores in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board; in how many of these cases was the NHS found guilty of clinical negligence, and how much compensation was paid in each case.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > NHS Board </td> <td valign=top > 2009-10 </td> <td valign=top > 2008-09 </td> …

19 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths there were in cases where pressure ulcers or sores were mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table, which shows the numbers of deaths where pressure ulcers or sores were mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. Table 1: Deaths where Pressure Ulcers or Sores1 were Mentione…

19 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths there were in cases where pressure ulcers or sores were listed on the death certificate as a contributory cause in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is shown in the following table, which shows the numbers of deaths where pressure ulcers or sores were the underlying cause. Table 1: Deaths where Pressure Ulcers or Sores1 were the Underlying Cause, by NHS B…

11 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether preventative initiatives, such as the Keep Well programme and the new heart MOT health check, include pulse checks to identify people with atrial fibrillation.

Answer · Shona Robison: The health checks delivered under the Keep Well anticipatory care programme may include pulse checks which would identify atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias, but this is not undertaken in all cases. When detected, appropriate follow-up and treatment ar…

11 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve early identification of individuals with atrial fibrillation.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: GPs are incentivised to improve the quality of healthcare through the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) which was introduced as part of the General Medical Services contract in 2004. Atrial fibrillation is one of the disease areas contained in the clinical…

13 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many emergency inpatient bed days there have been for people aged 65 and over in each year since 2004-05

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is given in the following table: Table 1: Number of Emergency Admission Bed Days for Patients aged 65 and Over <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=189 valign=top > Year<…

13 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the 28-day hospital readmission rate has been for people aged 65 and over from a (a) surgical and (b) medical speciality in each year since 2005, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following tables show the 28-day hospital emergency readmission rate from surgical and medical specialities for people aged 65 and over in each calendar year from 2005 to 2009, broken down by NHS board of residence. Table 1: Number of discharges …

13 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the 28-day hospital readmission rate has been from a (a) surgical and (b) medical speciality in each year since 2005, broken down by NHS board

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The following tables show the 28-day hospital emergency readmission rate from surgical and medical specialities in each calendar year from 2005 to 2009, broken down by NHS board of residence. Table 1: Number of discharges from a surgical specialty wi…

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra shipping movements will be required for (a) coal and (b) biomass at the proposed coal-fired power station at Hunterston.

Answer · Jim Mather: Ayrshire Power submitted a full Environmental Statement to Scottish Ministers in support of their application. This states in Chapter 18, paragraph 18.4.30, that the 4.6 million tonnes of coal would increase shipping movements by 35-40 per annum (approximatel…

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 65, (b) 65 to 74 and (c) 75 and over died in hospital and had malnutrition recorded as a principle or contributory cause of death in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The question is answered in the following tables: Table 1a: Deaths where Malnutrition was the Underlying Cause of Death. <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=292 colspan=2 valign=top > <p align=ce…

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 65 and over were admitted to hospital as a result of malnutrition in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Centrally held data can provide some information for patients where malnutrition is identified on their hospital records. However, malnutrition will often not be the principal reason for admission to hospital but will be a co-morbidity or consequence of a mor…

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged (a) under 16, (b) 16 to 64 and (c) 65 and over were admitted to hospital as a result of malnutrition in 2009-10, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data for 2009-10 is not complete at this time and is, as yet, unpublished. Data for 2009-10 will be available from 28 September 2010.

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered giving first responders access to telehealth equipment to enhance their ability to provide emergency and unscheduled care in rural areas.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35257 on 3 August 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has explored with the Scottish Ambulance Service the potential to develop the role of telehealth to enhance the provision of emergency and unscheduled care, in particular in rural areas.

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop the role of telehealth to enhance the provision of emergency and unscheduled care, in particular in rural areas.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is various planned and actual activity around the use of telehealth to enhance the provision of emergency and unscheduled care. The focus for this work is NHS 24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service. The Scottish Ambulance Service, in partner…

9 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the defined daily dose per capita of antidepressants was at the end of March 2010, broken down by NHS board

Answer · Shona Robison: Latest official statistics on the defined daily dose per capita for antidepressants, prescribed in Scotland that were dispensed by community pharmacists or dispensing doctors anywhere in the UK can be found on the ISDScotland website at <a href="http://www.is…

5 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish ParIiament Information Centre (SPICe) a progress report on the non-statutory pilots underway alongside the NHS board election pilots.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Health Board (Membership and Elections) Scotland Act 2009 stipulates that an independent evaluation, be carried out into the Pilot Health Board Elections. The London School of Economics in association with the University of St Andrews has been appointed t…

25 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34283 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 June 2010, whether the information requested will be available at a later date given that this information was given, in the answer to question S3W-25723 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 August 2009, for the years 2004 to 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: S3W-34283 was answered on the basis of a specific analysis by the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland which was limited in the extent to which it could fully reflect the true prevalence of errors in surgery. Accordingly, there are …

25 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34286 by Nicola Sturgeon on 21 June 2010, whether the information requested will be available at a later date given that this information was given, in the answer to question S3W-25720 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 August 2009, for the years 2004 to 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: S3W-34286 was answered on the basis of a specific analysis by the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland which was limited in the extent to which it could fully reflect the true prevalence of errors in surgery. Accordingly, there are …

15 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targeted interventions are (a) underway and (b) planned for early diagnosis and treatment of sight-threatening conditions among those individuals most at risk of sight loss.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34536 on 28 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Busi…

15 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase early diagnosis and treatment of sight-threatening conditions among those individuals most at risk of sight loss.

Answer · Shona Robison: A number of initiatives are in place to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of sight threatening conditions, including: the NHS eye examination, which is free to all in Scotland, allows for early diagnosis of potential sight threatening disease. Op…

15 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in light of World Health Assembly estimations that 50% of sight loss could be avoided through measures such as greater public awareness, sight-screening and anti-smoking campaigns.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS eye examinations, which allow the patient to receive an appropriate health assessment of their whole visual system, are free to all in Scotland. They are already making a significant contribution to the prevention of sight loss in Scotland. Work…

15 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what preventative action it is taking in light of projections from the Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland that the number of people with sight loss could double to almost 400,000 by 2030.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are a number of measures already in place in Scotland to help prevent sight loss, including free NHS eye examinations for all and diabetic retinopathy screening. The NHS eye examination is tailored to meet the needs of the patient, taking into …

11 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many physiotherapists were employed by NHS Scotland in each of the last five years, expressed as (a) whole-time equivalent and (b) headcount figures, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland. Information showing the number of physiotherapists employed by NHS board at 30 September for the years 2007 to 2009 is available at: <a href=…

11 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many school nurses there were in 2009, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Workforce data is published by National services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland annually. Information on school nurses by NHS board at 30 September 2009 is available at: <a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/Fil…

11 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10849 by Shona Robison on 26 March 2008, whether it considers that the situation has changed from that identified in 2008 whereby some patients were being prescribed antidepressants that were unlikely to have a therapeutic benefit and what work it ha…

Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2008 there has been significant work to support appropriate prescribing in Scotland through the work of the mental health collaborative which is in place to work with NHS boards in supporting delivery of NHS mental health targets. Research work…

11 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for antidepressants were dispensed in 2009, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The following table shows the number of items dispensed by prescribing NHS boards for antidepressants, for calendar year 2009: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap valign=bottom > Prescribing…

10 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown by local authority area of the planned 18,500 new start apprentices in 2009-10.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with the information you have requested.

10 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many maternity care assistants have worked at the Vale of Leven maternity unit in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: According to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, no maternity care assistants have ever been employed at the Vale of Leven Hospital Community Maternity Unit. The board confirms that there are no plans to change this.

10 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many maternity care assistants have worked at the Inverclyde maternity unit in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: According to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, no maternity care assistants have ever been employed at the Inverclyde Royal Hospital Community Maternity Unit. The board confirms that there are no plans to change this.