Aileen McLeod

10 Nov 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help rural NHS boards recruit and retain clinical staff.

5 Nov 2014 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what opportunity the integration of health and social care provides to strengthen and promote public health.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The integration of health and social care will provide a number of specific opportunities for us to strengthen public health services in Scotland, with much greater opportunities for joined-up working and preventative, person-centred care. I believe that publ…

27 Oct 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving NHS Dumfries and Galloway to help prepare for winter.

Answer · Alex Neil: We have worked closely with all NHS boards to develop winter planning guidance which was made available to boards on 23 September 2014. This guidance supports boards so that they have robust plans and contingency measures in place to maintain safe and effecti…

29 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in implementing the recommendations of the ICT in Education Excellence Group.

22 Sep 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on the rollout of next generation broadband in South Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The local authorities in the south of Scotland are key investment partners in the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme. The south of Scotland will receive upgraded infrastructure throughout the four year programme, which will run until the end of 2…

11 Aug 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how independence would support rural development funding in rural communities such as in Dumfries and Galloway.

4 Aug 2014 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what impact privatisation of the NHS in England will have on the budget available to the Scottish Government.

16 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many whole-time equivalent radiography staff there were in (a) September 2007 and (b) March 2014.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on how many whole time equivalent (WTE) radiography staff there were in (a) September 2007 and (b) March 2014 can be found in the following table. Radiography staff in NHS Scotland at 30 September 2007 and 31 March 2014.   Sep 07 Mar 14 Radio…

16 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many whole-time equivalent cancer clinical nurse specialists there were in September (a) 2009 and (b) 2013.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on how many whole time equivalent cancer clinical nurse specialists there were in September (a) 2009 and (b) 2013 can be found in the following table. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of the role a nurse may work in more than one specialty, ho…

16 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many whole-time equivalent oncologists there were in (a) September 2006 and (b) March 2014.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information on how many whole time equivalent oncologists there were in (a) September 2006 and (b) March 2014 can be found in the following table. Oncologists in NHS Scotland at 30 September 2006 and 31 March 2014   September 2006 March 2014   Clinical…

16 Jul 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much will be invested in the new satellite of the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre at Monklands Hospital.

Answer · Alex Neil: £22 million is being invested in the Monklands satellite of the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow to help meet rising demand for radiotherapy treatment over the next ten years. The centre is expected to be operational by the end of 2015. The …

16 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what strategic contribution education can make to improving regional economic activity.

11 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the real-terms increase in the resource budget of NHS Scotland is expected to be between 2010-11 and 2015-16 and what information it has on how this compares with NHS Wales.

Answer · Alex Neil: Comparisons between countries are difficult as the classification of expenditure areas are different. For example in Wales, social services are included within ‘Health and Social Services’ whereas in Scotland social services are included within local authorit…

11 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many medical consultants per 1,000 population there are in Scotland and what information it has on how this compares with Wales.

Answer · Alex Neil: Statistics published by Information Services Department of National Services Scotland show the number of medical consultants in NHS Scotland is 0.86 per 1,000 population (4,596.9 whole time equivalent) as at 31 March 2014. However, the most recent published …

11 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether patients will continue to be sent to other parts of the UK for transplant operations in the event of independence.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The NHS in Scotland is already fully devolved and independence will not change the way cross-border transplantation of organs is managed. The vast majority of transplants on Scottish patients are carried out in Scotland. The rare cases of transplants being un…

9 Jun 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the final report of the Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce.

Answer · Angela Constance: I will outline the Scottish Government’s initial response to Sir Ian Wood’s report on developing Scotland’s young workforce in a statement to Parliament on 24 June 2014. Implementing this important report forms a central part of our efforts to reduce youth u…

2 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is to taking to help young people with cancer access clinical trials.

19 May 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it has taken to support greater female employment.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government has taken a range of actions within our powers to support greater female employment which include:- The delivery of increased and more flexible early learning and childcare through the Children and Young People Act; Awarding £100,000…

25 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average salary will be for nursing and midwifery staff at pay bands (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3, (d) 4, (e) 5, (f) 6 and (g) 7 in April (i) 2014; (ii) 2015 and (iii) 2016, and what information it has on how this compares with staff in England.

Answer · Alex Neil: In order to calculate average pay, information on the numbers of whole time equivalent staff in each pay band would be required. This is not yet available for the dates specified. However, from information available, it is possible to make direct comparisons …

24 Mar 2014 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the estimated 100,000 increase in the number of children living in poverty by 2020 would have on health inequalities.

17 Mar 2014 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will continue to provide free prescriptions.

6 Feb 2014 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funds it is making available to NHS boards for 2014-15.

Answer · Alex Neil: Territorial boards have been given a general allocation increase of £248 million for 2014-15, an overall average increase over the equivalent 2013-14 allocation of 3.1 per cent. Special boards allocations have increased by 1.0 per cent. In addition, differen…

16 Dec 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the agreed common agricultural policy budget 2014 to 2020 will have on South Scotland.

3 Dec 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) consultants specialising in emergency care, (b) emergency services technicians and (c) paramedics the NHS employed in September (i) 2006, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008, (iv) 2009, (v) 2010, (vi) 2011, (vii) 2012 and (viii) 2013 and what the percentage change was over the period.

Answer · Alex Neil: Information detailing how many(a) consultants specialising in emergency care, (b) emergency services technicians and (c) paramedics in the NHS, employed in September (i) 2006, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008, (iv) 2009, (v) 2010. (vi) 2011, (vii) 2012 and (viii) 2013,…

11 Nov 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on improving children’s dental health.

4 Nov 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the creative arts in Dumfries and Galloway.

28 Oct 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the effects of larch tree disease in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government is providing guidance and financial support to those woodland businesses affected by Phytophthora ramorum. This includes the provision of agents’ services and the clearing of uneconomic infected larch woodlands, as set out in the Actio…

2 Sep 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to methods of providing broadband access to the hardest to reach remote rural communities in South Scotland.

10 Jul 2013 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will increase organ donation and transplantation rates.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government has today published a new Donation and Transplantation Plan for Scotland, which sets out our ambitions for organ and tissue donation and transplantation for the period up to 2020. The Plan is available on …

3 Jun 2013 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will address the concerns raised regarding boundary discrepancies in relation to the requirement for integrated arrangements for NHS boards and local authorities in the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill will bring forward legislation to remove Community Health Partnerships from statute. Instead, the Bill will create local integrated arrangements, which will be the joint and equal responsibility of health boar…