Jackson Carlaw

4 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been given to NHS board area drug and therapeutic committees on (a) patient and public involvement in decision making and (b) publication of minutes of meetings, and how compliance with such guidance is being monitored.

Answer · Alex Neil: It is planned that further advice on the role of area drug and therapeutic committees will issue later this year.

3 Jun 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what weight is given to cognitive behavioural therapy in the provision of mental health services.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to creating a well-functioning mental health system, where all therapeutic interventions are based around the needs of the individual, and recognises the important role cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) plays within this…

2 Jun 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Alex Neil: Both Ministers and Government officials regularly meet representatives of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to discuss matters of importance to local people.

27 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding concerns raised by the scientific community that the recent amendments passed at the European Parliament to Articles 81 and 83 of the European Data Protection Regulation will harm the opportunities and benefits available as a result of Scotland’s health rec…

Answer · Alex Neil: Data protection is a reserved area and the Ministry of Justice has made representations on behalf of all parts of the UK. The Scottish Government takes the view that it is not yet clear whether the conditions and safeguards set out in the amended Articles of …

27 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the new Peer Approved Clinical System will be operational and whether the transitional arrangements will continue in its place and remain financially supported by the Rare Conditions Medicines Fund.

Answer · Alex Neil: Work is ongoing between the Scottish Government and NHS boards evaluating the financial implications of the new approach by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and how the Rare Conditions Medicines Fund (RCMF) can best support an increase in SMC approvals…

27 May 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its missing the 1 May 2014 introduction date, when it will introduce the new Patient and Clinician Engagement approval system.

Answer · Alex Neil: Patient and Clinician Engagement now forms part of the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) evaluation process. Submissions from pharmaceutical companies received by SMC after noon on 7 April 2014 are eligible for this new approach, in line with what was set o…

22 May 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the licensing of air weapons is a proportionate measure, given that offences involving such weapons have fallen by 75% since 2006-07.

12 May 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will develop appropriate outcome-based measures to assess the long-term benefits of modern apprenticeships, as recommended by Audit Scotland.

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when guidance will be issued to NHS boards to update the current Guidance to Further Strengthen the Safe and Effective Use of New Medicines across the NHS in Scotland, as issued in Chief Medical Officer's letter CMO (2012) 1, and associated guidance, including the timescale and implement…

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government is reviewing the existing guidance. It is planned that further advice on expectations of the role of Area and Drug Therapeutic Committees will be issued later in 2014.

29 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-20040 by Alex Neil on 17 March 2014, whether it will provide a breakdown by medicine of the £21.7 million Rare Conditions Medicines Fund expenditure.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has no plans to publish expenditure on individual medicines.

22 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Cochrane Collaboration report on the effectiveness of the antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In collaboration with colleagues across the UK, we will consider all new relevant scientific evidence on the effectiveness of Tamiflu and Relenza. This will include the Cochrane Collaboration reviews published on 9 April 2014, which considered data from the i…

22 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19996 by Alex Neil on 13 March 2014, what action NHS boards have taken to implement the recommendations set out in Neonatal Care in Scotland: A Quality Framework.

Answer · Alex Neil: The new local delivery plan format, focusing on the 12 priority areas for action in the Route map to the 2020 Vision for Health and Social Care, gives NHS boards the opportunity to set out the action they are taking to implement Neonatal Care in Scotland: A Q…

17 Apr 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Ministers and government officials regularly meet with representatives of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to discuss matters of importance to local people.

14 Apr 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether raising the threshold for civil cases in the Court of Session from £5,000 to £150,000, as proposed in the Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill, will harm access to justice.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Lord Gill recommended in the Scottish Civil Courts Review that only the most complex and legally difficult cases should be heard in the Court of Session, whereas most routine litigation should be conducted in the sheriff court by sheriffs using enhanced case …

1 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the hospital consultant contract sets higher requirements for established consultants in terms of supporting professional activities than that set for new consultants and, if so, whether it will examine what impact this has on staff (a) morale, (b) recruitment and (c) retention.

Answer · Alex Neil: No. The consultant contract does not set higher requirements for established consultants in terms of supporting professional activities than that set for new consultants. However, as stated in the reply to S4W-20496 on 30 April 2014, it does allow flexibility…

1 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the ratio in the hospital consultant contract is for the time spent on direct clinical care compared with supporting professional activities; whether it plans to review the contract in this regard; what information it has on how the ratio compares with that for England, and what it…

Answer · Alex Neil: Appointments to consultant posts in Scotland are generally based on nine programmed activities of direct clinical care and one programmed activity for supporting professional activity, which will include continuous professional development appropriate for ann…

1 Apr 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the recent Information Services Division figures showing that 218 consultant positions in hospitals are vacant, with 50 unfilled for more than six months.

Answer · Alex Neil: It is vital that we have the right number of staff in the right place at the right time to deliver the best possible patient care, and individual NHS boards are responsible for planning NHS Scotland’s workforce in accordance with that aim. Information Servic…

19 Mar 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing in conjunction with local authorities to educate children about the identification, sourcing and preparation of healthy food.

6 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce pulse oximetry screening for all newborns to detect heart conditions early.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce pulse oximetry screening for all newborns to detect heart conditions early. The Scottish Government takes its advice on screening policy from the UK National Screening Committee (NSC). The most rece…

4 Mar 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recommendations in the report by the charity, Bliss, It’s not a game: the very real costs of having a premature or sick baby.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Bliss report contains a number of recommendations on reserved issues such as extending maternity leave and advice for employers which are, therefore, a matter for the UK Government. Neonatal Care in Scotland: A Quality Framework, published on 5 March 2013…

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what submission it has made to the independent review of standardised packaging for tobacco, which is being carried out by Sir Cyril Chantler.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Sir Cyril is undertaking a review of available evidence, it is not a consultation exercise. The strong evidence base for standardised packaging, as set out in the review by the Public Health Research Consortium and Stirling University, is publically available…

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made on whether its proposed introduction of standardised tobacco packaging could impact on the UK's world trade obligations.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-19505 on 25 February 2014. 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/parliamenta…

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has sought on whether standardised tobacco packaging could result in it paying compensation to manufacturers because of an impact on intellectual property rights.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The tobacco industry has a history of challenging public health measures as it did, unsuccessfully, with the tobacco display ban. The Scottish Government is committed to achieving our vision of a tobacco-free Scotland by 2034. Scottish Ministers are clear tha…

30 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19228 by Michael Matheson on 29 January 2014, whether it plans to retrospectively reclaim payments for duplicate dental registrations from NHS general dentists who have retired since 2006 or are otherwise no longer in business and what the reasons a…

Answer · Michael Matheson: Practitioner Services, which has the responsibility for making recoveries for duplicate registration payments, will not be seeking to make recoveries from retired and deceased dentists. Practitioner Services have applied to Scottish Ministers to exempt retir…

29 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the report of the independent review on how continuing healthcare is being applied will be published and when it will respond.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Independent Review of NHS Continuing Healthcare, led by Dr Ian Anderson, past president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow has now concluded and reported to the government. We are now considering this report and the recommendation…

23 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training the NHS provides on the diagnosis of the condition, progressive supranuclear palsy.

Answer · Alex Neil: While policies, frameworks and resources are provided by the Scottish Government, individual NHS boards are responsible for planning and funding services in their area and for securing the staff to deliver them. It is for NHS boards to determine their workfor…

22 Jan 2014 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects a decision by the European Commission on the provisions of the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012, and what action it has taken in the interim to tackle alcohol abuse.

16 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the outcomes of the Australian Government's post-implementation review of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 will have on the Scottish Government's commitment to introduce standardised packaging for tobacco products.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government remains committed to the introduction of this policy in Scotland, given the strong evidence to support the impact it will have on preventing the uptake of smoking among young people.

16 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding the NHS has received arising from Barnett consequentials and what the increase in NHS spending over and above this has been, in each year since 2007.

Answer · Alex Neil: Since 2011-12, the Scottish Government has passed on in full the Barnett consequentials to the Health Budget in Scotland which by 2015-16 will exceed £1.3 billion in total. These have arisen from the Department of Health’s funding settlement from both the 201…

16 Jan 2014 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Practitioner Services made it clear when it introduced lifelong registration for dental patients in 2010 that it would retrospectively reclaim payments from NHS general dentists for duplicate dental registrations from 2010.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The commitment to introduce non time-limited registration was contained in the Action Plan for improving oral health and modernising NHS dental services in Scotland which was published in 2005. The Scottish Government met this commitment by introducing non ti…