Parliamentary questions

Jackson Carlaw

1,088 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executivewhat plans there are to make it compulsory for hospital visitors to wash their hands with alcohol gel before they are allowed to enter hospital wards.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The approach taken by the Scottish Government’s Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force is to encourage higher standards of hand hygiene by NHS staff, patients, visitors, and members of the public through a range of actions including a national poste…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to place a named individual in direct control of enforcing guidelines aimed at preventing the outbreak and spread of hospital-acquired infections in every ward in every hospital.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A robust structure is already in place. All NHS boards employ infection control managers who are managerially accountable for ensuring implementation and monitoring of national healthcare associated infection (HAI) strategy. Every hospital has access to a tea…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 54 patients who contracted clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital between December 2007 and June 2008 subsequently died and how many of these deaths were attributed to clostridium difficile.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Twenty-two patients of the 55 patients we are now aware of have died. Of these, clostridium difficile was recorded on nine death certificates as being the likely underlying cause of death, and was recorded as a possible contributory factor in a further nine d…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is being held accountable for the outbreak of clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital between December 2007 and June 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14657 on 4 July 2008. I also announced on 18 June 2008 that an independent review would be held into the circumstances surrounding the clostridium difficile cases at the Vale of Leven Hospital. The review team’…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11764 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 April 2008, why it does not monitor the scale and severity of hospital-acquired infections on a hospital-by-hospital basis; whether it will start to do so and, if so, when.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Monitoring infection rates at local level, for example by ward, clinical specialty or hospital, is the responsibility of each NHS board. The independent review of the Vale of Leven hospital will examine the adequacy of local systems and practices tha…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to hospitals to prevent outbreaks of clostridium difficile and other hospital-acquired infections and who is responsible for ensuring that this guidance is rigorously enforced.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards are expected to follow the guidance set out in Annex 4 of the 2003 guidance document Managing Incidents Presenting Actual or Potential Risks to the Public Health: Guidance on the Roles and Responsibilities of Incident Control Teams. Thi…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what caused the outbreaks of clostridium difficile at the Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow in October 2007 and June 2008 and how many patients contracted the disease in each case.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The cause of the outbreak in October 2007 could not be determined. The Outbreak Control team is currently reviewing the circumstances of the most recent outbreak at the Victoria Infirmary and a full report will be compiled. Six patients were affected in Octob…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is being held accountable for the outbreaks of clostridium difficile at the Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow in October 2007 and June 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Although the chief executive is ultimately accountable for ensuring that all the appropriate policy and procedures aimed at preventing outbreaks of healthcare associated infection are in place at the NHS board, it has been a consistent message that “infection…

25 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the outbreak of clostridium difficile at the Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow in October 2007, what steps were taken to prevent a fresh outbreak.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The clostridium difficile outbreak in October 2007 was managed by the local Outbreak Control Team who isolated the six patients affected in a temporary cohort isolation facility. In dealing with this outbreak, the board followed the procedures set out in Anne…

18 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13147 by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 May 2008, whether it intends to discuss the Welsh response to Agenda for Change with the Welsh Assembly Government with a view to learning lessons that could be applicable to Scotland, and what its position is on the ma…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Whilst there are no plans to hold specific separate discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government, it is likely that there will be further discussion at UK level on how the findings of the Welsh review impact on the overall UK agreement and I can confirm the…

18 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13149 and S3W-13150 by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 May 2008, what differences there are between Welsh implementation issues and Scottish implementation issues.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Agenda for Change is a UK-wide agreement and, as such, implementation issues throughout the UK are similar. However, in Wales, concerns were raised with the implementation process being used, particularly around the consistency of application and outcomes. Th…

18 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has had in relation to “leapfrogging” resulting from the introduction of the Agenda for Change pay system, and from whom.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Representations in relation to “leapfrogging” have been made by health trades unions at both UK level, in the NHS Staff Council and at Scottish level in the Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group. There are no plans, however, to amend the assimilatio…

18 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many examples of “leapfrogging” there have been since the introduction of the Agenda for Change pay system, broken down by type of NHS employee.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were treated for thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections through (a) endovascular aneurysm repair using a stent graph and (b) open surgical repair in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: National Services Division (NSD) of National Services Scotland (NSS) manage a national service agreement for interventions to treat thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm. This was designated a national service from April 2001. The following table shows the number…

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were treated for abdominal aortic aneurysms through (a) endovascular aneurysm repair using a stent graph and (b) open surgical repair in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information Services Division (ISD) have provided the number of patients that were treated for abdominal aortic aneurysms, these are: (a) Endovascular aneurysm repair using a stent graph – 26 patients were discharged in 2006 and 47 patients discharge…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the recommendations of the independent review into the Agenda for Change pay system that took place in Wales and whether any of these recommendations could be implemented in Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The recommendations of the independent review into Agenda for Change in Wales was specific to Welsh implementation issues. In Scotland implementation is being taken forward in partnership and any issues arising are being dealt with using the appropriate partn…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the recommendations of the independent review into Agenda for Change in Wales addresses matters of comparable concern to those experienced in Scotland.

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to follow the lead of the Welsh Assembly Government by launching an independent review into the Agenda for Change pay system.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Implementation of the Agenda for Change pay system in Scotland is still ongoing and as such there are no plans to launch an independent review at this stage.

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Agenda for Change was discussed during the recent meeting between Scottish and Welsh health ministers and, if so, whether (a) problems and (b) solutions of a common nature were identified.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Agenda for Change was not discussed at the devolved health ministers meeting on 3 April 2008.

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to deal with the issue of leapfrogging arising from the Agenda for Change pay system.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Leapfrogging affects only a very small number of staff and can arise as part of the assimilation process. The current assimilation process in Scotland has been agreed in partnership following discussion between Scottish Government, staff representative groups…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to measure the efficacy of the Agenda for Change pay system and how and when it proposes to draw conclusions from its current assessment and take steps to address any perceived shortcomings.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Agenda for Change is still in the process of being implemented in Scotland but is designed to ensure staff receive equal pay for work of equal value. It is also designed to support the improvement of all aspects of equal opportunity and diversity for staff an…

16 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline its current assessment of the Agenda for Change pay system.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The current position is that assimilation of staff to the Agenda for Change pay system is on-going. At end April 2008 some 155,000 staff were on Agenda for Change pay bands. Some 9,000 substantive staff and 21,000 bank staff are still to be assimilated. The S…

14 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many attacks there have been on GPs and their staff in each year since 1997, also broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The number of physical attacks is not recorded. The arrangements for primary medical services are set out in regulations. These provide that practices may request the immediate removal of patients who commit an act of violence or behave in such a way…

14 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many attacks there have been on hospital staff in each year since 1997, also broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital in (i) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (ii) NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Executive does not hold information centrally on attacks on NHS staff. We do know that violence against staff is a major concern. The 2006 NHS Staff Survey reports that 28% of respondents have personally experienced a violent or aggress…

14 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what services have been removed from each hospital since 1997.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Subject to the need for ministerial approval of major service changes, NHS boards are responsible for the configuration and location of the services they provide to their local communities. The information requested is not held centrally. style

9 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time GPs there were in each NHS board area in each year since 1997.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested on the numbers of (a) full-time and (b) part-time GPs in each NHS board area in each year from 1997 has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) under Bib. number 45614.

9 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time nurses were employed by each NHS board in each year since 1997, also broken down by hospital in (i) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (ii) NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested on the numbers of full-time and part-time nurses in each NHS board area in each year from 1997-2004 inclusive has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) under Bib. number 45615, along with incomplete propor…

9 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time hospital doctors were employed by each NHS board in each year since 1997, also broken down by hospital in (i) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (ii) NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information for Hospital, Community and Public Health Service (HCHS) staff by contract type as at 30 September for years 1997 to 2007 has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre under Bib. number 45616. The information requested is not a…

9 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital beds were available in each NHS board in each year since 1997, also broken down by hospital in (a) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Details are as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > Board </td> <td valign=top > 1998 </td> <td valign=top > 1999<…

2 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10960 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 April 2008, what form its review on hospital car parking charges will take and from whom submissions will be sought.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The review referred to is of the application of the principles and criteria set out in the revised guidance issued in January 2008 to those car parking schemes which have car parking charges in place. NHS boards will submit details of their reviews to me and …