Stewart Maxwell

28 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the NHS has been of treating people diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Costs data for specific conditions such as alcohol-induced illnesses are not available centrally.</p>

28 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Information on the number of patients diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease in Scotland by year of admission showing age and sex has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35462). In areas where the number of cases is very small a tota…

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential places have been available for people diagnosed with Korsakoff&#39;s psychosis in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The information requested is not held centrally. Those with Korsakoff’s psychosis will be cared for within mainstream services.</p>

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with Korsakoff&#39;s psychosis in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The latest complete figures are as follows, for 1997 to 2001. Later information is incomplete. NHS National Services Scotland is working to correct this position. </p><p>Patients Diagnosed with Korsakoff's Psychosis in Scotland</p><p>New Occurrences by NHS Bo…

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of a call to NHS 24.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Members of the public contacting NHS 24 do so at the cost of a local telephone call. The average cost incurred by NHS 24 in dealing with a call in the quarter ending 31 December 2004 was £25.35. This cost covers call handlers, nurse advisors, team leaders, IT…

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many orthopaedic surgeons there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The current ISD Scotland data is correct to 30 September 2003. There has beena 7.8% increase in the number of Trauma and Orthopaedic surgeons between 1999 and2003.</p><p>The following table shows the headcount and whole-time equivalent (WTE) numbers of trauma…

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients (a) had hip or knee replacements in each of the last five years and (b) are currently awaiting hip or knee replacements, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested is provided in the following tables.</p><p>Over the last four years, the annual number of hip and knee replacement operations undertaken by NHSScotland has increased by 8.5% and 26.8% respectively.</p><p>NHSScotland: Number of Total …

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the programme funded by the Health Improvement Fund to improve oral health by providing free toothbrushes and toothpaste for targeted groups of children and the programme to support daily toothbrushing for children aged three to six years in rural areas and areas of deprivation st…

Answer · Andy Kerr: Programmes to provide free toothbrushes and paste have been in place across Scotland since 2001. Initially these schemes provided free toothbrushes and paste to all children at eight months and to those aged one to three years in areas of need. The scheme has…

26 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the number and rate was of hospital-acquired (a) blood infections and (b) post-surgical infections in each NHS board in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: A national mandatory hospital infection surveillance system was introduced in 2001 to monitor blood infections with MRSA. The surveillance is operated by Health Protection Scotland and it produces quarterly reports. A first preliminary report on selected surg…

26 Jan 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward the date for a recommendation in respect of two-view mammography as the standard breast-screening method so that the procedure can take place with immediate effect.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: No. The Breast and Cervical Screening National Advisory Group agreed at its first meeting in October 2004 to look at a number of issues that would impact on the future development of the breast screening service. This includes the need to address health inequ…

20 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been for selling tobacco products to minors in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The table provides the available data for those police force areas and years where such convictions were recorded.</p><p>Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Selling Tobacco Products to Minors¹, by Police Force Area, 1998-2002</p><ta…

19 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital-acquired (a) urinary and (b) chest infections there have been and what the rate of infection has been in each NHS board since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not held centrally.</p>

19 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13047 by Rhona Brankin on 18 January 2005, how much of the &#163;28.889 million from the Health Improvement Fund retained by the Executive as at 1 October 2001 was allocated to each NHS board and how much was retained centrally.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The information requested is not available at this time. However, I shall write to the member as soon as the information has been collated and a copy of my letter shall be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.</p>

13 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce two-view mammography as the standard breast-screening method.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The current practice within the Scottish Breast Screening Programme involves a two view mammography (two x-rays from different angles) at the first screening visit with a single view mammography every three years thereafter.</p><p>The Breast and Cervical Scre…

10 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available the Vital Events data, provided by the General Register Office for Scotland, broken down by calendar month and week.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The General Register Office for Scotland is currently reviewing the range of statistical information made available on its website. One outcome of this review is likely to be the inclusion of regularly updated provisional information on birth and death regist…

16 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12789 by Rhona Brankin on 15 December 2004, how much of the Health Improvement Fund funding referred to was allocated to each NHS board.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Full details about the Health Improvement Fund allocations made to NHS boards was given in the 2002 publication <i>Putting the Pieces in Place, </i>a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 19606) or on the Scottish Execut…

13 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any European country where the government has been successfully prosecuted for breach of Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) because of a smoking ban covering private clubs and function suites.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive is not aware of any such successful legal actions against the government of any other European country for breach of Article 8 of ECHR arising from a smoking ban covering private clubs and function suites.</p>

13 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures have been specified for testing areas in which patients with MRSA have been nursed once the patient has been moved and the area cleaned.

Answer · Andy Kerr: There is no nationally specified procedure for this. Any environmental testing would be for the local Infection control team or committee to agree and implement, based on local circumstances.</p><p>The National Cleaning Specification, which set out how hospit…

13 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are in place for nursing a patient who has MRSA.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Each NHS board has procedures and protocols for managing patients with infections and for preventing further spread to other patients, staff, or visitors. These would include guidance on hand hygiene, isolation procedures and the use ofprotective clothing (e.…

13 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to test each patient admitted to hospital for MRSA.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Many patients, particularly those being admitted for routine surgery, are already screened for MRSA prior to admission The Ministerial Taskforce on Healthcare Associated Infection will be considering our strategic approach to screening in the light of forthco…

13 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the bed occupancy rate has been in each NHS board area in each year since 1999.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on bed occupancy rates for Scotland and in each NHS board area for the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2004 is shown in the following table.</p><p>NHSScotland - Percentage Bed Occupancy¹; by NHS Board Area: Years Ending 31 March 1999-2004…

2 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11403 by Rhona Brankin on 29 November 2004, what proportion of the Health Improvement Fund (HIF) was directed to NHS boards; how the remainder of the funds from Scotland&#34;s share of tobacco tax which was used under the HIF was allocated; whether t…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: £19 million of the £26 million per annum Health Improvement Fund was directed to NHS boards, including the then Health Education Board for Scotland (now NHS Health Scotland). The balance was invested through a number of national initiatives, such as the estab…

29 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits would be gained by introducing a bill on organ retention and transplantation separately from the Health Service (Miscellaneous Provisions) Scotland Bill.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The decision to have a separate bill on these subjects was a direct response to concerns expressed by the Parliament and the Health and Community Care Committee about the size and complexity of the proposed Miscellaneous Provisions Bill. Making these importan…

29 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what delay would be incurred by introducing a bill on organ retention and transplantation separately from the Health Service (Miscellaneous Provisions) Scotland Bill.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I have given undertakings to the families affected by past post-mortem practice that we will do everything we can to get this legislation through all its stages with minimum delay.</p>

29 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the introduction of a bill on organ retention and transplantation.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The legislation dealing with organ donation and transplantation, hospital post-mortem examinations and modernisation of the Anatomy Act 1984 will be brought forward with minimal delay, and will follow the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill in the…

23 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ask all local authorities to adopt the policy of Glasgow City Council of considering council tax relief favourably for all troops serving in Iraq.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Glasgow City Council have confirmed that they have no policy in place in relation to the armed forces. Each application for a discount is judged on its merits, with reference to the relevant legislation.</p>

17 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why convicted criminals automatically receive discounts on their council tax while serving their sentence whilst members of the armed forces cannot receive such a discount while abroad on active service and what action it will take to address this issue.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Service personnel and reservists are treated in exactly the same way for council tax purposes as any other person who is required to live and work abroad. They are counted towards the council tax bill wherever their “sole or main residence” is. Responsibility…

27 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people being cared for, and who have been assessed, have been offered direct payments and, of these, how many have taken up the offer, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The following table gives the number of recipients of direct payments, by local authority area. We do not hold data on the numbers assessed for or offered payments. </p><p>Direct Payments Recipients, Year to 31 March 2004</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cel…

27 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people being cared for by voluntary carers have had a needs assessment, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the question SW2-11761 answered on 9 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

27 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are being cared for by voluntary carers in each local authority area.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: This precise information is not available. Several of the key components, however are and work is in hand to improve our understanding of the situation. </p><p>Audit Scotland currently collect annual information on the number of community care assessments and…