Carolyn Leckie

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on continuity of care of the increased use of bank nurses.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards are responsiblefor the provision of services to meet local needs. When nurses are off sick, oron unexpected leave, it is important to ensure that patient care comes firstand that the rest of the team are not subject to further workload and pressure…

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in ensuring that nursing staff in permanent and bank nurse employment do not work excess hours.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards have responsibilityfor ensuring permanent and bank staff are deployed in such a way as to comply withlocal Family Friendly Policies, Working Time regulations and other issues that governemployment matters. The Executive also published a report on <…

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed how much NHS bank nursing is undertaken by nurses already employed on permanent contracts by the NHS.

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

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that core nursing staff levels are sufficient to meet demand and to cover for holiday, sickness, maternity leave, study leave and protected time for senior nursing staff with team leadership responsibilities, in light of the increase in use of bank nur…

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS boards have already madeprogress in achieving recommended predicted absence levels and protected timefor clinical leaders since the publication of Audit Scotland’sfollow up report. On-going progress will be monitored through the workload andworkforce plan…

30 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in respect of the Audit Scotland report, Planning ward nursing - legacy or design?.

Answer · Andy Kerr: In their follow up audit of <i>Planningward nursing – legacy or design?</i>, Audit Scotland has acknowledged thatsignificant progress has been made by the Executive and NHS boards inimplementing their baseline report. This includes improvements to theinformat…

24 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30877 by Lewis Macdonald on 24 January 2007, whether the reference to “shortly” means that the report of the Review of Access Criteria for Infertility Services will be published before dissolution.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Yes.</p>

24 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30880 by Lewis Macdonald on 24 January 2007, whether it has taken proactive steps to arrange such a meeting and whether it has made contact with Infertility Network UK to agree a date and venue.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: My officials have recentlyspoken with Infertility Network UK, however, they have not, at this time, arranged afurther meeting. As soon as the report on the review has been agreed myofficials will seek a further meeting with INUK to discuss next steps.</p>

24 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or will take, to secure the future of One Plus in Lanarkshire and the services it provides.

Answer · Des McNulty: One Plus is now inliquidation and local authorities and other funders are taking the lead infinding new providers for One Plus services. The Executive has been informed bySouth Lanarkshire council that each of the four child care servicesoperated by One Plus …

24 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had, and with whom, about the services provided by One Plus in Lanarkshire.

Answer · Des McNulty: The Executive has been incontact with a number of organisations regarding the services provided by OnePlus. The main point of contact has been South Lanarkshire Council.</p>

24 Jan 2007 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the total cost to it will be of the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Europe, broken down by item, and to what extent, and from which organisations, these costs will be recovered.

Answer · George Reid: All the main costs associatedwith the 2007 Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) such as accommodation, broadcasting,catering, security, transport etc are being met by Microsoft. This is expectedto be in the region of £100,000. Final accounts are still bei…

24 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what policing and security costs will be associated with the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Europe.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31292 on 5 February 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

24 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all land sales by local authorities and other public bodies, excluding the NHS, since 1997, also broken down by (a) year and (b) local authority or public body.

Answer · Des McNulty: This information is not availablecentrally.</p>

16 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls to NHS 24 have been abandoned because of a slow response time in each year since its inception.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS 24 rolled out across Scotland fromMay 2002 to November 2004. The call figures listed in the following table thereforerelate to partial coverage of Scotland until November 2004. The abandoned callsfigures is measured by collecting data on the number of cal…

16 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time is to answer a call to NHS 24 and, if triage by NHS 24 were to replace the current 999 system, what it estimates the average (a) response time and (b) length of time it would take to complete a call would be, and whether 999 calls would be given a priority …

Answer · Andy Kerr: The average length of time forNHS 24 to answer a call is currently three seconds.</p><p>There are no plans to redirect999 emergency ambulance calls to NHS 24 – calls will continue to be answered bythe Scottish Ambulance Service’s emergency medical dispatch ce…

10 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has declined to meet representatives of the Infertility Network to discuss the review of infertility services and, if so, what its reasons were for this decision.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive metwith representatives of Infertility Network UK in May 2006, and it wasagreed there would be a follow-up meeting, a date for which has yet to bearranged.</p>

10 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest waiting times are for infertility services in each NHS board.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p>

10 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has costed the provision of equal and full fertility services for all those requiring them and, if so, whether it will publish the costings.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Work on estimating the costsof possible changes to the provision of infertility treatment arising from therecent Review of Access Criteria for Infertility Services in Scotland isunderway and we will publish our findings in due course.</p>

10 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the outcome of its consultation, Review of Access Criteria for Infertility Services in Scotland, before dissolution.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executiveintends to publish the report of the Review of Access Criteria for InfertilityServices in Scotland shortly. Additional work on recommendations arisingfrom the review is underway and we will publish the findings of this in duecourse.</p>

9 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances it is permissible to hold an arrested person in a police cell overnight.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Section 22 of the CriminalProcedure (Scotland) Act 1995 states that where a person has beenarrested and charged with an offence which may be tried summarily, the officerin charge of a police station may:</p><p>(a) liberate them upon awritten undertaking, sign…

9 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the police or the Ministry of Defence about policing policy in respect of the Faslane 365 campaign.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: None. Policing within theFaslane base is carried out by the MOD Police and is a reserved matter. Policingoutside the perimeter of Faslane is carried out by Strathclyde Police and operational policing is a matter for individual chiefconstables.</p>

9 Jan 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-30581 by Mr Tom McCabe on 4 January 2007, what the value is of its contract with Serco Integrated Services and how much it has paid to Serco in each year since the contract commenced.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The value of the Serco IntegratedServices contract is £10.4 million, based on a five year contract which has an enddate of 30 March 2007. There is an option for an extension by two additionalone year periods however these have yet to be taken up.</p><p>The fo…

21 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it has stated publicly that NHS Lanarkshire had to tender primary care services at Harthill openly, as reported in The Herald on 19 December 2006.

Answer · Andy Kerr: NHS Lanarkshire has a statutoryresponsibility to secure primary medical services for the patients of the HarthillGP practice. The decision by the partners in the existing Harthill practice to dissolvetheir partnership left the board with no alternative but to…

21 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many GP partnerships which have been dissolved since 2003 have then been tendered openly, allowing groups other than existing GPs in the NHS board area to submit a tender.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not collatedcentrally but I understand that the number of GP partnership dissolutions in Scotlandsince 2003 is very low and we are aware of only one instance that has resulted inthe work going to open tender.</p>

21 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many GP partnerships have been dissolved since 2003.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information is not collatedcentrally, however NHS boards have indicated that GP partnership dissolutions since2003, have been very rare in Scotland.</p>

14 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what public funding Serco has received, and for what purpose, in each year since 1999.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Serco have not received publicfunding from the Scottish Executive. However, Serco Integrated Services are undercontract to provide cleaning services to the core Scottish Executive estate andto certain associated agencies that have been given contractual permi…

14 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all its or NHS Scotland’s events that have attracted sponsorship from Serco, giving details of any such sponsorship.

Answer · Andy Kerr: No Scottish Executive eventshave attracted sponsorship by Serco. Information on NHSScotland events that haveattracted sponsorship is not held centrally.</p>

14 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list any senior posts in its Health Department or in NHS Scotland where the postholders have an interest in, or an employment history with, Serco, giving details of any such interest or history.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Scottish Executive staff arenot required to make declarations of interests as a matter of course. However, ifa member of staff comes into contact with any issue concerning a particular organisationin which they have a financial or other interest, they are req…

14 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what events its officials or representatives have attended where Serco was also represented; what the content was of any discussions that took place between it and Serco at these events, and what the outcome was of any such discussions.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Events at which Scottish Executiveofficials or representatives have attended where Serco was also represented includethe following:</p><p>Officials from Justice Department,Community Justice Services Division, attended two events in 2006 where discussionsfocus…

14 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions or communications it has had with Serco in respect of primary medical services and whether it will provide details of the content of such discussions or communications.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has hadno discussions or communications with Serco regarding primary medical services.</p>

13 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value of all NHS land sales has been in each year since 1999, also broken down by sale.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The information on land salesis not held centrally. Following the reconfiguration of NHSScotland bodies from1 April 2004 we can more easily collate from available information the capital receiptsgenerated by the disposal of all assets.</p><p>For the years 200…