Edward Mountain

13 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the members' business debate on motion S5M-14643 on 27 November 2018, whether it will clarify whether patients will be allowed to give evidence to the inquiry regarding NHS Highland that is being carried out by John Sturrock QC.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to S5W-20513 on 18 December 2018. . All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2887…

28 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Highland regarding the Scottish Strategy for Autism, and what its position is on whether that NHS board has implemented each of the strategy’s recommendations.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of autistic people through the implementation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism. The refreshed outcomes and priorities document published in March this year is available from the following link: …

28 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors and reviews the implementation by NHS boards of each recommendation in the Scottish Strategy for Autism.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of autistic people through the implementation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism. Integration Authorities are responsible for the strategic planning and decision making for all functions delegated …

16 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport has had with the chairman and chief executive of NHS Highland regarding the waiting times improvement plan published in October 2018.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I have not held any direct discussions on the Waiting Times Improvement Plan with the Chair and Chief Executive of NHS Highland. When I have met collectively with all Chairs and Chief Executive of NHS Boards in recent months, the Waiting Times Improvement Pla…

16 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board has received from the additional £50 million of funding to reduce waiting times that was announced in May 2017.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 30 May 2017 NHS Boards were allocated their share of the 50 million to help reduce waiting times for 2017-18 financial year. This funding was allocated through the NHS Resource Allocation Formula (NRAC). NHS Boards were allocated similar additional funding…

24 Sep 2018 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to figures for the first quarter of 2018-19 that show ScotRail's reliability is at its worst for over two decades.

19 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what importance it places on visitor attraction signage as a means of attracting people to local areas from arterial routes.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Brown tourist signs on Scotland’s strategic roads are intended to direct or guide people to a tourist destination in the final stages of their journey. They can help visitors reach their intended destination easily and safely. They should supplement rather th…

11 Sep 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to enable The Highland Council to service the 96 public toilets that it has in the Highlands.

28 Aug 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the recent GERS figures.

25 Jun 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking regarding Scottish Canals' financial situation.

29 May 2018 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that there are sufficient and substantive interventional radiologists in every major hospital in Scotland.

15 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to carry out a further independent review of primary care out-of-hours services, similar to that chaired by Sir Lewis Ritchie.

Answer · Shona Robison: Sir Lewis has been reviewing progress against the recommendations in his report Pulling together: transforming urgent care for the people of Scotland report, published in November 2015. Sir Lewis has visited all territorial Health Boards over the course of th…

4 May 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the cabinet secretary last met officials from The Highland Council.

26 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional funding each NHS board has sought in the last financial year due to overspend.

Answer · Shona Robison: For 2017-18, brokerage has been approved for NHS Ayrshire and Arran (£23 million), NHS Highland (£15 million) and NHS Tayside (£12.7 million). Brokerage at this level requests represent less than 0.5% of total health spending and is managed within the overal…

13 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport has had any discussions since 2016 regarding incorporating the management of NHS Highland with another NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport has not had any discussions since 2016 regarding incorporating the management of NHS Highland with another NHS Board.

13 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport has had any discussions since 2016 with the (a) chairman, David Alston, and (b) chief executive, Elaine Mead, regarding concerns with (a) their governance and (b) the board's governance of NHS Highland.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Government officials have regularly met with the Chairman, David Alston, and Chief Executive, Elaine Mead, to discuss a range of matters including their governance and the boards governance of NHS Highland. Around the same time we commissioned a pilo…

13 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many reviews of NHS Highland that have taken place since 2016 has the chairman of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, John Brown CBE, been involved in; on what dates they were carried out; who commissioned them; what the terms of reference were and who decided them; who carried out the re…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Chairman of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, John Brown, CBE, has been involved in one review of NHS Highland since 2016. Please refer to the response provided for question S5W-15897 on 3 May 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availab…

13 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) internal and (b) external reviews of the board of NHS Highland have been carried out since 2016; on what dates they were carried out; who commissioned them; what the terms of reference were and who decided them; who carried out the reviews; when any review reports were publi…

Answer · Shona Robison: There has been one internal and one external review of the Board of NHS Highland carried out since 2016. The NHS Highland Governance Review 2015-16, by Jan Polley of Polley Solutions Ltd was commissioned by the Board of NHS Highland. The review took place be…

6 Mar 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are generic descriptions across all NHS boards of A&E departments, primary care emergency centres, urgent care centres and minor injury units.

Answer · Shona Robison: There are clear definitions in place which are widely used across NHSScotland. Accident & Emergency Departments sometimes referred to as Emergency Departments, provide a 24 hour, 7 days a week, consultant led service. People should attend A&E when an illness…

28 Feb 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported problems at Raigmore Hospital, how many operating theatres in Scotland have wooden doors and plaster walls.

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for how many hours (a) minor injury units and (b) urgent care centres have had to close due to staff shortages in the last three months, broken down by (i) NHS board and (ii) unit or centre.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is an operational matter for NHS Boards and the information is not held centrally.

2 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on which date the Forestry Devolution Programme began its work on the rebranding of the Forestry Commission in Scotland; how much has been spent to date on the rebranding process; what the projected costs are for the whole rebranding process, and what proportion of the rebranding budget …

Answer · Fergus Ewing: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.   I also refer the member to the information provided on 5 February 2018 (http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Rural/20180205_Cab_Sec_REC_-_Forestry_Bill_-_manage_and_administer_its_forestry_responsibilti…

30 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools Education Scotland and NHS Health Scotland will deliver mental health first aid training to in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

Answer · John Swinney: We take child and adolescent mental health very seriously. We know that prevention and early intervention make a big difference in reducing the risk of developing mental health problems. Since 2014, Education Scotland has been delivering Scotland’s Mental He…

22 Jan 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to reports that two-thirds of teachers do not feel that they have been sufficiently trained in supporting the mental health needs of pupils.

9 Jan 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet with local health groups to discuss palliative care in the Highlands.

Answer · Shona Robison: I am meeting with local campaigners, Caithness Health Action Team & locally elected representatives, on 7 February to listen to their concerns regarding care provision, including Palliative Care. NHS Highland have also confirmed that palliative care patients …

19 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering rebranding the Forestry Commission in Scotland and, if so, how many staff are employed with this; what their terms of reference and remit are, and when they will report their conclusions to ministers.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As set out in the Policy Memorandum (paragraph 66) and the Financial Memorandum (paragraphs 44 and 45) for the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill, there will need to be some rebranding of Forestry Commission Scotland and Forest Enterprise Scotland a…

18 Dec 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government takes to acknowledge seasonal workers and companies that operate over the festive season.

12 Dec 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that patients who require prosthetic limb replacements are treated locally.

Answer · Shona Robison: Prosthetic limb replacements are fitted in one of 5 mobility centres in Scotland – in Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These assess and fit patients with a range of standard limbs and in most cases will offer every support that the patient …

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many business reference numbers (BRN) have been issued with correct payment and reduction letters in each year since 2015, and how this compares with the number of BRN claims each year under the Basic Payments Scheme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The following tables set out the number of claims for the Basic Payment Scheme for 2015 and 2016, the number of claims paid, and the number of claims still to be paid. All businesses that have received their Basic Payment Scheme payment have also received th…

15 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Funding Council’s statistics on teacher vacancies, particularly regarding the Highlands.