Miles Briggs

14 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has review its system for dealing with complaints from the public about its handling of routine matters, such as concerns regarding maladministration.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government Complaints Handling Procedure is in line with and approved by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, however, a review is currently in progress as part of a process of continuous improvement.

14 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on respiratory ill health in (a) 2017 and (b) 2018.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The information requested is not held centrally.

14 Jan 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to a letter reportedly signed by all stroke clinicians in Scotland calling for the urgent introduction of a thrombectomy service.

11 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support the NHS provides to people who are identified as being at a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Excess weight is the main modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes and NHS Boards have a role in supporting patients to make changes to their diet and lifestyle to manage this risk. Our Diet & Healthy Weight Delivery Plan published in July 2018 strives to …

11 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the purpose is of the NHS Scotland (a) Project Management Support Directorate and (b) Customer Engagement and Development Directorate, and how many staff the directorate has, broken down by role.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The purpose of NHS National Services Scotland’s (NSS) (a) Project Management Support Directorate and (b) Customer Engagement and Development Directorate; and how many staff are in each directorate, broken down by role, is as follows: ( a) Programme Managemen…

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS operations have been cancelled in each of the last 12 months due to a lack of sterilised surgical equipment.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not centrally hold specific figures on cancelled operations due to lack of sterile equipment, however we do collect information on planned cancelled operations based on "capacity or non-clinical reason" by hospital. This data is a…

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has paid to third sector organisations to deliver services in each year since 1999.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scottish Government expenditure is allocated across portfolios to various sectors, including the third sector, to improve a wide range of outcomes. Spending is not all specifically classified as to whether or not it is allocated to third-sector organisations …

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to develop national standards to support people with chronic pain, and what steps it is taking to establish a chronic pain waiting time action plan.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Current guidelines on the treatment of chronic pain will be taken from authorative professional sources such as the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) SIGN will be carrying out a scoping exercise this year to look into whether SIGN 136: Manag…

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will provide each year to support the implementation of the Neurological Conditions National Action Plan 2019-24; whether the local implementation leads referred to in the plan will be new posts, and whether it will make annual progress reports on the plan.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The draft National Action Plan on Neurological Conditions is currently open for public consultation until 8 February 2019. After considering feedback, we will publish a final plan this year.  

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve (a) respite and (b) residential care options for people with neurological conditions, and what action it can take to ensure that they are not placed in older people's care homes if it is considered that other options would be preferable.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Integration Authorities have been established to ensure a greater emphasis on community-based and more joined-up and anticipatory care which will benefit a wide range of people including people with neurological conditions. Further to this we have developed …

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20025 by Kevin Stewart on 28 November 2018, whether it will consider funding a new study into the potential contribution of adaptations to social housing and the grant level that is required to ensure maximum returns.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-20666 on 8 January 2019. 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…

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what services (a) it and (b) its agencies have used from the US-based organisation, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in each year since 2007; how much each service has cost, and how much has been paid in travel and subsistence expenses to the officials dealing with these. 

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has a strategic partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) based in the USA. This current framework contract has been in place since 2018 and covers all public services in Scotland and relates to quality improvemen…

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20022 by Kevin Stewart on 3 December 2018, whether it will provide figures for the amount given directly to registered social landlords in each of the last five years to assist them in providing adaptations for their tenants.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer to the member to the answer to question S5W-20665 on 8 January 2019. 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/parliamentarybusin…

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many endoscopies have been undertaken in each year since 1999 in the NHS, and what information it has on how many have been undertaken in the private sector in the same period.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of endoscopies performed each year. Data is available from ISD on the number of patients waiting for endoscopy and can be accessed via this link: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times…

18 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets are in place to reduce the (a) prevalence of cardiovascular disease and (b) number of acute coronary syndrome events.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Heart Disease Improvement Plan, published in August 2014, sets out the aims and priorities for improved prevention, treatment and care of heart disease in Scotland. There are six key priorities and key actions needed to deliver improvement. There are no s…

18 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to undertake an audit of care for (a) cardiology and (b) lipidology services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scotland has now formally contracted to be part of the UK National Cardiac Audit Programme. This will allow Scottish data on performance in secondary and tertiary cardiac care to be audited and benchmarked to support a quality improvement approach to data col…

18 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The prevention of cardiovascular disease is one of the six priorities identified in the Scottish Government’s Heart Disease Improvement Plan (2014). We know that a significant proportion of cardiovascular disease is preventable and influenced by behaviours. …

18 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reinstate data collection on cholesterol levels in the Scottish Health Survey.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are planning to look into emerging methods of collecting blood samples for possible inclusion in the Scottish Health Survey going forward.

18 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people have a cholesterol level (a) between 5 and 6.5 and (b) above 6.5 mmol/l, broken down by (i) local authority and (ii) NHS board area.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: In 2008-2011, 46% of adults aged 16 or over had a cholesterol level of between 5 and 6.5 mmol/l and 12% had a cholesterol level of above 6.5 mmol/l. These estimate come from analysis of blood samples taken as part of the Scottish Health Survey until 2011. The…

18 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20025 by Kevin Stewart on 28 November 2018, whether it would consider funding a new study into the potential contribution of adaptations to social housing and what grant level would be required to ensure maximum returns.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Since the integration of health and social care, Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) are responsible for planning and delivery of adaptations and are best placed to review and develop services to meet local needs and improve outcomes for all who require adaptatio…

18 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to answer to question S5W-20022 by Kevin Stewart on 3 December 2018, how much was given directly to Registered Social Landlords in each of the last five years to assist them in providing adaptations for their tenants.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Over the past five years Registered Social Landlords have received the following assistance from Scottish Government to provide adaptations for their tenants: Year Spend (£m) 2013-14 12.961 2014-15 13.065 2015-16 13.221 2016-17 13.207 2017-18 13.4…

4 Dec 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on a feasibility study being carried out to address congestion on the Edinburgh city bypass.

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many carers have received short breaks under the provisions of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: This information is being collected through a new Carers Census. The first collection of Carers Census data relates to the first 6 months after the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 came into force (1 April 2018 to 30 September 2018). This data will be completed by …

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs do not have access to the system, A Local Information System for Scotland (ALISS).

Answer · Jeane Freeman: ALISS is online at www.aliss.org and is accessible by all GPs. The service maps community assets and connects people with sources of support in their area to enable them to manage their own health conditions effectively.

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many GP practices do not have broadband.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: All GP practices have secure broadband connections to Scotland Wide Area Network. The speed of their broadband connections varies. The older ADSL broadband connection is provided over home telephone lines and the newer Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) technology p…

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been raised from the sale of NHS (a) land and (b) property in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Land and building disposals are reported in Health Boards’ annual accounts which are publically available online on Health Boards’ websites. All proceeds from NHS property and land disposals are reinvested in health services.

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many young carers have been given a pass for free bus travel under the Young Carers Grant since its introduction.

Answer · Michael Matheson: None. The Young Carer Grant is due to come into force in Autumn 2019. Free bus travel for recipients of Young Carer Grant will be introduced thereafter.

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many respite care breaks have been provided to carers in each year since 1999.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The last respite publication ( Respite Care Scotland 2015 ) provides data from 2007-08 until 2014-15 on the number of weeks of respite provided or purchased by local authorities in Scotland. The data does not measure the number of carers provided with a bre…

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of broadband availability and speeds in GP surgeries.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Availability is checked using the Superfast Broadband checker set-up by Digital Scotland. Speeds are checked as part of the broadband delivery process.

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many young carers have received the Young Carers Grant since its introduction, also broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) year.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Young Carer Grant will be introduced in Autumn 2019 and hence payments are yet to be made.