Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to improve support for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN).
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scottish Government published the Implementation Plan ‘It’s Not Rare to Have a Rare Disease’ in June 2014. Through this plan, we are working together with partners to improve the outcomes and support for people with rare diseases. One of the aims of this pla…
16 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the number of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) clinical nurse specialists.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Clinical nurse specialists make a valued contribution to delivering services and supporting patients and families who require specialist care. The Scottish Government has invested over £2.4 million annually in the Specialist Nursing and Care Fund since 2015. …
16 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) clinical nurse specialists there have been in each year since 2007, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The information held centrally is not recorded at this level of detail. The number of clinical nurse specialists in post can be found on the workforce statistics web site, with the most recent data as at 30th September 2017: https://www.isdscotland.org/Healt…
16 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to make the theft, vandalism or misuse of community defibrillators a specific offence, and what its response is to reported concerns about the incidence of these.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Police and prosecutors already have powers available to them to deal with the theft, vandalism or misuse of community defibrillators. These offences potentially put lives at risk but according to the UK Resuscitation Council, instances of Public Access Defibr…
12 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the evidence base is behind the proposal in the Oral Health Improvement Plan to increase the interval between routine dental examinations for adults from six months to two years, and whether it has examined international best practice in relation to this proposed change.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is not proposing to increase the interval between routine dental examinations for adult patients from six months to two years. The Plan envisages the introduction of a new system of preventive care where the period between appointment…
12 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the proposal in the Oral Health Improvement Plan to increase the interval between routine dental examinations for adults from six months to two years will not reduce the rates of early detection of oral cancer, in light of the role of dentists in identifying it.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: There are no plans to increase the interval between routine dental examination from six months to two years. As part of the new programme of preventive care we will over time be introducing an Oral Health Risk Assessment (OHRA) for adult NHS patients. This is…
12 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that the proposal in the Oral Health Improvement Plan to increase the interval between routine dental examinations for adults from six months to two years will lead to decreased rates of regular attendance at a dentist.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The intention is to move to an evidence-based new system of preventive care management where the interval between appointments is determined by the oral health of the patient. At present patients may be seen every six months, although on average patients are…
3 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its efforts to reduce the overuse of antibiotics and tackle antibiotic resistance.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Data relating to antibiotic use are available in the Scottish One Health Antimicrobial use and Antimicrobial Resistance Annual Report 2016, published by Health Protection Scotland in November 2017. The full report can be viewed at: http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk…
3 Jul 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08991 by Shona Robison on 9 May 2017, whether it will provide an update on any plans to introduce antiobiotic tests in the NHS.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: An Evidence Review was published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland on 8 May 2018 which looked at the cost-effectiveness of C-reactive protein testing in primary care. National and international studies were reviewed and it was concluded that, while published…
29 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 18 June 2018 of a new pathway for medicines, whether it plans to issue a formal consultation on the new standard operating procedure for the revised decision-making process for ultra-orphan medicines, and when it expects the new procedure to be published.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Government does not plan to issue a formal consultation. We are working closely with the Scottish Medicines Consortium and other important interested public bodies and will publish the new arrangements before they come into effect from 1 October 2018. Th…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24346 by Maureen Watt on 17 February 2015, whether a code now exists, and what consideration it has given to collecting this information.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: A number of different procedures are used to remove tattoos including laser destruction, excision, cryotherapy, dermabrasion, and photodynamic laser therapy. All these procedures are used for a number of conditions and are not specific to tattoo removal. For …
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many people in each NHS board area in each year since 2007 have not been registered with a GP.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Scotland-domiciled students have studied (a) medicine, (b) nursing and (c) allied health professional courses in each year since 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: The number of Scottish domiciled enrolments at Scottish Higher Education Institutions studying health professional courses are included in the following table. Scottish domiciled enrolments at Scottish Providers Subject areas 2007-08 2008-09 200…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many operations have been cancelled in each year since 2007, including how many cancellations were due to a lack of sterile equipment, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The specific information requested is not available centrally. Cancelled operations data has only been available centrally from May 2015 and provides the number of operations cancelled on the day before of the day of surgery. Information is also available on …
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the economic impact of the horse racing sector in Scotland, and what support it provides to the sport, including how it promotes Scottish racing to the (a) rest of the UK and (b) Republic of Ireland.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of horse racing to rural economies and communities and has a good relationship and holds regular meetings with Scottish Racing to examine ways to expand its reach and impact. Scottish Racing’s annual review as…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) full- and (b) part-time equivalent basis NHS staff there have been in each year since 2007.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Workforce data for whole time and part time staff employed by NHSScotland is available for each September until 2010, and then quarterly from March 2011 onwards. Whole and Part-time breakdown (by Whole Time Equivalent or Headcount) can be found in the Gender…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much in Barnett consequentials that it has received in each year since 2010 has been allocated to the NHS.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Barnett resource consequentials received each year from the UK Government since 2010-11 are set out in the following table, along with allocations by the Scottish Government to the frontline health budget. The Scottish Government has prioritised the frontlin…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time for access to child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) treatment has been in each year since 2007, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Clare Haughey: Waiting times data for CAMHS treatment was not collected prior to 2012. The following table shows waiting times from 2012 for NHS Scotland as a whole and also by geographical health board. Waiting times are given in weeks. Waiting times for patients who have…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been referred to private weight management programmes in each NHS board area in each year since 2007.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Information on the number of people who have been referred to private weight management programmes in each NHS board area in each year since 2007 is not held centrally.
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many health and food technology teachers there have been in schools in each year since 2007, broken down by local authority.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally. The subjects taught by teachers in Scotland's schools can be found in the results of the School Staff Census (Tables 2.8, 3.9, 4.8 and 5.2): http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/teach…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each NHS board area in each year since 2007 have been treated for alcohol-related brain damage, and what its position is on the trend.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Excessive drinking over a period of years may lead to a condition known as alcohol-related brain damage. This condition can cause problems with memory, learning and other cognitive skills. The Scottish Government provides funding to NHS Boards to work with In…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many specialist NHS nurses there have been in each year since 2007, broken down by specialism.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The number of Clinical Nurse Specialists employed by NHSScotland is published annually by ISD Scotland, by specialty. Data prior to 2009 is unavailable. Data from September 2009 to September 2017 can be found at: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Wo…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have requested their patient records from GPs under GDPR legislation.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: This is a matter for the Health Boards. This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of how much it is costing GPs to comply with GDPR legislation, and what support it is providing to help them to meet this.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The new 2018 GP Contract, jointly agreed with the BMA and supported by £110m investment in 2018-19, supports GPs to comply with GDPR by recognising that contractors are joint data controllers along with their contracting NHS Board. The contract clarifies GP c…
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils have (a) sat and (b) passed the SQA health and food technology exam in each year since 2007, broken down by level of exam.
Answer · John Swinney: Information on exam entries and passes in SQA health and food technology exams in each year since 2007, broken down by level of exam is available online from: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/48269.html
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment by the then Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy that "a reduction in intake for the 2012 academic year is a sensible way forward", what impact its decision to reduce the number of places for student nurses and midwives in 2012-13 from 2,70…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Previous reductions in recommended nursing and midwifery student intakes reflected the reduced projected demand by NHS Boards and other stakeholders and over supply of newly qualified staff at that time. Total numbers of nurses and midwives in training have …
22 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15132 by Aileen Campbell on 20 March 2018, whether it will provide an update on the discussions that it is having with Information Services Division.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Scottish Government is continuing discussions with Information Services Division regarding further IVF data collection, including third cycle data, within the confines of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.
20 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages the spread of best practice in equality training within the NHS.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government and NHSScotland are fully committed to ensuring that the values of equality and diversity are respected by, and reflected in, our policies and practice. We work with a number of organisations to support health boards to embed the princ…
20 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it evaluates and measures the success and cost effectiveness of equality training delivered by the NHS.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland health boards, as employers, are responsible for the delivery and monitoring of equality training provided to employees. Our national Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy: “Embracing Equality, Diversity and Human Rights in NHSScotland, ac…
19 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S5W-17210 by Kevin Stewart on 19 June 2018, whether it will provide the information for affordable new-build homes, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The following table shows a breakdown of new build homes completed in 2016-17 and 2017-18 by local authority area: Local Authority 2016-17 2017-18 Aberdeenshire 204 192 Angus 17 88 Argyll & Bute 141 90 City of Aberdeen 101 205 Clackmannansh…