Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12864 by Shona Robison on 29 November 2017, in light of the consultation discussing whether there is scope for achieving a more inquisitorial approach within the existing arrangements with regard to practice investigations and calling for further co…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-13567 on 9 January 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/…
19 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12864 by Shona Robison on 29 November 2017, in light of the consultation discussing options for reforming the way that professional regulators handle complaints from patients and the public, whether it plans to change the current arrangement, in whi…
Answer · Shona Robison: The consultation ‘Promoting professionalism, reforming regulation’ is not due to close until 23:59 on 23January 2018. As such, it would not be appropriate to comment on future options for the development of professional healthcare regulation. It is open to …
19 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason ISD Scotland statistics published on 19 December 2017 suggest that there has been decline in A&E waiting time performance (a) in NHS Lothian and (b) at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and what action it is taking to ensure that the waiting time target is met.
Answer · Shona Robison: In the week ending 10 December 2017 NHS Lothian experienced a range of challenges that impacted on A&E performance across the Board, including the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. For instance the level of attendances increased across the Board, in fact during the …
19 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which international classification of diseases (ICD) for oncology codes were used for brain tumours in the 2016 Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey.
Answer · Shona Robison: The 2015 Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey included all cancers covered by the ICD10 codes from C00 to C96 except C44 (malignant neoplasms) and C84 (some types of lymphomas). This is consistent with the approach taken for other UK Cancer Patient Exper…
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the University of Dundee toward its research on chronic pain data, and what information it has regarding what this work consists of and how long the project will last.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Since 2016-17, we have provided £187,500 in project funding to support chronic pain research on behalf of the Scottish Government and NHS in Scotland, at the University of Dundee. This is looking at the development of better data and the collection of best ev…
18 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the two radiotherapy physics posts, committed to in its Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action strategy, were in place for 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Answer · Shona Robison: In line with the commitment set out in the Cancer Strategy, I can confirm that two radiotherapy physics trainee posts per annum were filled in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
15 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the Health & Care Experience Survey and its predecessor, the GP and Local NHS Services Patient Experience Survey, has cost and how many responses were received in each of the last ten years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is provided in the following table. The results of each iteration of the Health & Care Experience Survey (and its predecessor), including numbers of responses, are available at www.gov.scot/GPSurvey. Survey Cost of the Survey (Exc…
15 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) maximise the efficiency and (b) keep the costs down of 2017's Health & Care Experience Survey.
Answer · Shona Robison: A variety of changes have been made for the 2017-2018 Health & Care Experience Survey to maximise efficiency and keep costs down, including: A number of aspects of the project which were previously contracted out have been brought in house. A survey contr…
13 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02275 by Humza Yousaf on 15 September 2016, whether it will provide an update on the plans to increase the quality and capacity of trains serving Wallyford and Musselburgh.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: From the December 2017 timetable change some services on the North Berwick route serving Wallyford and Musselburgh have been strengthened from three to six cars providing more seating capacity. Services on the route continue to be provided by Class 380 trains…
12 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when 24-hour paediatric inpatient services will be restored to St John's Hospital in Livingston.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government supports NHS Health Boards in their efforts to ensure that they have the right staff in place to meet the healthcare needs of the local population. We have been assured by NHS Lothian that despite significant investment, the Board con…
12 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the children's ward at St John's Hospital in Livingston was closed on (a) 3 and (b) 9 December 2017; what discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding this, and what action the board is taking to prevent any further such closure.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government supports NHS Health Boards in their efforts to ensure that they have the right staff in place to meet the healthcare needs of the local population. NHS Lothian have advised that when the decision was taken to temporary close its Paedi…
12 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been committed to the Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action strategy, and how this will be allocated in each of the next five years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government committed £100 million of funding to the cancer strategy ‘Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action’ over the 5 year period between 2016 - 2021. To date we have spent £34 million to implement the actions set out within the strategy and the r…
12 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the opening of the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh has been reportedly delayed until Autumn 2018, and what discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding this.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with NHS Lothian regarding the delay at the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh and these discussions will continue until the project is complete. NHS Lothian have suffered unexpected …
12 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12702 by Humza Yousaf on 27 November 2017, what information it has on the type of casualties and injuries sustained, including whether these were head injuries, and whether it considers that the wearing of helmets may have reduced the severity of, o…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government data collation procedures only allow to distinguish between serious and slight injuries for such instances and these were set out in the answer to S5W-12702. It is not possible to directly attribute the wearing of a helmet to the injuries …
11 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce plastic waste in the marine environment.
7 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the sentencing guidelines for people under 18 who are convicted of culpable homicide, and what plans it has to review these.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There are no current guideline judgements or sentencing guidelines in relation to the sentencing of people aged under 18 convicted of culpable homicide. Section 118 and section 189 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 provide authority for the court …
6 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of six new elective treatment centres, which were announced in October 2015.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Capital Investment Group (CIG) oversees the approval process for business cases across NHSScotland and provides the necessary assurances that proposals are robust, affordable, deliverable, and that they are in line with wider NHS pol…
6 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the Urgent Question regarding NHS Lothian waiting times by Shona Robison on 5 December 2017 (Official Report, c. 75), in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that it was “apparent that the concerns were not restricted to St John’s but went across the acute s…
Answer · Shona Robison: While the whistle-blower raised concerns about St Johns Hospital specifically, NHS Lothian subsequently carried out an internal review of three of its acute hospitals. The independent Review, led by the Professor Derek Bell, will not only investigate the alle…
5 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in each of the last five years, how many (a) full-time, (b) full-time specialist and (c) part-time paramedics there have been, and how many (i) paramedics left the service, including through retirement, (ii) qualified paramedics were recruited and (iii) technicians completed paramedic t…
Answer · Shona Robison: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service, the information requested is not held centrally.
4 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve services for patients with headache disorders.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The National Advisory Committee for Neurological Conditions is currently collating data on the number of patients in Scotland with Migraine or other headache types, in order to understand the prevalence of Headache in Scotland. Headache is one of the group …
4 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that there is (a) a patient-centred care approach and (b) consistency in (i) clinical practice and (ii) outcomes for patients being treated for headaches.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone living in Scotland with are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care. Through c…
4 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Lothian patients who require specialist headache services are able to access the specialist headache centres in Glasgow and Aberdeen, and, if so, what its response is to concerns regarding the costs of travel to these centres from Lothian.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-13166 on 21 December 2017. 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…
4 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on NHS Lothian no longer having a specialist headache centre, in light of it previously having one in Edinburgh, and what discussions it has had with NHS Lothian on this issue.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: It is the role of the Scottish Government to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS Boards so they can deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. The provision of healthcare services is the responsibility of local Boards, taki…
4 Dec 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times escalation procedures at A&E departments have been invoked in each winter since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital, and how many times these have been invoked so far this winter.
Answer · Shona Robison: We do not use a national alert system across NHS Scotland to track the use of escalation procedures within Emergency Departments. As part of their winter planning activity NHS Boards are expected to have business continuity and escalation plans in place which…
29 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Clinical Review of Cancer Waiting Times will look at whether brain and central nervous system cancers should be included in future reports that measure the performance of cancer waiting times, and what its position is on including these.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Clinical Review of Cancer Access Standards in Scotland provides an excellent opportunity to examine information on cancer waiting times that could significantly change and enhance the patient experience and will determine if any amendments or modification…
29 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider including the experience of people (a) under 16 and (b) with low-grade brain tumours in the next Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey.
Answer · Shona Robison: We recognise the importance of ensuring that patient experience is captured and used in a meaningful way to influence the care that NHS Scotland provides all people with cancer. The first Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey, run in 2015, surveyed a samp…
29 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, to enable the highest number of people to participate, how it will reduce the gap between the period of cancer diagnosis and the date of the release of questionnaires for the next Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey.
Answer · Shona Robison: The time between the period of cancer diagnosis and when questionnaire for the Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey is issued is necessary to validate the survey sample against records from the Scottish Cancer Registry, which can take up to 18 months aft…
29 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of brain tumour patients have been diagnosed via an emergency admission in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not centrally held.
29 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the Detect Cancer Early programme will raise awareness of less survivable cancers.
Answer · Shona Robison: Through our Detect Cancer Early programme, we aim to increase the proportion of cancers that are detected at the earliest stages. To date the programme has focussed on the three most common cancers - breast, lung and colorectal cancers and the DCE programme b…
29 Nov 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many paramedics it plans to recruit in 2017-18.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service is planning to train 200 paramedics in 2017-18 and over the next two years as part of the Scottish Government's commitment to train 1,000 paramedics over the term of this Parliament.