Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Action on Hearing Loss Scotland's recommendation that the Audiology Services Advisory Group should be reconvened to provide strategic oversight of the quality standards for adult audiology services.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is currently considering this finding from Action on Hearing Loss Scotland's 'Time to raise the standards' report.
2 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02017 by Aileen Campbell on 7 September 2016, by what date it will make an announcement on the future of the Edinburgh cleft lip and palate surgical service and what the reason is for the delay.
Answer · Shona Robison: As I confirmed in my statement to parliament on 2 November 2016, which is available at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10595&mode=pdf, I have met the clinical teams in Glasgow and Edinburgh and, in the light of those discussions…
2 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times NHS boards have used taxis to deliver appointment letters and other correspondence to patients since 1999, broken down by (a) board and (b) cost.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. The issue raised is a matter for Health Boards, which are required to ensure best value in the use of public funds in line with the guidance set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual.
2 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to NHS boards on the use of taxis to deliver appointment letters and other correspondence to patients.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04425 on 16 November 2016. 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/parliamentarybusines…
2 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the full costs are of replacing all National Entitlement Cards with Saltire cards.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The OneScotland branded National Entitlement Card (NEC) was introduced in 2006 to deliver the Scottish Government's concessionary travel scheme. In 2014 the NEC design was amended and the OneScotland brand was replaced with the mygovscot brand card. The roll …
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent to date on all legal and court action costs related to the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The legal and court action costs incurred by the Scottish Government in relation to the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012 to date total £434,100.
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the minor ailment service.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has not directly commissioned or undertaken an assessment of the Minor Ailment Service (MAS). However, studies have been conducted by other bodies and in particular the MINA Study undertaken by the University of Aberdeen in collaborati…
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the ALISS (A Local Information System for Scotland) mental health system.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government funds the ALISS Programme through the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE). The service includes sources of support in the community across the full range of health and care services not just for mental health. The…
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many repeat prescriptions have been issued in each year since 1999, and what time it estimates it has taken GPs to produce these.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not readily available from the NHS Scotland prescribing information system.
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent the import or sale of shark products, including shark fins.
Answer · Keith Brown: The trade in shark products is not illegal, however the importing of products of animal origin into the UK is subject to certain international controls (https://www.gov.uk/animal-products-import-and-export and, in the case of individuals, personal allowances …
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs do not have access to the ALISS (A Local Information System for Scotland) mental health system.
Answer · Maureen Watt: ALISS is available online at www.aliss.org so is accessible by all GPs. The service includes sources of support in the community across the full range of health and care services not just for mental health.
1 Nov 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many pharmacists are based in GP surgeries, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The information as requested is not readily available. As at September 2015 (the most recent figures available), there were 262.2 Whole Time Equivalent health board primary care pharmacist posts in NHS Scotland. These posts include a range of support activit…
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03411 by Maureen Watt on 26 October 2016, how it ensures that mental health tribunals offer sufficient guarantees to ensure that they are seen to be impartial.
Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer to my previous answer to question S5W-03039 on 30 September 2016 and add that as an independent organisation, Mental Health Tribunal Service for Scotland (MHTS) provides assurance to Scottish Ministers on the discharge of its functions. MHTS was est…
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03411 by Maureen Watt on 26 October 2016, what its position is on whether people with mental health problems should have the same right to refuse treatment as people with physical health conditions.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Most people who use mental health services receive treatment without being subject to an order or certificate under the Mental Health (Scotland) (Care and Treatment) Act 2003. For some individuals however, compulsory treatment is used to provide the person wi…
31 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the survey in the Action on Hearing Loss Scotland report, Time to raise the standards, which recorded that (a) 85% of respondents did not have an individual management plan and (b) 51% of respondents said that when they had their hearing assessed b…
Answer · Maureen Watt: The monitoring and governance of the national audiology quality standards sits with NHS Boards. The Scottish Government is committed to improving the services, support and care available to people with hearing loss through its national strategy ‘See Hear’. De…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the advertising spend on campaigns for the Scottish Government Marketing Unit in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the Scottish Government website where marketing spend for 2014-15 and 2015-16 was published on 1 November 2016. Please see the following links: https://beta.gov.scot/publications/advertising-spend-2015-2016/ https://beta.gov.scot/publi…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has made of each of its public health campaigns since 2007.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Evaluation is an important part of our campaigns and is undertaken in a variety of ways according to the scale and nature of the campaign, the target audience and has been proportionate to the budget for each campaign. Where relevant, new campaigns are tested…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the waiting time has been for people with suspected psoriatic arthritis to see a consultant following referral by their GP in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The specific information is not available centrally as outpatient waiting times information is collected at specialty level only. I understand that patients with suspected psoriatic arthritis are mostly likely to be referred to a dermatologist. The following …
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Lothian region would benefit from (a) a dedicated psoriatic arthritis integrated clinic and (b) the provision of mobile MRI and ultrasound scanners to treat people with psoriatic arthritis.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government provides policies, frameworks and resources to NHS Boards to allow them to deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. Within this context, the actual provision of healthcare services, including (a) a dedicated ps…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have had psoriatic arthritis in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The number of people diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis in each NHS Board is not held centrally. The following table shows patients who have been admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis in each calendar year since 1999. However this is li…
25 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people with psoriatic arthritis are receiving biologics, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: The treatment for psoriatic arthritis is prescribed and managed by the hospital service, information on this is not centrally held. The prescribed medication typically has multiple uses, as a result information on the number of people treated for psoriatic ar…
24 Oct 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support veterans.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government places great importance on veterans and their families. We established a state-of-the-art National Prosthetics Service, committed over £5 million from 2015 for world-class specialist mental health services and provided almost £4 millio…
24 Oct 2016 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the statement from the RCN that nursing in Scotland is facing "a perfect storm".
17 Oct 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Funeral Poverty and Funeral Payment Reference Group.
14 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people with drug addictions have been supported to cease drug use completely in each year since the Road to Recovery strategy was launched in 2008.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: It is not possible to say how many people have ceased drug use completely since the publication of The Road to Recovery as this information is not held centrally. The Scottish Government is currently working closely with Information Services Division Scotland…
14 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how often methadone users are offered a review of their treatment.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Decisions on the type of Opioid Replacement Therapy (ORT), including methadone, to prescribe are for clinicians, in close discussion with their clients. The use of ORT is done in line with UK guidelines on the Clinical Management of Drug Misuse and Dependence…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address each of the areas of concern raised by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland in its paper, Young Person Monitoring Report 2015-16.
Answer · Maureen Watt: With regards to recommendation 1, for Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland (RCPysch) – the Scottish Government have already tasked the CAMHS lead Clinicians group to consider standards. RCPsych and the MWC are represented on the group. Recommendation 2…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what investment it is making in research on rare tumours, also broken down by type of tumour.
Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Government investment in cancer research is primarily through the Chief Scientist Office (CSO). CSO supports cancer research through a number of mechanisms. These are: Over £40 million annually in the NHS to meet the additional costs of hosting rese…
11 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cancer survival outcomes are for (a) children and (b) young adults, broken down by type of cancer.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on cancer survival at one and five years after diagnosis in Scotland for children, teenagers and young adults who were diagnosed with cancer between 2007 and 2011 has been placed with the Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 58278).
5 Oct 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of the medicine, Sativex, in the NHS.
Answer · Shona Robison: Sativex is currently licensed to treat patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to Multiple Sclerosis. In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) provides advice to NHS Scotland on the clinical and cost effectiveness of all new medicines. The…