Parliamentary questions
Neil Findlay
2,296 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for people with dementia and whether there is any support specifically for people under 65 with dementia.
Answer · Alex Neil: We know that of the 86,000 people currently living with dementia in Scotland, around 3,000 are under 65. Last year, Health Scotland published Younger people with dementia: living well with your diagnosis. Developed in partnership with Alzheimer Scotland, it …
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people under 65 have been diagnosed with dementia.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally. Projected figures are approximations based on prevalence modelling only. Using the Eurocode prevalence model, there are approximately 3,000 people with dementia under 65 in Scotland, out of an approximate total of 86,0…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent recommendation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, what plans it has to vaccinate all (a) babies, (b) infants and (c) children with the Bexsero vaccine, and what steps it has already taken to implement such a programme.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is given independent advice by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the independent expert advisory group who advise the four UK countries about all aspects of immunisation. The JCVI recently recommended a carefu…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what average number of hours NHS 24 staff work per day and how many breaks they are entitled to.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS 24 staff are employed under the terms of the UK wide Agenda for Change agreement. Agenda for Change allows for all staff working more than 6 hours to be allowed an unpaid rest break during their shift, this is in line with the European Working Time Direct…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS 24 has shelved any new IT systems since 2007 and, if so, how much it had spent on their development.
Answer · Alex Neil: This is an operational matter for NHS 24, but they advise that no IT systems have been shelved.
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much NHS 24 has spent on IT systems in each year since 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: This is an operational matter for NHS 24, they have provided the following table which sets out their spend on IT systems in each financial year since 2007-08. Year Spend (£) 2007-08 10,108,643 2008-09 8,509,810 2009-10 10,959,379 2010-11 9,795,865 …
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints frontline NHS 24 staff have made against management in each year since 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: The information sought is not available for the time period requested. However, NHS 24 advises that they have recorded such complaints as formal grievances since January 2010 and the numbers are set out in the following table. Year Number 2010 3 2011 11…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints patients have made regarding NHS 24 service provision in each year since 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: National annual statistics for NHS Complaints are published by the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland. The 2012-13 statistics were published on 24 September 2013 and are available at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Qual…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much and what type of ongoing training staff at NHS 24 are expected to undertake.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS 24 advise that all frontline staff are provided with a time allocation each month, which varies depending on individual needs, to complete personal development activities including call review and continuing professional development (CPD). Part of this ti…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patient safety incidents NHS 24 has reported in each year since 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: Patient safety incidents can be generated from feedback from other parts of the healthcare system, patient feedback, complaint investigations or from staff completing adverse incident forms. NHS 24 has provided the following table which sets out the numbers o…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what average time per call NHS 24 staff spend on calls with patients.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS 24 advises that the average talk time per patient is just over thirteen minutes.
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many working hours have been lost to absence at NHS 24 in each year since 2007, broken down by reason.
Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally.
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what average number of overtime hours NHS 24 staff have worked in each year since 2007.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS 24 have provided the following table which sets out the total overtime hours worked by NHS 24 staff in each year since 2007, and the monthly average for each year: Year Total Annual Overtime Hours Monthly Average 2007 11,969 997 2008 9,923 827 2…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the NHS 24 staff complement has been in each year since 2007, broken down by profession.
Answer · Alex Neil: Information on the NHS24 staff complement for each year since 2007, broken down by profession, is available from September 2007 to December 2013, on a quarterly basis from September 2010, at whole time equivalent (WTE) and headcount level. The information is …
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what targets are set to measure the performance of NHS 24 and whether they are being met.
Answer · Alex Neil: As part of the Local Delivery Plan (LDP) process NHS 24 agree with the Scottish Government the annual performance levels they are expected to deliver. The 2013-14 LDP can be found at: http://www.nhs24.com/AboutUs/NHS24Board/Local-Delivery-Plan NHS boards ar…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has had with NHS 24 senior management since 1 March 2013.
Answer · Alex Neil: I meet with the chairs of all NHS boards on a monthly basis, this includes the chair of NHS 24, and Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with the NHS 24 senior management team about a range of matters. Specific information about ministerial m…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that organisations established to help develop its integration in health and social care programme are advised of human resources issues.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has established two working groups to support partnerships in bringing together a workforce for integration. The first, the Workforce Development Strategic Group is looking at the culture, behaviour and language of the workforce and th…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it would set up an organisation similar to the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government values the independent advice of the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Pay Review Body. We will take a view at the appropriate time as to whether to continue to access advice from the current body, or whether a Scottish specific body would best s…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it would introduce pay bargaining bodies and mechanisms for (a) health and (b) social care workers in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS pay is set with reference to the recommendations of the NHS pay review body (for Agenda for Change staff) and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body (for doctors and dentists). The Scottish Government values the advice of these UK bodies and would anticip…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) abolishing and (b) replacing the NHS pay review body.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government values the independent advice of the NHS pay review body. We will take a view at the appropriate time as to whether to continue to access advice from the current body, or whether a Scottish specific body would best serve the needs of S…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects the NHS pay review body to continue its role in pay bargaining and in setting pay.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government values the independent advice of the NHS pay review body. We will take a view at the appropriate time as to whether to continue to access advice from the current body, or whether a Scottish specific body would best serve the needs of S…
26 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) plans or (b) has had recent discussions with the UK Government about future NHS pay bargaining processes.
Answer · Alex Neil: NHS pay is set with reference to the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body (for Agenda for Change staff) and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body (for doctors and dentists). The Scottish Government values the advice of these UK bodies and would anticip…
18 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many GP practices in each NHS board have patient lists that are closed to new registrations.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20023, on 13 March 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentary…
18 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for non-emergency appointments at GP practices, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20038, on 13 March 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentary…
6 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that a second parliamentary chamber would enhance or constrain the parliamentary process in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20061 on 18 March 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…
6 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a parliamentary framework in an independent Scotland and what its position is on a bicameral parliament.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20061 on 18 March 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…
6 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for a second parliamentary chamber in an independent Scotland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: On page 572 of Scotland’s Future: your guide to an independent Scotland (available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/11/9348) the Scottish Government states: ‘The current Scottish Government proposes that, from the date of independence, the Scot…
6 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many currency options it has considered for an independent Scotland, broken down by the (a) ability of the currency to create fiscal independence and (b) cost of implementation.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20059 on 12 March 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…
6 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to a separate currency for an independent Scotland.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government position is to retain sterling within a formal monetary union with the rest of the UK. The first report of the Fiscal Commission Working Group in February 2013 set out the range of viable currency and monetary models for a country of …
6 Mar 2014 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to correct the comment by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 17 December 2013 (Official Report, c. 25823), that Health Improvement Scotland "is an independent regulator".
Answer · Alex Neil: Healthcare Improvement Scotland is independent from the NHS boards and independent healthcare services which it inspects. No action has been taken to amend the official report in respect of the comments made by me on 17 December 2013.