Monica Lennon

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a screening programme for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government, along with the rest of the UK is advised on all aspects of screening by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) an independent expert advisory group. Using research evidence, pilot programmes and economic evaluation, it assesses …

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out regarding the financial barriers to participation in sport and physical activity.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The National Agency for Sport, sport scotland, have undertaken various pieces of research over recent years to gain a better understanding of the barriers to participating in sport and physical activity. Whilst sport scotland have not commissioned research fo…

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS board regarding increasing the provision of pulmonary rehabilitation.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Access to pulmonary rehabilitation is a key recommendation in national clinical guidelines which we expect NHS Boards to follow, that is why it will form an important part of the Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland.

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will mark lipoedema awareness month, and what action it is taking to increase the treatment and surgery options for the condition.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Lipoedema can be a distressing and painful condition and the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring everyone living with it can access the best possible care and support. We welcome any opportunity to help raise awareness of lipoedema and will continue …

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise public awareness of Lyme disease.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government takes the issue of Lyme disease very seriously and together with Health Protection Scotland (HPS), is committed to raising awareness and supporting those affected with this complex disease. The Lyme Borreliosis group, which is part of…

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve testing and treatment for Lyme disease and other tick-borne conditions.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government, through HPS is committed to working with experts to keep evidence and guidance relating to the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease under constant review to ensure patients in Scotland receive care tailored to their individual need…

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how children and young people who are (a) home-schooled and (b) experience exclusion can access the school-based free period product scheme.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Delivery of access to free sanitary products in schools has been devolved to local authorities. This approach enables local authorities to shape delivery of access to free sanitary products in line with local need, encouraging innovative approaches and we exp…

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Lanarkshire regarding the payroll changes that are being implemented by the subcontractor, ISS.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: My officials are in regular contact with NHS Lanarkshire about the dispute which has arisen between ISS UK, who sub-contract to provide facilities management services at University Hospital, Hairmyres under PFI arrangements, and their staff. I wrote to ISS U…

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with removing the stockpiled waste from the Healthcare Environmental Services site in Shotts, and how many tonnes remain, broken down by category.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: SEPA is responsible for regulation of the site and enforcement of the conditions of the operator's permit. Healthcare Environmental Services Limited entered into liquidation on 25 April 2019; BDO LLP was appointed as Liquidator and is now responsible for the …

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23426 by Clare Haughey on 11 June 2019, whether it will provide a list of the additional support being provided to Health Improvement Scotland in response to the oversight of mental health services in Tayside.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government has provided over £3.3 million since 2006 to Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) to support NHS Boards, to deliver sustained improvements. From this funding, NHS Tayside have benefitted from Improvement Advisors who undertake diagnostic…

16 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to ISD figures, which suggest that more than one-third of chronic pain patients wait more than 18 weeks for their first appointment.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Access Collaborative Programme recently published a report setting out recommendations to sustainably improve chronic pain patient pathways and outcomes that will be taken forward with NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships. Based on …

13 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23613 by Jeane Freeman on 13 June 2019, what action it will take in response to the recommendations in the RCGP Scotland report, From the Frontline, and within what timescale.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I am scheduled to meet with the RCGP in August to discuss the report’s findings in more detail.

13 Jun 2019 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S5W-22413 by Kezia Dugdale on 24 April 2019, in light of its commitment to maintain the highest standards of food safety, whether it has taken action to identify the availability and cost to it of the nitrite-free preservation/curing o…

Answer · Sandra White (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: We are currently investigating the availability and cost of nitrite-free preserved/cured products, such as bacon. We would be happy to discuss the outcome of our findings with the Member in due course.

13 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the availability and cost of nitrite-free preservation/curing of products, such as bacon, by using fruit and spice extracts, and what its position is on rolling out such an approach to (a) school and (b) hospital settings.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government is advised by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) on food safety and standards. Neither the Scottish Government nor FSS has undertaken any analysis on the availability and cost of nitrite-free preservation/curing of products, such as bacon, …

13 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where the 250 school nurses that it committed to recruit in its Programme for Government will be located, and which locations will be prioritised for these staff.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Distribution of school nurses will be determined based on Health Board need established following analysis of the scoping exercise with Boards and in consultation with Scotland’s Executive Nurse Directors. It is for Health Boards and Education Leads to deter…

13 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment in its Programme for Government to recruit 250 school nurses, whether it will confirm how many have been recruited, and how many it expects to have been recruited by the end of 2019-20.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government has undertaken a scoping exercise with Boards to determine Board’s current position and establish how many students could be available to begin the school nursing programme in the academic year 2019-20.  

11 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is provided to NHS boards on ensuring food hygiene and safety within their catering supply chains.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: All boards have a legal obligation to comply with food safety legislation. The Food Safety Act 1990 requires that any food preparation environment must prioritise hygiene and cleanliness, as well as safe storage environments for food, e.g. correct refrigerati…

11 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hospital acquired infections have been connected to food products supplied by each NHS board in each of the last five years.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Health Protection Scotland has received no Hospital Infection Incident Assessment Tool (HIIAT) submissions or reports of Healthcare Associated Infection connected to food products from any NHS Scotland board from 2014 to date. On ObSurv, the surveillance syst…

7 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its carcinogenic properties, what action it is taking to help the meat industry remove nitrites from processed meats.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Nitrates and nitrites are found naturally in the food we eat. Most come from vegetables and only around 5% come from processed food. Nitrates and nitrites are permitted food additives. Nitrates and nitrites are permitted food additives. Potassium and sodium …

7 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a public health campaign regarding nitrites in processed meats increasing the risk of cancer.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: No public health campaign is planned. I have already clarified the Scottish Government's position on nitrates and nitrites, based on the evidence, in answer to recent PQs from Ms Lennon (see S5W-22368 on 18 April 2019 and S5W-23537 on 12 May 2019). The Scott…

5 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the RCGP Scotland report, From the Frontline.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government welcomes publication of the RCPG report “From the Frontline”, notes the issues raised, will consider them in detail and will discuss with Dr Carey Lunan when we next meet.

31 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to develop data collection regarding eligibility and waiting times for social care since the publication of its paper, Eligibility Criteria and Waiting Times, in 2010.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Since the publication of the Eligbility Criteria and Waiting Times paper in 2010, the Scottish Government has worked closely with Local Authorities to improve the quality of the data collection and understand variations within their returns. Data continued to…

31 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it gathers regarding the annual waiting times for social care (a) needs assessments and (b) services following an assessment.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government conducts an annual survey of Local Authorities covering data from the first quarter of every year, the period of January to March. Prior to 2014 data was collected for every quarter, however, a decision was made to move to an annual co…

31 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in each NHS board area have been referred to the specialist SCAD team at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, in each of the last five years, broken down by gender.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This data is not held centrally.  

31 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support there is for people who experience spontaneous coronary artery dissection; what aftercare is available, and what plans it has to improve care.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The diagnosis and treatment for those affected by SCAD is provided by the relevant health boards in Scotland. The Scottish Government expects all those affected by acute coronary syndrome, which includes myocardial infarction or heart attacks to be provided w…

29 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there is a link between the nitrites in processed meat and an increased risk of developing bowel cancer.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Like its policies on other food matters, the Scottish Government’s position is informed by advice from Food Standards Scotland (FSS), which is in turn underpinned by scientific advice provided by the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and, i…

28 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of equality impact assessments (EQIAs) in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19 were published as "partial EQIAs".

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. In line with The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (Regulation 5), which requires listed public authorities to assess the impact of their policies or practices aga…

28 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the updated equality impact assessment for the national Mental Health Strategy will be published.

Answer · Clare Haughey: An Equality Impact Assessment for the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 was published on 30 March 2017. Following feedback from stakeholders we agreed to publish a refreshed Equality Impact Assessment and this will be published in the Summer.

23 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update the research in the 2018 report, Health and Homelessness in Scotland, on an annual or regular basis and, if so, when it will next do so. 

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government does not currently have any plans to update the research carried out in the 2018 Health and Homelessness in Scotland report.  

23 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS hospitals have an onsite staff (a) nursery and (b) crèche.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The requested information is not centrally held by ISD. Childcare facilities in NHS hospitals are provided by a range of providers. The Care Inspectorate maintain records of all registered care services, but it is not possible to readily establish which of t…