Parliamentary questions

Monica Lennon

3,484 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

23 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it gathers regarding the use of health services by people experiencing homelessness.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government does not collect data regarding the use of health services by people experiencing homelessness.

23 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Mental Health on 22 May 2019 (Official Report, c. 43), how the Quality and Safety Board for Mental Health will inform and be informed by the work of the (a) Mental Health Delivery Board, (b) Suicide Prevention Leadership Group and (c) Childre…

Answer · Clare Haughey: I announced a Quality and Safety Board which will consider the arrangements for quality planning, improvement and assurance and be informed by the work of the Independent Inquiry. Membership and terms of reference for this Board have yet to be agreed.

23 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Mental Health on 22 May 2019 (Official Report, c. 43), what targets and timescales it has set NHS Tayside to improve the quality and safety of its mental health services.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government is clear that everyone should feel safe whilst receiving treatment or working in our mental health services. We are investing significantly into mental health and expect services to be delivered to the highest standard. The Scottish G…

15 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the claim by the Chief Nursing Officer at the 2019 Future of Mental Health Nursing Conference that school nurse numbers have grown, how many school nurses there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by the (a) whole-time equivalent and (b) headcount figure.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The number of school nurses employed by NHSScotland over the last four years by Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) and headcount is shown in Table 1. As pre-2015 data is not comparable with recent ISD data, this information is not provided for 2014. NHSScotland wor…

7 May 2019 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will agree to a public inquiry into issues relating to the collection of clinical waste and its impact on the NHS.

30 Apr 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Lanarkshire Council and the integrated joint board regarding residential care homes.

26 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns raised by the British Dental Association, (a) how many anaesthetists there are and (b) what the theatre capacity is for children's teeth extraction under general anaesthetic in each NHS board.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Staff carrying out this procedure are likely to be categorised within one of the three groups below, for which WTE numbers of staff in post across NHS Scotland are given:Anaesthetics Consultants: 765.8 WTE as at December 2018.Oral Surgery: 108.1 WTE as at Dec…

26 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns raised by the British Dental Association, what the current waiting time is for children in Glasgow from referral to treatment for teeth extractions under general anaesthetic.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information is not centrally available. The national waiting times data mart does hold patient data at specialty level that shows how long patients waited for their appointment and how long patients who are still waiting for their appointment have waite…

26 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish a women’s health task force.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling gender inequality in all areas of Scottish life and has continued to invest in women’s health including work on decreasing stillbirth rates, neonatal care and the establishment of endometriosis centres. The Fi…

12 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its guidance on health assessments for looked after children, published in May 2014, whether data on looked after children’s health is being collected and collated and, if so, who is undertaking this, and what analysis has been undertaken of the data at a national level in r…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not collect data at a national level specifically in relation to looked after children's mental health and wellbeing. The Guidance on Health Assessments for Looked After Children and Young People in Scotland, published in May 201…

12 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training (a) looked after children's nurses, (b) school nurses, (c) paediatricians and (d) health visitors receive on the impact of trauma on children and young people.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is committed to developing an adversity and trauma-informed workforce across Scotland. To support this, we are investing £1.35 million over three years to create a national training programme, to support over 5000 frontline workers acr…

12 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information is collected in health assessments for looked after children on the needs of children and young people in relation to mental health and wellbeing.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Guidance on Health Assessments for Looked After Children and Young People in Scotland, published in May 2014, details the minimum standardised elements which regional NHS Boards should record as part of the healthcare pathway for a looked after child. It …

9 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of Candida auris there have been in each year since it was discovered in 2009.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Health Protection Scotland are not aware of any reported cases of Candida Auris in Scotland.

9 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring it undertakes of new and rare fungal and antibiotic resistant infections.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government commission Health Protection Scotland (HPS) to horizon scan for emerging threats associated with new and unusual fungal infections as well as antimicrobial resistance. They collect accurate and timely data, which underpins all of their…

9 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has with governments in the rest of the UK regarding the control and prevention of healthcare associated infections.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The advisory committee on Antimicrobial Prescribing, Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (APRHAI) meets quarterly to share information and progress; providing practical and scientific advice to the UK Government on minimising the risk of healthcare…

8 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional training requirements there will be for the midwifery staff who will implement the new models of maternity and neonatal care outlined in the Best Start plan.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As part of the programme of implementation for The Best Start, the Scottish Government has established a Workforce and Education Group to consider a suite of recommendations relating to the training requirements to support the new models of care recommended i…

8 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much will be required after 2021 to support the implementation of the new models of maternity and neonatal care outlined in the Best Start plan.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government recognises that funding will be required to support the transformation of maternity and neonatal services beyond 2019-2020. Discussions with stakeholders to understand their requirements to continue to deliver the models of care propos…

8 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will set up the (a) maternity and (b) single neonatal managed clinical network that was recommended in the Best Start plan, and who the members of this will be.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Ministers approved the establishment of the single Scottish Neonatal network managed by NHS National Services Scotland in October 2018 and the network will be operational from 29 April. The process to establish the single Scottish maternity network is current…

8 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional equipment and financial support or reimbursement is needed for midwives transitioning from acute to community settings under the implementation of the Best Start plan.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS staff, maternity and neonatal service users, the NHS, the Royal College of Midwives, the National Childbirth Trust and Bliss, along with others, were instrumental in shaping the five-year plan for maternity and neonatal care. It was as a result of their e…

8 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has committed to the implementation of the new models of maternity and neonatal care that were outlined in the Best Start plan.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is investing £12m in the Best Start over the first two years of implementation (2018-19 and 2019-20).

3 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which schools in each local authority area have offered students an opportunity to carry out a foundation apprenticeship in civil engineering in each of the last three years, and what the take-up rate was in each school.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Since the Foundation Apprenticeship Programme started in 2016, 227 pupils have started the Civil Engineering Foundation Apprenticeship framework. Skills Development Scotland does not report which schools offered the Civil Engineering framework but rather how…

2 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a so-called sunshine act in order to create a searchable record of all payments to NHS staff from industry and commerce.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has no current plans to introduce a sunshine act. Following the Scottish Parliament’s closure of Petition PE01493 in March 2016, the Scottish Government scoped out a range of options to consider what appropriate actions may be possibl…

2 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce placental growth factor (PLGF) testing for pre-eclampsia.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Scottish Government has noted with interest the recent trial looking at whether testing for levels of placenta growth factor (PlGF) reduces the risk of women developing severe pre-eclampsia and we will consider its place in the care of pregnant women in Scotl…

1 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of disabled people under 65 it expects to receive support under Frank's Law, and what its response is to the claim by the group, Scotland Against the Care Tax (SACT), that only 66% of people in this category will see any benefit from it.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Around 10,000 people under the age of 65 received personal care prior to April 2019. Around a third already received personal care free due to their incomes falling below the thresholds at which local authorities begin to charge. Now everyone under 65 who nee…