Monica Lennon

25 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice has been given to local authorities regarding the use of biodegradable/reusable period products in schools.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Guiding Principles that underpin delivery in education settings state that institutions should consider how best to make reusable products available. In partnership with Zero Waste Scotland and Marine Scotland, the Scottish Government will run a campaign…

25 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service works with the University of Glasgow’s forensic toxicology service when responding to drug deaths.

25 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the recently announced £4.8 million for cancer diagnostic services will be allocated toward (a) tackling immediate waiting times concerns and (b) measures to address long-standing workforce vacancies.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As part of the Waiting Times Improvement Plan the recently announced £4.8 million has been made available to Health Boards to specifically tackle immediate diagnostic waiting times concerns. This will ensure that those most urgent patients, including those wi…

24 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the independent review of the costs for the new Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre will be completed, and by what date the findings will be published.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-24882 on 17 September 2019. 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…

24 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects the new Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre to open in 2021 as scheduled.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-24882 on 17 September 2019. 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…

19 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23820 by Joe FitzPatrick on 17 July 2019, what the outcome was of its discussions with NHS Tayside regarding the number of referrals received for tumescent liposuction surgery for the treatment of lipoedema.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Following discussions with the Scottish Government, NHS Tayside is discussing the development of a proposal to establish a designated national specialist service for the treatment of lipoedema/lymphoedema in Scotland. These conversations are at an early stage…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the terms of reference for the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board will be published, and whether they will reference the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce delivery plan published in December 2018.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board are currently considering a final version of its Terms of Reference. This document along with minutes from Programme Board meetings will be published on www.gov.scot in October 2019…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board plans to engage with previous members of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board’s membership includes representation from previous members of Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce. This provides continuity between the policy development phase carrie…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role the workstreams of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce will have in supporting the work of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Following the resignation of the Chair due to ill health, the work of the Taskforce and its work streams was concluded with the publication of final recommendations on 4 July 2019. The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board h…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board will complete the work of the four workstreams of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce, as set out in the delivery plan published in December 2018.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Programme Board has been established to implement the recommendations of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce, as published in July 2019. The Programme Board will build on the work of the T…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board has spent on external consultant (a) locums and (b) agency staff in each of the last five years, also broken down by how much was spent to cover their travel and accommodation expenses.  

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government, and would require to be requested from NHS Boards. ISD Scotland publishes summary detail on medical agency expenditure. This is available from 2013-14 onward from the following location: htt…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21422 by Jeane Freeman on 4 March 2019, what minimum number of radiologists will be required to meet patient need in the next (a) five and (b) 10 years.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Boards are responsible for ensuring the right numbers of staff are in place across all services, including radiology, and that these numbers are consistent with local and regional needs. In response to acute shortages of radiologists worldwide, we have i…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is given to clinicians regarding the appropriateness of hysterectomies as a treatment option for secondary dysmenorrhoea.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The treatment of secondary dysmenorrhoea is determined by whatever the underlying condition is. Specific guidance exists for some of these conditions and a hysterectomy may be indicated as a treatment option for some. Current guidance from the Royal College o…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what activity has been carried out by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) to review access to hysterectomies for women of a child-bearing age.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) has not carried out activity to review access to hysterectomies for women of a child-bearing age. This is because reviewing access to a service is not within the remit of SIGN. SIGN develops guidelines fo…

12 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances adult patients under the Realistic Medicine approach can be refused treatments that they have requested on the basis of their age.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Realistic Medicine is not about restricting access to treatment. It is about ensuring that people are actively involved in decisions about their care. By using the scientific evidence alongside clinical judgement and people’s preferences and values, healthca…

11 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its respiratory care improvement plan will be presented to a patient forum following its publication.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Our expectation remains to publish the Respiratory Care Action Plan in late 2019 for public consultation which will be open to all. It will be available on the Scottish Government's consultation hub at: https://consult.gov.scot/ . Officials are already wor…

9 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24624 by Jeane Freeman on 7 August 2019, on what date it expects Scottish clinicians to visit Dr Veronikis in the US.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The member to the answer to question S5W-25227 on  18 September 2019. 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/2887…

9 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24624 by Jeane Freeman on 7 August 2019, by what date it expects NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to grant an employment contract to Dr Veronikis in order to facilitate his visit to Scotland.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As indicated in answer to S5W-24624, a contract will be offered on the basis that the merit of any visit is clearly proven and, in this context, it is important that professional diligence is discharged and demonstrated to everyone's satisfaction. In part, th…

9 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24624 by Jeane Freeman on 7 August 2019, what communications it has had with the GMC regarding Dr Veronikis' temporary registration.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scottish Government officials sought the GMC's advice on the requirements it would need Dr Veronikis to fulfil prior to a visit taking place. This advice was shared with Dr Veronikis and it is understood that he has made good progress towards meeting those re…

9 Sep 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reported concerns for patient and staff safety at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

5 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the ongoing industrial dispute between NHS Tayside and pharmacy support workers.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting the parties to jointly agree an appropriate resolution; I wrote to Unite on 21 August, in advance of the commencement of industrial action to confirm this, and to request that all parties to this dispute…

5 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many locum consultant psychiatrists there are, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) specialty.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: This information is not centrally available. The number of Consultants specialising in Psychiatry by NHS Board to the most recent published data as at 30 June 2019 is available on the ISD website in the medical trend table available here: https://www.isdsco…

5 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many mental health officer vacancies there are, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Maree Todd: The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Social Services Council publish annual official statistics on the Mental Health Officer workforce, which include an estimate of the overall shortfall of Mental Health Officers capacity across Scot…

5 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many consultant psychiatrist vacancies there are, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) speciality.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Information on consultant psychiatrist vacancies, broken down by NHS Board and specialty, can be found on the ISD Scotland workforce statistics site at: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2019-09-03/Medical-and-Dental.asp (Cons…

5 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many psychiatrists there are in training.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: There are currently 282 psychiatry trainee doctors in NHSScotland. These are set out in the following table by speciality. Programme Name Number of Trainees Core Psychiatry 152  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 23 Forensic Psychiatry 16 General Psychi…

4 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total spend has been by the Scottish Access Collaborative in each year since 2017 on work to improve waiting times, also broken down by the spend of each speciality group.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The total investment in the Scottish Access Collaborative (SAC) since 2017 is approximately £4.3 million. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport launched the Collaborative in November 2017 to support the setting up of the infrastructure to progress this w…

4 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the freedom of the media.

26 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a death in the United States has been caused by a severe respiratory disease linked to the use of e-cigarettes.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: You will appreciate that the Scottish Government cannot comment on the individual case that occurred in the United States of America no matter the cause of death. In Scotland we have taken the strictest regulatory approach in Europe to e-cigarettes. The Scot…

26 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment in the NHS Health Scotland paper, Consensus statement on e-cigarettes, that "there is still a lot we do not know about e-cigarettes. They are not risk free...we need to carry out research to understand these risks", how many vaping-related lung conditions have be…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: ISD hold data on admissions to Scottish hospitals, with information on diagnosis coded using the WHO ICD10 system. However, there is no specific ICD10 code for exposure to an e-cigarette or vapouriser.

23 Aug 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24077 by Jeane Freeman on 18 July 2019, how the funding allocated to improve chronic pain services will be used to improve waiting times and patient access to specialist chronic pain clinics.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Waiting Times Improvement funding has been allocated to each Health Board based on an assessment of demand where pressures are impacting on patient access to treatment and care. We are making over £100 million available in 2019/20 across all health boards to…