Parliamentary questions

Michelle Ballantyne

639 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the national performance standard target for waiting less that 12 weeks for an outpatient appointment is not being met on a regular basis, and when it expects to achieve this on a sustained basis.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-12315 on 20 November 2017. 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…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the national performance standard target for referral to treatment within 18 weeks is not being met on a regular basis, and when it expects to achieve this on a sustained basis.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are taking significant action to reduce waiting times, that is why I made an additional £50 million available to NHS Boards earlier this year. I announced on 29 August the setting up of an expert group to reduce waiting times and improve the way elective…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the national performance standard target for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) patients to be seen within 18 weeks is not being met on a regular basis, and when it expects to achieve this on a sustained basis.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Boards are continuing to reduce their waiting times below the standard, in the last quarter 13 of the 14 Boards in Scotland recorded an average waiting time within the 18 week standard with 8 of these recording an average wait of 9 weeks or lower - half the t…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Audit Scotland’s comment that the current national performance measures "do not measure quality of care across the whole healthcare system" and "do not provide comprehensive, balanced assessment of the performance of our healthcare system".

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that national performance measures across health and social care lead to the best outcomes for people being cared for, whether in hospital or in the community. The Scottish Government, with support from COSLA, …

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will implement Audit Scotland’s recommendation to slow the rate of demand for acute hospital services.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Government is working closely with health boards through the Modern Outpatient Programme to transform services. This programme aims to reduce the demand for outpatient services and deliver care closer to patients’ homes. The Scottish Access Collabora…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports hospitals in dealing with increasing demand for (a) outpatient appointments and (b) planned inpatient and day-case treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-12312 on 20 November 2017. 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…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact business rates rises in 2017-18 have had on NHS boards, and what its position is on granting rates relief to them.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Rating valuation of hospitals is undertaken by independent Assessors appointed by local government, as is the case for all non-domestic properties. They also have a right of appeal against any rateable value set by independent Assessors. NHS boards are entitl…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to NHS boards in the next five years to meet (a) increasing staff costs, (b) the apprenticeship levy and (c) the impact of the living wage.

Answer · Shona Robison: Funding allocations for the Health and Sport portfolio and for NHS Boards for future financial years is a matter for the relevant spending review. The Scottish Government will publish its draft budget for 2018-19 on 14 December 2017.

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that NHS spending on agency staff has increased by 79% in real terms over the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: As recognised by Audit Scotland, spend on agency staff in NHSScotland is relatively small at just 2.6% of the overall staffing budget, and between 2015-16 and 2016-17 total spend on agency staff fell by 3% In order to further reduce NHS Boards spend on agenc…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it works with NHS boards and integration authorities to ensure that spending on fixed costs is economical, in particular with regard to the (a) management of utility costs and (b) minimisation of spending on areas such as agency staff spending or developing new healthcare facilities.

Answer · Shona Robison: Utility Costs The Scottish Public Sector Utility contract, managed by Scottish Procurement, covers electricity, gas, water, some liquid fuels and biomass pellets. All public sector partners actively manage the purchase of energy on the wholesale market throu…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement Audit Scotland’s recommendation that it "needs to consider giving NHS boards more financial flexibility" by allowing them to manage their finances to within plus or minus 0.5% of break-even and, if so, within what timeframe.

Answer · Shona Robison: As part of the approach to finance and performance, NHS Boards prepare plans over a medium term timescale and submit this information to the Scottish Government as part of their Local Delivery Plans. The Scottish Government recognises the need to offer Board…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments from Audit Scotland that NHS boards’ approach to financial planning is "partly driven by one-year funding allocations from the Scottish Government [that] makes it difficult for boards to plan and invest in longer-term policy aims, such as developing m…

Answer · Shona Robison: As part of the approach to finance and performance, NHS Boards prepare plans over a medium term timescale and submit this information to the Scottish Government as part of their Local Delivery Plans. The Budget Process Review Group was established by the Fin…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in light of Audit Scotland describing their approach as "unsustainable", whether it will ask NHS boards to focus on recurring savings, and not non-recurring savings.

Answer · Shona Robison: As part of the existing approach to planning and identifying savings, NHS Boards focus on delivering recurring savings. To ensure that public resources are used as effectively as possible and to help meet increasing demand and deliver reform, the Scottish Go…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Audit Scotland's comments that the approach "creates risks if planned savings do not materialise", whether it will ask NHS boards to forecast savings targets and financial break-even at a later stage in the financial year.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Boards report to the Scottish Government throughout the financial year on financial performance. This includes a specific focus on progress in delivering planned savings.

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the comments by Audit Scotland that (a) a lack of long-term planning and financial flexibility are barriers to moving more care into the community and (b) there are "unsustainable" approaches by NHS boards, including using short-term accounting mea…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is working to develop a medium term financial framework, within the context of the budget settlement that the Scottish Government receives. This will outline the broad direction for the NHS and care services to meet the changing needs …

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards achieving its objective of having more information and better specialist advice available locally, and whether it considers that more investment in GP services is needed, including giving GPs an enhanced leadership role in primary and community care.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is aware of the pressures facing general practice and are fully committed to supporting a model of sustainable general practice. Today the Scottish Government has published the new GMS 2018 contract offer. It aims to re-invigorate gen…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to Audit Scotland’s comment that "it is not yet clear how [healthcare] planning at each of the different [local, regional and national] levels will work together in practice".

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is encouraging Health Boards, Integration Authorities and other partners to take a more joined-up approach to improving services and patient outcomes. As part of this, three Regional Implementation Leads (North, East and West) are work…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Audit Scotland's comment that "significant culture change for people providing care and the public" is required to achieve the 2020 Vision for transforming healthcare and the health of the population.

Answer · Shona Robison: For nearly 70 years, our health and social care service have continually evolved with our society – and they must continue to do so. The Health and Social Care Delivery Plan with the oversight of the National Programme Board presents the actions that health a…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increased housebuilding in Midlothian, what discussions it has had with the area's GPs regarding how any increase in population might impact on their workload.

Answer · Shona Robison: The new GP contract which has now been agreed between the Scottish Government and the Scottish General Practitioners' committee (SGPC) is a critical part of our plans to transform primary care services in Scotland. GPs will have the opportunity to vote on the…

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to improve GP recruitment in Midlothian.

31 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will require all NHS boards and integration authorities to routinely publish all board and committee meeting papers and minutes.

Answer · Shona Robison: As public bodies, Health Boards and Integration Authorities are required to publish a range of information, including all papers and agendas of their Board meetings. These papers are accessible online or can be requested directly from the relevant Health Boar…

24 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns regarding energy performance certificates because of the principal energy efficiency ratings are based on running costs.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Under Directive 2010/31/EU on the Energy Performance of Buildings, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are required on the construction, sale or rental of most buildings, and also must be displayed in larger public buildings. An EPC for a dwelling provide…

24 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the Regulation of Energy Efficiency in Private Sector Homes (REEPS) will not disproportionately disadvantage rural homeowners.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of all types of buildings across Scotland as part of the long term Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) and, within the programme, will consult with homeowners on improving the e…

24 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the cost of building houses in rural areas compared with urban areas.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The cost of building new houses is largely dependent on local factors such as land price, site conditions, infrastructure, building materials, size of the development etc. The Scottish Government recognises there are some significant differences in the housi…

23 Oct 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that Childline has recorded a record number of young people expressing suicidal thoughts in the last year.

5 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to mitigate the disruption on the Borders Railway arising from maintenance and improvement works, and what further disruption is expected.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Transport Scotland meets regularly with ScotRail and Network Rail on proposed engineering works to ensure disruption to customers is kept to a minimum. Planned renewals, maintenance and project works are all a vital part of improving and sustaining the rail …

5 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle bullying in schools, and what guidance it issues to teachers who witness incidents.

Answer · John Swinney: Bullying of any kind is entirely unacceptable and must be addressed swiftly and effectively whenever it arises in schools. That’s why it is crucial for all schools and local authorities to have anti-bullying policies in place. respectme, Scotland’s anti-bull…

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it issues to health centres regarding increasing the uptake of winter flu vaccinations and the timing of carrying out the programme.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The seasonal and child flu vaccination programmes start on 1 October each year. In the months prior to this, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) letters, for both the seasonal and child flu vaccination programmes, are issued to all GP Practices setting out the arrang…

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the uptake of winter flu vaccinations.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-11520 on 13 October 2017. 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/parliamentarybusine…

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported 50% rise in cases in Australia, what contingencies it is planning to deal with a possible Influenza A epidemic.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Local health and social care systems are in the process of finalising their winter plans. On 5 October, an additional £5 million was announced to support winter planning and enhance resilience across the services.