Parliamentary questions
Alex Cole-Hamilton
2,700 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government. to help guarantee informed consent, what steps it takes to ensure that NHS boards provide sufficienct information to patients before procedures.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Boards all have local arrangements for providing information to people in advance of planned procedures. Work to improve the provision of clear information prior to procedures has taken place in NHS Tayside as part of ‘Making It Easy’, Scotland’s Health L…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its approach is to supporting work toward finding new treatments and a cure for cystic fibrosis.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10193 on 26 July 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/parliamentarybusiness/28…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the treatment of people with cystic fibrosis is of the same uniform high standard regardless of where they live.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: NHS Boards are responsible for planning and delivering healthcare services, including specialist services, to meet the assessed needs of their resident populations, taking into account strategic frameworks and guidance, within the allocations provided
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the difference in the incidence of cystic fibrosis in Scotland compared with (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: This information is not held centrally.
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in the light of the recommendation in the review by Dr Brian Montgomery that managed access schemes should be developed as an additional option rather than a replacement for patient access schemes, what the principles are for development of new processes; what types of schemes are being…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10189 on 2 August 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/parliamentarybusiness/…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the multi-agency task force or equivalent group, as recommended by Dr Brian Montgomery, will be established to explore innovative options for managed entry of new medicines.
Answer · Shona Robison: I announced in December 2016 that we will be taking forward the recommendations from the review, which includes the establishment of a multi-agency taskforce or equivalent group to consider options for the managed entry of new medicines. We are working at pac…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on delivering recommendation 27 of the review by Dr Brian Montgomery on the establishment of a multi-agency task force or equivalent to facilitate discussions on the opportunities afforded by anticipated development in the way that new medicines will be introduc…
Answer · Shona Robison: I announced in December 2016 that we will be taking forward the recommendations from the review. We are working at pace, in collaboration with stakeholders, including the Scottish Medicines Consortium, NHS Scotland, and the pharmaceutical industry to implemen…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it will give to consulting toward the drafting of a cystic fibrosis treatment strategy for Scotland and the appointment of a national clinical lead to ensure access to uniformly high standards of care across Scotland.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: People living with cystic fibrosis can access a range of appropriate services via their local NHS Boards, Integrated Joint Boards and a national service. Specialist services for people with cystic fibrosis are delivered via the nationally designated service a…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) investment it has made and (b) actions it has taken to support work towards finding new treatments and a cure for cystic fibrosis.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of health research and its contribution to improving patient outcomes and delivering improvements to patient care. Through the Chief Scientist Office the Scottish Government invests over £60m each year into he…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase cervical screening among women from deprived areas.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are investing up to £5 million from the cancer strategy to tackle inequalities in access to screening, and work is now underway to set up an Inequalities Network to develop innovative strategies and share learning to increase uptake amongst those least lik…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the reported increase in incidences of cervical cancer.
Answer · Shona Robison: We encourage all women between the ages of 25 and 64 to take up their invitation for cervical cancer screening. It saves around 5,000 lives in the UK every year and prevents 8 out of 10 cervical cancers from developing. We are working towards increasing parti…
5 Jul 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on which commitments made in its report, Age, Home and Community: A Strategy for Housing for Scotland’s Older People: 2012 - 2021, have been achieved.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: We will include an update on the commitments in “Age, Home and Community” that have been achieved when we publish a 5 year review of the strategy later in the year. We also intend to publish a refreshed strategy in the autumn setting out our plans for the nex…
28 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the managed clinical network for perinatal mental health will help it implement recommendation 38 of the report, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, which states that it should ensure that the forthcoming mental health strategy makes …
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring equitable, coordinated access to mental health provision for families throughout pregnancy and during the postnatal period including those whose babies require a stay in neonatal care. We will continue to work …
28 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to bring the fire safety regulations for social rented housing in line with the requirements for private rented sector.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Following the devastating fire in Grenfell Tower in London, the Scottish Government established a Ministerial Working Group to oversee a review of building and fire safety regulations, with an initial focus on high rise domestic buildings. Actions agreed by …
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Royal Bank of Scotland regarding the impact of job losses recently announced by the company.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise officials have been in contact with the Royal Bank of Scotland on the subject of their recent announcement. We have been informed that RBS will do everything it can to support those affected and we will look to see …
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to tackle the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Answer · Shona Robison: Smoking is the cause of almost all chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Scotland, and the action being taken through the Scottish Government's tobacco control strategy - Creating a Tobacco-free Generation - is reducing smoking rates which will help tackle…
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce the incidence of lung disease in areas of social deprivation.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Smoking is the leading cause of lung disease in Scotland and smoking rates are highest in our most deprived communities. The action being taken through the Scottish Government's tobacco control strategy - Creating a Tobacco-free Generation - is reducing smoki…
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the incidence of respiratory tuberculosis.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scotland has a low incidence of respiratory tuberculosis (TB). A total of 315 cases of TB were reported to the Enhanced Surveillance of Mycobacterial Infections (ESMI) scheme in 2015, representing an annual incidence of 5.9 cases per 100,000 population. This …
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that mental and physical disability is treated on an equal basis when applying for a disability benefit.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: We have heard from individuals and organisations that there is too much focus on physical disability within the current system. We are committed to taking a different approach to social security in Scotland. We are designing our new social security system wit…
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that public transport employees are fully trained to assist disabled people.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: You may remember that we published Going Further - Scotland’s Accessible Travel Framework on 21 September last year, which was designed in co-production with disabled people, transport providers and government to ensure that people who work in public transpor…
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the new Scottish social security system takes account of the comments of the respondees to its consultation on this who said that the language used in the Disability Living Allowance application process is "intrusive", "negative" and "blunt".
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The core principles of dignity, respect and fairness will be at the heart of delivery of the social security system in Scotland. The Social Security (Scotland) Bill embeds these principles, including a commitment to a human-rights based approach. Over 2,000…
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help people with arthritis to stay in the workforce following their diagnosis.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: In December 2016, the Scottish Government launched A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People—Our Delivery Plan to 2021 for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which includes £3 million of funding for the active and independen…
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) incentivise companies to hire and (b) reduce discrimination experienced by people with musculoskeletal conditions.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: As part of our disability action plan published in December last year we have committed to run a disability employment media campaign. This was launched on 6th July 2017 and is specifically targeted at Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. The campaign highligh…
26 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that employers provide sufficient accommodations for people with "invisible conditions".
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, part of NHS Health Scotland, to provide information and advice on workplace health and wellbeing. The Centre, and the network of advisers in territorial NHS Boards, offer free and co…
19 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to each of the recommendations in the Hospice UK report, Hospice care and care homes in Scotland, and what action it plans or is taking to implement these.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government supports the recommendations contained in the “Hospice care and care homes in Scotland” report. This report promotes closer working relationships between Scotland’s hospices and care homes to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes fo…
19 Jun 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities on 13 June 2017 (Official Report, c. 12), whether it will provide an update on what progress it is making in fulfilling the cabinet secretary’s commitment to (a) engage with stakeholders on…
Answer · Angela Constance: We are committed to doing all that we can to prevent and eradicate hate crime and prejudice, and build community cohesion. As set out in my statement on 13 June and in our response to the Independent Advisory Group, the Scottish Government will now take forwa…
14 Jun 2017 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed policing in Edinburgh with Police Scotland.
26 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to fill any gap in funding for the New Medicines Fund caused by the reduced rebate from the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme.
Answer · Shona Robison: For 2017-18, all Scottish receipts from the 2014 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) will directly flow into the New Medicines Fund as they have done in previous years. The value of PPRS receipts for 2017-18 has not yet been confirmed.
26 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03871 by Shona Robison on 14 November 2016, how much each NHS board (a) was allocated in 2016-17 and (b) is being allocated in 2017-18.
Answer · Shona Robison: (a) 2016-17 allocations: NHS Board Allocation (£) NHS Ayrshire and Arran 3,851,800 NHS Borders 1,100,800 NHS Dumfries and Galloway 1,548,500 NHS Fife 3,514,300 NHS Forth Valley 2,847,000 NHS Grampian 5,211,100 NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde 11,86…
26 May 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03871 by Shona Robison on 14 November 2016, how much of their allocation each NHS board provided in each year to fund new medicines.
Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Boards are allocated funding for the New Medicines Fund by the Scottish Government on the basis that they are required to utilise all of the funding provided over the period 2014-15 to 2018-19 in line with the stated intentions of the Fund.