Alex Cole-Hamilton

4 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase public awareness of hearing loss.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the services, support and care available to people with hearing loss through its long term strategy ‘See Hear’. Awareness raising and training were identified as one of the recommendations in the strategy. The…

4 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address child dental health inequality, in light of the results in the National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP) 2016.

Answer · Shona Robison: The NDIP 2016 Report shows a reduction in oral health inequalities in primary 1 children across a range of inequality measures. The Scottish Government is committed to continuing to tackle oral health inequalities in children. This is why in the recently pu…

4 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to review and evaluate the impact of health and social care integration on people using care services.

Answer · Shona Robison: Each of the Health and Social Care Partnerships will publish an annual Performance Report for 2016-17 by the end of July 2017. These reports will set out an assessment of performance in relation to the National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes, which focus on th…

4 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of people's legal right to challenge decisions about their care if they deem the quality unacceptable.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Care Inspectorate, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, operates a formal complaints procedure for anyone who is unhappy about a registered care service. This procedure explains people's right to receipt of high quality services and what steps they can take i…

2 Nov 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) midwives and (b) health visitors have had training in perinatal mental health, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: Data on the training of midwives and health visitors in NHS Scotland is not collated or held centrally.

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact a local authority housing allowance rate cap will have on people at risk of requiring supported accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: No assessment has been made on the impact of local housing allowance changes to groups of recipients in supported accommodation. The Scottish Government made clear it was concerned about the potential impact, and welcomed the announcement that funding for sup…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received any indication from the UK Government of how much funding it will receive for costs above the level of the local authority housing allowance rate cap, and how this will be calculated.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The UK Government has not begun discussions with the Scottish Government on the calculation of funding which will be devolved. We expect the UK Government to provide overall funding sufficient to fund supported accommodation at current levels, and we will wor…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the growth in demand for supported accommodation and, if no assessment has been made, whether it will consider doing so and in what timescale.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: No assessment has been made by the Scottish Government on the likely growth in demand for supported accommodation. The UK Government has undertaken a substantial body of research on the provision of supported accommodation across Great Britain which we unders…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent to which recipients of local housing allowance residing in supported accommodation may be worse off (a) in total, and (b) on average should the planned cap be introduced and, if no assessment has been made, whether it will consider doing so and i…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: No assessment has been made on the impact of local housing allowance changes to groups of recipients in supported accommodation. The UK Government has undertaken a substantial body of research on the provision of supported accommodation across Great Britain w…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the planned cap on local housing allowance for supported accommodation would (a) deter investment in this area prior to its implementation, and (b) reduce the supply thereafter, and, if no assessment has been made, whether it will consider doing so …

Answer · Kevin Stewart: No assessment has been made on the impact of local housing allowance changes to investment. The Scottish Government made clear it was concerned about the potential impact, and welcomed the announcement that funding for supported accommodation would be maintai…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with housing providers regarding the planned cap on local housing allowance for supported accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government meets with housing providers and other stakeholders with an interest in supported accommodation through the temporary accommodation and supported accommodation sub group, which has met since 2013. This group has discussed the plans to …

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what planning it has undertaken in anticipation of the introduction of the planned cap on local housing allowance for supported accommodation in 2019.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We expect the UK Government to publish research on the provision of supported accommodation and a consultation paper with more detail on their proposed approach shortly, it would be premature to make any plans without this information. The Scottish Governmen…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 50,000 affordable homes that it plans to build during the current parliamentary session will be supported accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Local Authority Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs) are produced every two years by local authorities. These are the key documents which identify the strategic housing projects to assist the achievement of the 50,000 target. SHIPs will be directly info…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many supported accommodation places (a) were (i) available and (ii) taken up in each of the last five years and (b) it anticipates being (A) available and (B) taken up in each of the next 10 years, broken down by accommodation type.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Scottish Government does not currently collect data on people in supported accommodation, however Scottish Government are currently in the process of implementing a data collection which will provide…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average rent is for people receiving local housing allowance and what the average shortfall in rent is when compared to local housing allowance, broken down by accommodation type.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Department for Work and Pensions are responsible for collecting and publishing data on housing benefit and local housing allowance (LHA). LHA rates are published at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/privaterent/tenants/Local-Housing-All…

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people reside in supported accommodation and would be affected by the planned cap on local housing allowance for supported accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government does not currently collect data on people in supported accommodation, however Scottish Government are currently in the process of implementing a data collection which will provide some data on this. As rents in supported accommodation …

31 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent to which rents for support accommodation may be higher than when compared with other accommodation types and, if no assessment has been made, whether it will consider doing so and in what timescale.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Rents in supported accommodation generally exceed rents in other accommodation types, due to high management and other associated costs. No assessment has been made on the extent to which rents in supported accommodation may be higher compared to rents for o…

24 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the tweet by Mark McDonald on 15 October 2016 regarding the support that had been received for motion S5M-01537, whether this indicates that ministers have agreed to take the action referred to in the motion regarding allowing men who have sex with men to donate blood.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Men who have sex with men (MSM) can currently donate blood under certain circumstances. Men who last had oral or anal sex with another man more than 12 months ago are able to give blood if they meet the other blood donor selection criteria. The UK Advisory C…

12 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a substantive answer to question S5W-02033, which received a holding response on 15 September 2016.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02033 on 11 November 2016. 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…

11 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to amend the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There are no current plans to review the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011, but a review of the code of conduct for registered property factors established under the Act is currently underway. The current code sets out minimum standards of practice which a…

11 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether private landlords carrying out repairs and improvements to their properties themselves without appointing or registering as a factor are breaking the law.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There is no legal obligation for a private landlord to appoint a property factor to carry out repairs and improvements to their property. There is no legal obligation on a private landlord to register as a property factor unless they fall under the meaning o…

7 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide secure/locked provision for mental health patients aged 18 and under.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Intensive Psychiatric Care Units (IPCU) can offer locked facilities. Work has previously been carried out on behalf of NHS Directors of Planning and the conclusion was that CAMHS IPCU capacity should be developed at regional level. We expect the NHS Health B…

6 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance there is on the level of training required by nursing staff working with people with dementia.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Promoting Excellence dementia skills and knowledge framework for health and social care staff provides baseline, enhanced and expert training for nursing and other staff working with people with dementia and covers education, pre-registration training and…

6 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance there is on providing best care for people with dementia in residential care.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Standards of Care for Dementia in Scotland provide guidance on standards expected when provding care in all dementia care settings, including residential care. The Care Inspectorate will carry out 150 dementia-focused inspections in care home for older p…

6 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance there is regarding the number of safety mats required in residential care accommodation.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: There is no specific guidance on the number of safety mats required in residential care accommodation. A safety mat should be provided where an individual has been assessed and a requirement for one has been identified. The Care Inspectorate expect people's n…

6 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role falls assessments will play in tailoring care for older patients.

Answer · Shona Robison: Falls assessments already play an important role in tailoring care for older people, across a range of settings. Work is ongoing in both hospitals and the community to ensure people at risk of falls have the opportunity for individualised treatment, support a…

6 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the average level of Independent Living Fund Scotland (ILFS) support for people in supported accommodation compares with ILFS support for people living at home, and what action it is taking to close any difference.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: This information is not held centrally. In general, Independent Living Fund (ILF) Scotland does not support people in supported accommodation as it is tasked with supporting disabled people in an independent living setting. There are some limited exceptions…

5 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has received from the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme rebate each year since 2013-14, and how much it expects to receive in each of the remaining years of the scheme.

Answer · Shona Robison: We have received a share of UK PPRS receipts amounting to £8.5 million (2013-14), £49.8 million (2014-15) and £80.6 million (2015-16). Receipts include amounts relating to the 2009 and 2014 PPRS agreements and historic cash payments. Final income for 2016-17 …

5 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been supported by the (a) New Medicines Fund and (b) Rare Conditions Medicines Fund in each year since 2012-13, also broken down by the (i) average and (ii) largest contribution toward the cost of treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: The New Medicines Fund provides financial support to NHS boards for End of Life, Orphan and Ultra Orphan medicines which can be accessed by patients in a number of ways such as by Individual Patient Treatment Requests, Peer Approved Clinical System or appropr…

5 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the future of the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Government Officials meet with officials from the Department of Health and the other Devolved Administrations on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues including the operation of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme. The last meeting…