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Discharge arrangements aremonitored by NHS boards in conjunction with their local authority partners.

The National Overview identified the availability of such services, which are a key element in allowing people to return home when they are ready for discharge, as an issue for NHS boards to consider. NHS boards should aim to achieve thestandards of care set by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Any significantshortfall should be identified through local clinical audit and governancearrangements. Where necessary NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will carry outfollow up visits. Any major issues can be addressed through the annualaccountability review process.

Participation in the ScottishHip Fracture Audit is on a hospital basis and full coverage in all board areasis expected from 1 April 2004.

The Executive has not set atarget in respect of the time it should take to conduct an assessment of acarers’ support needs. I refer the member to the answer given to questionS2W-6151 on 17 March 2004 which sets out the Executive’s position on monitoringcarers’ assessments.

All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Community Care andHealth (Scotland) Act 2002 places a duty on local authorities to notify carerswho appear to them to be eligible to have an assessment of their support needsas a carer, that they may be entitled to have such an assessment. The act alsoprovides powers to require health boards to draw up NHS Carer InformationStrategies that will set out how NHS staff will similarly inform carers oftheir right to an assessment. Executive guidance to the NHS on the format andcontent of NHS Carer Information Strategies will be available later this year.Authorities and boards must be able to demonstrate compliance with any legislativeduties placed on them. The Executive is committed to monitoring the impact ofits Carers Strategy, including the new legislative measures to support carers. From2004-05 the Executive will be collecting data from local authorities on thenumbers of carers’ assessments being carried out. Other performance indicatorsand outcome measures will be developed in due course. These are expected tolook at the time intervals between an assessment being requested, theassessment being carried out and the provision of services.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6151 on 17 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliamentwebsite, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6151 on 17 March 2004 All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the parliament website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6151 on 17 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliamentwebsite, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

We recognise the problems atlocal level which are identified and highlighted in the report. To addressthese issues we will consider therecommendations on management information carefully and discuss with NHS boardshow improvements can be made. Thestrategic planning of medical equipment requirements is one of a number ofcomponents integral to the planning of sustainable clinical services. Arequirement for NHS boards to identify capital investment on medical equipmentas part of the financial information to support local health plans is beingintroduced from 1 April 2004 and as a follow up to the Audit Scotland reportall NHS boards will be asked to respond to the recommendations made and detailwhat action they propose to take to comply with the recommendations.

In December 2002, weinformed drugs services that the Lord Advocate had set  new limits on thenumber of needles and syringes which could be issued to clients attendingneedle exchanges. The limits were increased to a maximum of 20 sets on firstvisit, and a maximum of 60 sets on subsequent visits, subject to return of usedsets for safe disposal.

It is for local services topurchase and distribute this equipment, based on local priorities and demand. Allocationsof injecting equipment to individual clients will depend on the needs andcircumstances in each case. The answer given to question S2W-6704 on 16 March 2004describes the resources made available from the Executive which can be used tosupport local needle exchange facilities.

All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.