- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 14 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive when a nationwide concessionary fares scheme will be operational, as referred to in paragraph 19 of its consultation paper Scotland's Transport - Proposals for a New Approach to Transport in Scotland.
Answer
As outlined in
APartnership for a Better Scotland, the Executive is committed to extendingconcessionary fares schemes on public transport, including a national freeoff-peak bus scheme for older people and people with disabilities; andprogressively introducing a scheme of national bus, rail and ferryconcessionary travel for young people, initially for all in full-time educationor training.
Work is taking place toprogress these commitments, including discussions with key stakeholders. Thiswill be followed by a formal consultation process and substantial research andimplementation work. We will be in a position to make a decision on the precisetiming of the introduction of the schemes once the formal consultation processhas been completed.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to implement a national framework for pain management services as recommended by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Scotland in its annual report 2002-03, Outside in.
Answer
There are no plans tointroduce a national services framework for chronic pain. The Executive has,however, commissioned an independent review of chronic pain services, thereport of which is expected to be received by the end of the year.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 12 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance issued to local authorities on the direction of choice in regard to discharge from hospitals to care homes is being reviewed; if so, what form the consultation process is taking; who is being consulted; what views have been expressed, and whether any representations have raised issues relating to the implementation of the guidance in rural areas.
Answer
A widevariety of statutory and non statutory bodies were consulted about reviseddraft Guidance on Choice of Accommodation in November 2002. In response, a rangeof comments have been received and some of these have expressed concern aboutchoice and the availability of suitable care in rural areas.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 11 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is with regard to any delay to the contractual completion date of August 2004 of the East Lothian public private partnership schools project.
Answer
Details of the contract arematters for East Lothian Council and the consortium with whom it has contracted.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the proposals for workforce planning in the NHS for psychology services, when the code of practice in respect of the assessment, treatment and risk assessment of mentally disordered offenders as a result of changes being introduced by the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 will be available and whether the code will refer explicitly to the work of clinical psychologists.
Answer
We plan to issue a finalversion of the code of practice in good time to allow it to be used for implementationpurposes, including training. Assuming an implementation date of April 2005 (onwhich we are consulting at present), we envisage a final version by autumn2004. In advance of that we are working closely with health and social workprofessionals and others, and will consult on a final version of the code.
The code will make clearreference to the input of clinical psychologists in the act’s implementation, andin particular in relation to the assessment, treatment and risk assessment ofmentally disordered offenders.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to workforce planning in the NHS for psychology services, what steps will be taken to expand access to psychology services in the clinical priority areas of cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke.
Answer
The Chief Medical Officer’sJune 2003 report,
Recent Psychological Research of Significance to theDelivery of Healthcare in Scotland, (which is available in the Parliament’sReference Centre, Bib. number. 29821) promotes the extension of psychologicalinterventions to all areas of health and social care and will inform localworkforce planning and approaches in this important area of care.
Cancer managed clinicalnetworks are set up across Scotland involving clinicians from among the relevantdisciplines to secure access to the best care possible including psychologyservices. NHS Education Scotland (NES) has in place a novel funding scheme toexpand trainee numbers through matched salary funding for every new clinicalpsychology trainee supported by NHSScotland. One Regional Cancer Network hastaken up this NES funding scheme.
The Coronary Heart Disease(CHD) and Stroke Strategy for Scotland, published in October 2002, provides the framework forthe future organisation and delivery of services. Managed Clinical Networks forcardiac services and stroke are being developed in each NHS board area, as thedrivers of service change. These networks must include the full range of healthprofessionals who are involved in providing these services. Psychology servicesshould therefore be included wherever appropriate. NHS Quality ImprovementScotland standards for CHD and stroke also emphasise the importance of patientsbeing treated by multi-disciplinary teams.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 11 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive which parties have underwritten any losses occurring through the default of any of the partners in the East Lothian public private partnership schools project consortium “Innovate East Lothian”.
Answer
This is entirely a matterfor the consortium.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 11 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #43 million East Lothian public private partnership schools contract has been paid to Ballast plc.
Answer
The normal procedure is fora council to make payments to the consortium with whom it has contracted.Payments made to parties or sub-contractors are matters for the consortium.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 11 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any party will incur compensation costs arising from any delay to the East Lothian public private partnership schools project.
Answer
Details of the contract,including any penalty provisions associated with delays in delivery, arematters for East Lothian Council and the consortium with whom it hascontracted.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 11 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for the East Lothian public private partnership schools project of Ballast plc being placed into administration and what the implications would be should the company go into receivership or liquidation.
Answer
In this public private partnershipproject, the private sector consortium has contracted to provide a service tostandards set out in the contract. If circumstances relating to one of theparties or sub-contractors change, it remains a matter for the consortium as awhole to determine how best to meet its contractual obligations.
