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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S4W-04437

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in 2011 to prevent outbreaks of norovirus.

On 7 October 2011, the Scottish Government wrote to all NHS boards in connection with “Preparing for Winter 2010-11”. The purpose of the letter was to ensure that NHS boards were fully prepared for winter in order to minimise any potential disruption to NHS services, patients and carers. Norovirus preparedness was a key element of this. In addition, two winter planning seminars and a “lessons learned” session were held, highlighting best practice from previous years’ winter preparedness, including the handling of norovirus.

In addition, the Health Protection document Norovirus Outbreak Preparedness, Control Measures & Practical Considerations for Optimal Patient Safety and Service Continuation in Hospitals was revised and reissued on 30 September 2011 and provides a wide range of guidance to help prevent outbreaks of norovirus.

http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/infection-control/toolkits/norovirus-control-measures-2011-09.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-04439

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures that patient care is not compromised while hospital wards are closed as a result of outbreaks of norovirus in NHS Lanarkshire.

NHS Lanarkshire are responsible for the provision of high quality, safe and sustainable local healthcare provision in line with national policy and guidelines.

The health board has confirmed that it ensures each local hospital site has an annual Norovirus Preparedness Plan which includes a range of actions to be taken starting in September of each year with frontline staff (both day and night shift) bed managers and senior management. These actions include a range of educational sessions and infection control nurse attendance at daily bed meetings, which are also attended by bed managers, senior nurses and the senior charge nurse/team leader or deputy from each ward.

NHS Lanarkshire have confirmed this process ensures that any patients and/or staff considered to be suspected of having Norovirus are identified early with optimum patient placement and staff exclusion being considered to minimise risks of cross infection to others. Senior charge nurses/team leaders also are responsible for the daily completion of a Norovirus aide memoire which is a nationally developed tool to ensure that precautions are adhered to within affected areas.

NHS Lanarkshire has also developed a Norovirus escalation plan, based on a national model, for use when Norovirus is considered to be spreading within a hospital setting. The board has produced a patient and visitor Norovirus information leaflet which is available in all wards to raise awareness if the prevention and control of infection and visiting to areas is restricted. In addition, staff working in affected wards are not permitted to work in non-affected areas to further minimise the spread.

All NHS boards, including NHS Lanarkshire, also maintain regular contact with Health Protection Scotland to ensure that all measures aimed at containing the spread of infection have been taken.

Question reference: S4W-04441

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent consideration it has given to the use of new technologies for the prevention of healthcare associated infections.

The Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) National Advisory Group was established in May 2011 and meets quarterly. As part of its remit, it has a role in advising the Scottish Government on the use of new technologies for the prevention of healthcare associated infections. In addition, the HAI Commodities Advisory Group, hosted by NHS National Procurement, meets three times a year to consider whether any new technologies should be adopted at a national level. In the past year neither group has submitted a formal recommendation to the HAI National Policy Group for any new technology which should be adopted.

Furthermore, the Hospital Outbreak Advisory Group (HOAG) advises the National Advisory Group on all matters related to hospital outbreaks. Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has a role in continuously reviewing the literature on new publications on the application of novel technologies and novel approaches to reduce the likelihood and impact of norovirus outbreaks in hospitals.

Question reference: S4W-04434

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for reporting outbreaks of norovirus.

Question reference: S4O-00509

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to prevent hospital-acquired infections.

Question reference: S4O-00283

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote culture, heritage and the arts in Coatbridge and Chryston.

Question reference: S4W-03163

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-00297 by Keith Brown on 9 June 2011, when the consultation of stakeholders regarding the new contract for rail passenger services will begin and whether it will include the trade unions.

Question reference: S4O-00252

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that there are sufficient staffing levels at Monklands Hospital.

Question reference: S4W-02207

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 12 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that every household in a community affected by a local plan should be consulted as part of the local plan examination process.

The purpose of such examinations is to examine issues raised in representations on the planning authority’s proposed plan. The proposed plan itself will have been subject to public consultation, and the public will have had the opportunity to make representations for consideration at the examination at this earlier stage.

Some reporters have considered it appropriate to carry out further consultation or notification of neighbours and community councils, particularly where they are considering the suitability of identifying additional land for development which has not previously been the subject of consultation. In these circumstances it is unlikely that notification of every household in a community (as opposed to just neighbours) will be necessary, but it may be possible to gauge wider community opinion through, for instance, asking the community council for their views.

Question reference: S4W-02208

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 12 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances it considers that every household in a community affected by a local plan should be consulted as part of the local plan examination process.