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The Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board developed, monitored and supported the implementation of the Wheelchair and Seating Services Modernisation project. The project board was wound up in December 2010, following which the Wheelchair and Seating Services Delivery Group was established to oversee the final stages of implementation.

The delivery group assessed the position in relation to all of the actions set out in the Wheelchair and Seating Services Modernisation Action Plan. As at January 2012, when the Delivery Group completed its remit, one action remained outstanding relating to Information Management and Technology. It was agreed this would be a matter for NHS board chief executives to consider whether local and/or national IT solutions would be required in due course.

The delivery group produced the Wheelchair & Seating Services Improvement Framework, which was issued to NHS boards in May 2012. The Framework is designed to support local NHS boards to assess continuing improvement and delivery of wheelchair and seating services through appropriate local governance processes.

The Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board (WSSPB) oversaw the modernisation project and last met on 10 December 2010.

Wheelchair Seating Services Modernisation Project Board: Membership

The Standards and Eligibility Working Group (SEWG), a sub group of the Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board, produced clarification of clinical criteria for the provision of attendant controlled and dual controlled powered wheelchairs.

Clarification was added to eligibility criteria for Indoor/Outdoor Occupant Controlled wheelchairs (EPIOC) and Attendant Controlled Outdoor Powered wheelchairs (EPAC).

New criteria were added in 2009 for Indoor/Outdoor Dual Controlled Powered wheelchairs (EPOIC Dual).

These eligibility criteria are available from:

http://www.retis.scot.nhs.uk/groups/scotretwc.php.

A total of over £16 million was allocated to NHS boards from 2007 to 2012 to support improvements in wheelchair services. The Wheelchair and Seating Services (WSS) modernisation project allocations from 2007 to 2012 are provided in the following table

WSS Modernisation Project – Allocations to NHS Boards 2007-12

Notes:

1.Funding provided to NHS boards prior to start-up of the modernisation project

2.Funding provided to NHS boards for the modernisation project totalling £16 million

3.The modernisation project covered the three years from 2008-09 to 2010-11. As the full £16 million committed had not been spent at the end of this period, the remaining funding was allocated in
2011-12.

In addition, since the end of the project and following on from the Strategic Spending Review, NHS boards have now been allocated additional recurring baseline funding to support continuous improvement as set out in the Wheelchair and Seating Quality Improvement Framework, which was issued to NHS boards in May 2012. Allocations to each NHS board for 2012-13 are set out in the following table:

NHS Board annual allocation for wheelchair and seating services 2012-13

No, the Golden Jubilee National Hospital has only used NHS consultants to carry out spinal surgery.

This information is not held centrally.

There is no nationally or internationally agreed definition of adverse event, Healthcare Improvement Scotland has been asked to develop a national approach to the management of adverse events and this will include an agreed definition.

NHS boards are responsible for ensuring the quality, safety and effectiveness of the services they provide and as such, there are a range of mechanisms in place for the recording and management of adverse events across the NHS in Scotland.

NHS Boards are responsible for the local management of adverse events and the expectation is that all staff involved in such incidents, are made aware of any learning resulting from them.

This expectation is set out in the Scottish Government’s Staff Governance Standard, under the Managing Health at Work PIN Guideline (2003), and the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Standard that were published in 2005 by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. It is the responsibility of NHS Boards to ensure this guidance is reflected in local policy and practice.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland published the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Standards in 2005 and these can be found at: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org.

In addition there is guidance and alerts circulated via the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetyguidance/DeviceBulletins/index.htm.

It is unclear how many people might lose either wholly or in part their eligibility for benefits as a result of the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

However there is enough data to allow us to estimate what the impact of moving from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments might be for the Blue Badge Parking Scheme and the National Concessionary Travel Scheme. These are set out in my letter of 22 February 2013 to the Convener of the Welfare Reform Committee. It is available at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_Welfare_Reform_Committee/papers_05032013.pdf.

Headcount numbers of GPs working in general practice in Scotland are routinely collected and are published annually at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/GPs-and-Other-Practice-Workforce/.

The published figures currently run from 1988 to 2012 inclusive and include the geographical breakdown of headcount by NHS Board and Community Health Partnership.