Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12543 on 27 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Pricing of branded medicines is currently a reserved matter and proposals for Value Based Pricing are being taken forward by the UK Government’s Department of Health. The Scottish Government is supportive of the principle of value based pricing and is continuing to work with the Department of Health on its Development.

UK wide negotiations on value based pricing are on-going at present and all parties concerned are working towards agreeing and implementing the new arrangements early in 2014.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12543 on 27 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

No meetings have taken place between the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and Chairs or the Chief Executives of NHS boards, for the specific purpose of discussing the impact of the proposed welfare reforms.

Directors of Public Health from Scottish Health boards have identified that reform of the welfare benefits system may have an effect on health outcomes and they have commissioned the Scottish Public Health Network (ScotPHN) to review the evidence of impact on health and identify mitigating actions. ScotPHN has published interim guidance which can be accessed through their website (www.scotphn.net).

Individual NHS boards may have conducted their own, smaller-scale, staff survey since the last NHSScotland Staff Survey in 2010 but we do not hold this information. The 2010 NHSScotland Staff Survey provides information on the level of reported incidences of bullying and harassment broken down by individual NHS board. This information can be found at the following link:

http://www.staffgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/monitoring-employee-experience/staff-survey/.

It is for individual NHS boards to decide what, if any, action to take in response to the findings from the staff survey. We would expect any such actions to be recorded in boards’ staff governance action plans.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12543 on 27 February 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Guide to Commissioners, published by the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance in 2010 to assist local authorities and NHS boards in the scoping of needs and procurement of advocacy services, is currently being reviewed. In addition following the national consultation exercise in 2012 which sought views on how to improve advocacy for children and young people more detailed guidance focussing on children’s advocacy is proposed. This will address some of the key issues which were highlighted through the consultation as being unique to children’s advocacy, including issues around consent, information sharing and the identification and management of conflicts of interest.

Guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services by public bodies in Scotland was published jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA in September 2010.

In each year since 2005-06, £13 million has been included in the overall funding for local authorities and £5 million has been included in NHSScotland funding to help in the implementation and delivery of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. This includes funding for the provision of advocacy services.

From 2010-11 additional annual recurring funding of £500,000 has also been provided for advocacy services.

This information is not held centrally. Each local authority will collect information relating to their specific circumstances.