- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 22 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10772 by Alex Neil on 12 November 2012, whether it monitors the surplus asset registers for each NHS board.
Answer
NHS boards manage their surplus assets, within the terms of the NHS Scotland property transactions handbook.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 22 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has that free prescriptions are making people healthier.
Answer
The phasing out of prescription charges benefits all individuals in Scotland, but in particular those who are the most vulnerable. Those with low incomes and those with long-term conditions will clearly benefit most each and every time they have their prescribed medicines dispensed. Enabling access to necessary prescribed medicines is an essential component in ensuring patients’ compliance with the management of their health without reference to their income. Patients no longer face making choices between which medicines to take based on affordability.
The Scottish Government is clear that the extension of free prescriptions to all removed the inequalities embedded in the previous charges regime caused by the existence of an income threshold and approved list of conditions.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 22 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure transparency of NHS board budgets following the Audit Scotland report, NHS financial performance 2011/12.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance not only of transparency, but also of consistency of reporting and will provide guidance to NHS boards to further improve the consistency of board reporting in this area.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 22 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether any NHS board has reported an underlying recurring deficit for 2012-13.
Answer
For the fiscal period 2011-12, nine NHS boards reported an underlying recurring deficit. For the same period, the combined underlying recurring deficit for NHS Scotland was £31.29million. For 2012-13 the number of boards reporting an underlying recurring deficit has reduced to seven; with the current combined forecast for NHS Scotland reduced to £16.68million.
The following table details the recurring surplus/deficit reported by NHS boards to Audit Scotland for 2011-12 (actual position) and projected for 2012-13. This information is contained within the Audit Scotland NHS financial performance 2011-12 report. For 2011-12 boards reported a combined underlying recurring deficit of £31.29million. The projection for 2012-13 previously reported to Audit Scotland is for the combined underlying recurring deficit to reduce to £15.04million.
The latest combined information reported by NHS boards to the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates (SGHSCD) from the financial returns covering the period to 30 September 2012 is a forecast for 2012-13 of a recurring deficit of £16.68million (c0.17%).
NHS Fife has an agreed financial plan to achieve recurring financial balance by the end of 2013-14. In the context of an £11.6 billion health budget this is not considered to be a high risk area particularly when the forecast for 2012-13 is that the recurring deficit will substantially reduce from the previous year.
| NHS Board | | Audit Scotland | SGHSCD to 30 September 2012 | | Actual Underlying Recurring surplus/(deficit) 2011-12 | Projected Underlying Recurring surplus/(deficit) 2012-13 | Forecast Underlying Recurring surplus/(deficit) 2012-13 | |
| | £m | £m | £m |
| NHS Ayrshire & Arran | 0.60 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| NHS Borders | (0.19) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| NHS Dumfries & Galloway | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| NHS Fife | (4.02) | (7.37) | (7.37) |
| NHS Forth Valley | (11.24) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| NHS Grampian | 2.62 | (0.07) | 0.00 |
| NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| NHS Highland | (8.83) | (5.87) | (5.87) |
| NHS Lanarkshire | 0.07 | 0.25 | 0.25 |
| NHS Lothian | (7.00) | 0.00 | (2.41) |
| NHS Orkney | (1.19) | 0.03 | 0.00 |
| NHS Shetland | (1.56) | (1.38) | (1.03) |
| NHS Tayside | (2.80) | (3.10) | (3.00) |
| NHS Western Isles | (0.50) | (0.40) | (0.31) |
| | | | |
| Territorial Boards | (34.04) | (17.91) | (19.74) |
| | | | |
| NHS National Services Scotland | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Scottish Ambulance Service | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| NHS Education for Scotland | 1.50 | 2.70 | 2.77 |
| NHS 24 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| NHS National Waiting Times Centre Board | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| The State Hospital | 0.25 | (0.25) | (0.13) |
| NHS Health Scotland | 0.61 | 0.42 | 0.42 |
| Healthcare Improvement Scotland | 0.13 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Mental Welfare Commission | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| | | | |
| Special Boards | 2.75 | 2.87 | 3.06 |
| | | | |
| NHS Scotland | (31.29) | (15.04) | (16.68) |
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will respond to the recommendations in the Scottish Diabetes Think Tank report, Diabetes in Scotland: A Transition to Better Care.
Answer
Many of the areas highlighted within the Diabetes in Scotland: A Transition to Better Care report are being addressed through the implementation of our Diabetes Action Plan (2010).
We will ask the Scottish Diabetes Group, which is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Diabetes Action Plan, to consider the findings of the report at their next meeting on the 29 November 2012.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 21 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had discussions with the UK Government in relation to the activities of Jimmy Savile in Scotland.
Answer
Responsibility for assessing and investigating allegations of criminal activity in Scotland rests with the relevant police force. The Scottish Government maintains close liaison with the police, local authorities, child protection committees, health boards and voluntary organisations about child protection issues in general, and is monitoring the situation in relation to reports about Jimmy Savile’s activities in Scotland. It has not had discussions with the UK Government on this issue.
If anyone has evidence of, or has, suffered criminal activity or sexual abuse, they should contact the police so that an investigation can be made. Anyone who is looking for support should visit www.survivorscotland.org.uk which gives details of a range of support services which can help.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Alex Neil on 21 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have involved Jimmy Savile in fundraising or promotional activity and whether this is now subject to an investigation by the police.
Answer
NHS Dumfries and Galloway has confirmed that Jimmy Savile attended a public fund raising event in 1977. Whilst the responsibility for assessing and investigating allegations of criminal activity in Scotland rests with the relevant police force, NHS Dumfries and Galloway are unaware of any investigation by police.
No other territorial NHS boards within Scotland have involved Jimmy Savile in fundraising or promotional activity. However NHS Lanarkshire has confirmed that Jimmy Savile performed the opening of the renal unit and garden area at Monklands Hospital in August 2000.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of variations across (a) clinical care teams, (b) hospitals and (c) NHS boards in the provision of care for people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Answer
As the member will be aware the report entitled Health Care Needs Assessment of Services for Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis (HCNA) was conducted by the Scottish Public Health Network (SPHN) at the Scottish Government’s request, to provide an update to a previous report published in 2002 by the Public Health Institute for Scotland (PHIS). The report outlines Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) service provisions across Scotland and takes account of recent advances in understanding, treatment and care of people living with RA.
The purpose of the HCNA was to identify gaps in service provision, highlight priority areas for change and make recommendations that aim to assist NHS boards to plan and develop services for people living with RA.
The role of the Scottish Government is to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS boards in order that they can deliver services that meet the needs of their local population. It is for NHS boards to plan and provide services in line with the health needs of their resident populations. NHS boards will need to consider how they will take the recommendations in the HCNA forward.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding the implementation of the recommendations in the Scottish Public Health Network's report, Health Care Needs Assessment of Services for Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Answer
The Scottish Government circulated the Health Care Needs Assessment to NHS boards to afford them the opportunity to consider and comment on its content and recommendations. Once views have been gathered we consider any actions that may be required to support boards to take forward the recommendations.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 November 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of NHS boards’ ability to meet the recommendations in the Scottish Public Health Network's report, Health Care Needs Assessment of Services for Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11016 on 21 November 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
