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It is for NHS boards to develop and deliver healthcare services to meet the needs of their local population.

However, we continue to advocate a managed clinical network (MCN) approach to the development of chronic pain services and see the existing Network in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as setting an example for other boards to follow.

The Chronic Pain Steering Group has been working to establish a quality improvement infrastructure to support chronic pain service improvements in NHS boards, including work to establish a chronic pain service improvement group or MCN in each NHS board.

We would therefore be pleased to receive applications for two year funding from any board wishing to develop an MCN approach to chronic pain services, including setting up local service improvement groups.

A scoping exercise of pain management services in Scotland has been carried out by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and our lead clinician on chronic pain, which has gathered information on the resources available in each NHS board.

Analysis and verification of the findings is under way and a report is expected to be completed by the end of March 2012.

The information requested is not held centrally.

This information is not held centrally.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04931 on 23 January 2012 respectively. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33017 on 23 April 2010. 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.

Patients referred to chronic pain clinics are covered by the 18 weeks referral to treatment target. The 18 weeks target which came into effect on 31 December 2011 is that 90% of patients should be seen and treated within 18 weeks from referral.

Latest published figures for September 2011 showed that 89.8% of patients were seen and treated within 18 weeks from initial referral. Performance against the target for 31 December 2011 is due to be published on 28 February 2012.

NHS boards have advised my officials that they have completed their review of patient records and this has confirmed that no PIP silicone breast implants have been used by NHSScotland.

The following table sets out the number of people, by NHS Board, who were referred to pain management centres outside of Scotland between 15 September 2010 and 9 January 2012. In all cases people were referred to the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust, in Bath.

Referrals to pain management centres outside Scotland

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Ambulance Service has provided the following table setting out rostered resources based at Clydebank Ambulance Station.

Notes:

*PRU = Paramedic Response Unit

*The day, night and back shifts will cover a variety of shift patterns.

The Scottish Ambulance Service have confirmed that the accident and emergency ambulances operating from Clydebank Ambulance Station are rostered to be double-crewed by a paramedic and a technician, and that the PRU is rostered to be crewed by a paramedic.

In relation to rostered resources based at Vale of Leven Ambulance Station, I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02448 on 21 September 2011. 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.