Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28882 on 19 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

In relation to future single outcome agreements, it is a matter for each community planning partnership to derive its local outcomes from a profile of the social, economic and environmental conditions of the area.

Moreover, the Carers Strategy for Scotland, to be published in the first half of 2010, is being developed in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

There are no planned changes to the current arrangements. NHS boards will continue to plan on the basis of ensuring appropriate lay representation at every level.

In addition to the concordat funding, as part of the overall local government settlement, the Scottish Government allocated an additional £1.37 million in 2009-10 and a further £2.82 million in 2010-11 to enable local authorities to deliver an extra 10,000 respite weeks by March 2011.

Within the Scottish budget, a total of £9 million has been allocated to NHS boards and to the Scottish Ambulance Service over a three year period from 2008-09 to 2010-11. The breakdown of funding is £1 million in 2008-09, £3 million in 2009-10 and £5 million in 2010-11.

The funding is for the provision of information and training to help carers develop the knowledge and skills that they need to continue caring effectively, while looking after their own health. Boards must have regard to minimum standards set out in guidance. Reports from health boards on progress in 2008-09 are being considered with a view to holding a good practice/learning event in early 2010.

We have encouraged health boards to post their original Carer Information Strategy plans, as approved, on their websites.

Under the terms of the concordat, the additional 10,000 respite weeks are to be provided Scotland-wide, with no specific allocation of weeks to each local authority.

For the purposes of the concordat commitment in relation to the additional 10,000 respite weeks, the Scottish Government, COSLA and ADSW agreed that local authorities would use the Audit Scotland definition of respite. This covers overnight respite in a care home, other overnight respite not in a care home, day centre respite and other daytime respite, by categories of children 0-17 with disabilities, adults aged 18 to 64 and older people aged 65+.

The Guidance on Short Breaks (Respite) issued jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA provides a broad definition of short breaks (respite) including befriending schemes where volunteers provide short breaks.

The Scottish Health Council is committed to developing and improving its volunteer and public participation structures and, following the independent review of its organisational functions and structure, is now in the process of reviewing these elements. The review, which is being led by the chairman of the Scottish Health Council, involves a wide range of stakeholders and individuals, including local advisory council members and will enable the Scottish Health Council to develop a new strategy for public involvement within the restructured organisation.

Whilst it is a matter for individual NHS boards whether patients can be referred to other NHS boards for infertility treatment, Infertility Network Scotland are working directly with NHS boards to ensure that that the voices of patients are heard at a local level in the planning of infertility services in Scotland.

This is a matter for individual NHS boards.

This information is not collected or held centrally. di