Seòmar agus comataidhean

There are, at present, two established international classification systems for mental disorders - ICD.1O and DSM-IV which have specific criteria laid down which have to fulfilled to enable a diagnosis to be made.

Sometimes a diagnosis may change e.g. an individual may appear to have a psychotic condition such as schizophrenia, due to drug taking, which then disappears after treatment and drug withdrawal.

Also throughout a lifetime an individual''s diagnosis may change as different symptoms emerge.

If an individual has concerns that they have been misdiagnosed then there are a range of options open to them, including that: they may ask for a second opinion; they may apply to the tribunal for revocation of the order; or they may contact the Mental Welfare Commission to look into their complaint.

Announced inspections will commence on 29 September 2009. The full programme for the first year of operation has been notified to NHS boards. A programme of unannounced inspections is also being rolled out.

It is always a matter of regret if any patient experiences a serious adverse event associated with medication. The risks associated with medicines must be considered against the potential benefits of the treatment and antipsychotics are extremely effective medicines for the treatment of serious conditions including schizophrenia, agitation, anxiety, mania and aggression. The decision to treat a patient with an antipsychotic drug is primarily based on clinical judgement taking into account the patient''s condition as well as the risks and benefits of treatment.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the expert independent scientific advisory group the Commission for Human Medicines continuously monitor the safety of all medicines available on the UK market. The MHRA ensures that all medicines are supplied with product information which accurately reflects current knowledge and contains the necessary information to aid the safe use of medicine. This includes information about risk minimisation measures for important risks and, where appropriate, also as advice about how patients should be monitored and under what circumstances consideration should be given to stopping the medicine.

More generally, it is important to note that the occurrence of an adverse event may not necessarily mean that it was caused by the medicine. Many factors have to be taken into account in assessing causal relationships, including the possible contribution of concomitant medication and the patient''s underlying condition.

Volume 2, Chapter 7 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 Code of Practice provides guidance on the processes involved in preparing an application for a compulsory treatment order. This includes guidance on the involvement of the Mental Health Tribunal which determines the application and on the individuals who will be allowed to give evidence at a hearing.

The Mental Health Tribunal has a wide discretion in terms of its powers to allow a patient''s solicitor to examine the responsible medical officer and the mental health officer''s evidence. The tribunal also has wide powers of its own to inquire into the evidence available. Scottish ministers would expect that a patient''s legal representative would have the opportunity to examine the evidence before the tribunal and that the tribunal would otherwise probe the evidence itself.

This information is not held centrally. However, the Scottish Government has been informed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that while greater patient and attendance numbers were expected than attended the previous service, no specific numbers were identified.

Anticipated attendances at any new service are difficult to gauge. Attendances at new clinics increase as the service becomes known with further publicity and as more people become aware of service.

The most recent data available from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde show that 477 patients attended the West Dunbartonshire Sexual Health Hub from May 2009 to August 2009. In comparison, 375 patients attended the Dumbarton Health Centre Family Planning Clinic during the same time period the previous year.

The Scottish Government does not hold exact details of the level of income for all households that contain a 16 to 19-year-old in school or further education. As such it isn''t possible to calculate a precise figure for the number of young people who would no longer qualify for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in 2009-10.

However, based on an analysis of recipients of EMA in academic year 2007-08, it is estimated that around 3,700 young people will not qualify for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) due to the removal of the £10 and £20 payments. All young people who previously applied and received a £10 or £20 payment prior to their removal will continue to receive them. The changes only affect young people who are applying and qualifying for an EMA for the first time in 2009-10. This estimate is based on analysis of recipients of EMA in academic year 2007-08. It does not account for any potential reduction in incomes of recipients due to the economic slowdown.

The resources saved from the removal of the £10 and £20 payments are being switched to support 16 to 19-year-olds in need of support through 16+ learning choices.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26922 on 14 September 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.

The Scottish Government has been informed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that there are currently no plans to review the opening hours of the West Dunbartonshire Sexual Health Hub at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

This information is not held centrally and is not currently available from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. I will, however, write to the member with this information as soon as the information becomes available.

The Sandyford Initiative, including the Sandyford Hubs, routinely monitor attendance, including the age and postcode of patients, using the national sexual health patient management system (NaSH).

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde introduced an additional monitoring questionnaire for users of the new Dunbartonshire Sexual Health Hub at the Vale of Leven Hospital in June 2009. This questionnaire was in place until August 2009 and also monitored age and postcode of the patients. The information collected by this questionnaire is currently being analysed and will be published by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in due course.