Seòmar agus comataidhean

The appropriate use of antimicrobials is an important clinical governance issue. The NHS board''s Antimicrobial Management Team (AMT), which is a sub-group of the board''s Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee, covers both primary and secondary care sectors. Their key role is the development, implementation and compliance monitoring of the board''s antimicrobial policy. The AMT feeds back to the board''s clinical governance and risk management teams.

Not all the data used by NHS Board Prescribing Advisers are available publicly. For example, Prescribing Advisers have access to data through the PRescribing Information SysteM for Scotland (PRISMS), a web-based prescribing information database. Prescribing information, including antibiotics, available publicly can be found at www.isdscotland.org/prescribing.

All labels on antibiotic prescriptions should have standard labelling “ Complete the Course. Pharmacists in hospital and primary care settings also counsel patients on how to take their medicine including taking at regular intervals, requirements to take before and after food and completing the course.

Good prescribing practice for any treatment should also involve discussion with the patient of potential risks and benefits as appropriate on an individual basis.

The benefit of using an antibiotic to treat an infection in a patient over 65 years must be balanced against the potential for predisposing them to Clostridium difficile. Prescribers must weigh up these risks and decide on an individual basis what is clinically appropriate.

Learning and information about prescribing antibiotics is shared with GPs at a local level through education and feedback sessions organised by the NHS boards prescribing advisers. As part of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group''s education work stream, NHS Education for Scotland is currently developing a learning resource for primary care on managing common infections, which will include appropriate use of antimicrobials. The NHS board''s antimicrobial management team is tasked with ensuring the implementation of such educational programmes.

The Scottish Government was involved in the review of the UK good practice document, BS 8300: 2009, which addresses delivery of inclusive buildings, to provide design guidance on Changing Places toilets.

The presence of this information within a well-established UK reference document will assist both in developing awareness of the need for such facilities and in the design of practical solutions.

Scottish building regulations address the provision of sanitary accommodation within new, altered, extended or converted buildings.

Standard 3.12 (sanitary facilities) of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, as amended, requires that Every building must be designed and constructed in such a way that sanitary facilities are provided for all occupants of, and visitors to, the building in a form that allows convenience of use and that there is no threat to the health and safety of occupants or visitors.

This standard and accompanying guidance was revised in May 2007 to include a range of measures to improve access to, and use of, these facilities and to ensure that all new buildings are better suited to meet the differing needs of occupants and visitors. A key issue, identified within guidance, is the need to provide accessible sanitary accommodation in any building where sanitary accommodation is required.

It should be noted that current building regulations are only applied to existing buildings where proposals are made to alter, extend or convert a building, or part of a building.

There are no proposals at present to amend the accessibility standards within Scottish building regulations.

Toilet provision is addressed under Standard 3.12 (sanitary facilities) of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. This requires that Every building must be designed and constructed in such a way that sanitary facilities are provided for all occupants of, and visitors to, the building in a form that allows convenience of use and that there is no threat to the health and safety of occupants or visitors.

This standard and accompanying guidance was revised in May 2007 to include a range of measures to improve access to, and use of, these facilities and to ensure that all new buildings are better suited to meet the differing needs of occupants and visitors. A key issue, identified within current guidance, is the need to provide accessible sanitary accommodation in any building where such accommodation is required.

Land use planning guides the future development and use of land. It is about where development should happen, where it should not and how it interacts with its surroundings. Issues relating to the internal design of buildings, including facilities such as toilets etc, are not matters that planning authorities would consider when coming to a decision on a proposed development. They are not therefore the subject of planning legislation.

Scottish building regulations address the provision of sanitary accommodation within new, altered, extended or converted buildings.

The toilet facilities in Scottish Government buildings are fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) standards that apply to existing properties. As the core Scottish Government does not have any buildings to which the public have a general right of access, the Changing Places standard is not applicable to our buildings. However, all building services within the Scottish Government are kept under review to ensure that they meet the needs of staff and visitors.

The SPCB provides a Changing Places facility which is accessible to all passholders and visitors in the Holyrood complex. In 2007, the SPCB received a national award under the Changing Places Category for Scotland for achieving this standard. It is located in the garden lobby area and visitors can be escorted from the public area if they wish to access the facility.

The parliament''s Accessible guide for disabled visitors leaflet provides full details on how to access the facility.