Seòmar agus comataidhean

Scottish Enterprise isaccountable to ministers for pursing the strategic direction set out in A Smart,Successful Scotland. In designing activities to promote economic growth,the needs of its customers including those in the business community must be reflected.

Scottish Enterprise’s primary focus must be on supporting economic growth. It would not normally be expected that Scottish Enterprise would support local authorities in their delivery of public services but they may choose to do so where there is a primary economic rationale for the investment. It is for Scottish Enterprise to determine whether such a contribution would help further the priorities set out in the Executive’s strategic document A Smart, Successful Scotland.

Strategic direction is provided to Scottish Enterprise in the Executive document A Smart, Successful Scotland. This includes Scottish Enterprise’s role in promoting regeneration as a means of tackling industrial decline, dereliction and limited economic activity. Delivery will include activities in former coalfield areas across Scotland.

Scottish Enterprise is currently considering how it is structured. When proposals are brought to the Scottish Executive I would expect Scottish Enterprise to have fully considered the advantages and disadvantages of its proposals, the level of business support for what is proposed and the positive impact on economic growth in different parts of Scotland.

Meetings have been held and regular dialogue maintained to discuss the Ayrshire economy generally and on taking forward specific regeneration projects.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21053, answered on 12 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, which is a part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, has published a good practice clinical guideline on the Management of Osteoporosis which includes advice for clinicians on the use of DEXA scanning in the diagnosis of the condition. The choice, purchase and replacement of medical equipment such as DEXA scanners is a matter for boards working with manufacturers of equipment, but the Executive has provided additional funding of £125 million over three years to help boards obtain more new and replacement medical equipment. Because these are matters for NHS boards, the Executive has not issued specific guidance to the NHS about the replacement of DEXA scanners nor has it considered specifically the effectiveness of mobile scanners – although we understand a number of boards use them.

The planning and provision of local NHS services is a matter for individual NHS boards, providing they are in line with national guidance and frameworks. The National Framework for Service Change concluded that there needs to be a shift towards preventative medicine and I have made it clear in Delivering for Health that I want to see NHS boards expanding the range of preventative services in the community to free capacity in the acute sector. The outcome of the Coatbridge pilot is currently being evaluated by NHS Lanarkshire. There are indications that investment in this service has the potential to reduce demand on orthopaedic and other acute hospital services and would therefore represent a better use of available resources. The outcome and wider implementation of the pilot will be considered by NHS Lanarkshire early next year.

The Scottish Executive believesthat any proposals for change should have broad support from the business andwider community. I have indicated that I expect Scottish Enterprise to involveParliament in developing its current proposals and I understand a meeting hasbeen arranged with the Enterprise and Culture Committee.

This report of an audit of current osteoporosis services, which was funded by QIS, represents the views of its authors. Its recommendations will be a useful tool for NHS boards in the planning and delivery of osteoporosis services in Scotland.