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This exercise is being pursuedin a variety of ways best suited to local requirements. Published Local Health Plansfor 2003-04 and Cancer in Scotland Monitoring Reports indicate that manyNHS boards have completed palliative care needs assessments. In some areas thisexercise has been overtaken by the development of palliative care strategies arisingfrom the establishment of palliative care networks.

Asylum seekers who come to Scotland throughNational Asylum Support Services are entitled to the same health care system asthe indigenous population. The Scottish Refugee Integration Forum Action Plan waslaunched last year and provided information and recommendations for the health service.This was supported by a national conference held in February, which shared goodpractice and identified the challenges ahead.

The majority of asylum seekersin Scotland are based in Glasgow. Greater Glasgow NHS Board and Primary Care NHS Trustprovide GP registration to all asylum seekers dispersed from London withintwo working days of their arrival. There are currently 35 GP practices and associatedstaff providing this service throughout the city.

A multi-disciplinary asylum supportteam has been established which provides information to all GPs in Glasgow, andtraining for frontline staff and other health professionals is available throughGreater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust’s Multicultural Team.

Glasgow Interpreting and TranslatingServices provides services for patients, families, health professionals and communitygroups. Health professionals are encouraged to use these services for patient consultations.

The National Resource Centrefor Ethnic Minority Health is currently developing a resource pack for all NHS staffand a website will soon exist for access to up-to-date information.

The Scottish Executive has worked with the National Asylum Support Services and the National ResourceCentre for Ethnic Minority Health to ensure that information on NHS procedures arepart of the induction process for asylum seekers. A variety of health informationleaflets are available and posters in 18 languages exist in all GP and dental surgeriesexplaining how to make an appointment and outlining what to expect.

Under the Immigration and AsylumAct 1999, the National Asylum and Support Service, which is part of the Home Office,has responsibility for the accommodation and support of asylum seekers. The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the provision of housing for asylumseekers.

GPs are advised by local dieticiansand specialists regarding specialist diets, including weight reducing diets. Theyalso have access to information from agencies such as the Food Standards Agency,medical literature and National Guidelines.

Information has been providedby the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in relation to consultant staffing levels.At the beginning of September 2003, there were seven full-time and no part-timeNHS consultants employed by the Golden Jubilee National Hospital.

The hospital provides accessrights to over 300 consultants, of which 90 undertake regular sessions. In addition,there are 19 consultants who work, as and when required, to provide a service forthe hospital.

Information and Statistics DivisionScotland update the medical and dental staffing data through an annual census andthe latest centrally held data is correct as at 30 September 2002. The next update,reflecting the position at 30 September 2003, will be published in February 2004.

The Scottish Social ServicesCouncil is responsible for the regulation and promotion of education andtraining of the social services workforce. The council will establish registersof key groups of staff and set qualifications criteria as part of theeligibility criteria for entry to the register.

The council is currentlyinvolved in a consultation exercise which will inform the final decisions toset the qualifications criteria for workers in adult residential services. Indeveloping the proposed qualifications framework for workers in adultresidential services, the council will take account of the diverse nature ofwork in this sector.

The council is also leading,on behalf of the UK, a review of the occupational standards for care,which includes occupational standards for the care of older people. The workshould be complete by March 2004.

The Scottish Executive is also establishing an Education, Training and Development WorkingGroup as part of a National Workforce Group. This group will devise a trainingand development strategy covering all the social care workforce.

The Golden Jubilee NationalHospital is helping to reduce NHS waiting times across Scotland,particularly for patients experiencing the longest waits.

The Executive has set clearnational waiting times guarantees and targets which apply to all NHS boardareas. All boards are committed to achieving the nine-month maximum waitguarantee for in-patient and day case treatment by the end of December thisyear. It is for the boards to take whatever actions are necessary, includingrecruitment and retention of staff and arranging for patients to be treated atthe Golden Jubilee National Hospital, to ensure that the guarantee is delivered.

Detailed arrangements forthe restructuring of the post office network are operational matters for RoyalMail which is answerable to its regulator and the UK Government on all aspectsof these reserved matters. The Scottish Executive ensures that account is takenof the circumstances in Scotland, has introduced a scheme to assist redevelopment ofpost offices in deprived urban areas and will maintain contact with the UKGovernment and Royal Mail to identify any further options for action.

The Golden Jubilee NationalHospital is an NHS Scotland Special Health Board. Its senior management team isresponsible for reviewing the services provided and staffing levels.

The Scottish Executive is committed to increasing the number of consultants in the NHS by 600by 2006 and continuing to build on that increase thereafter.

This information is not heldcentrally.