- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive how long it took in 2011-12 for medicines that had been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium to be (a) approved by each area drug and therapeutic committee and (b) added to the appropriate clinical care pathway.
Answer
The information requested is not available centrally.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive what training is given to managers in the NHS regarding concerns raised by staff.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on training given to managers in the NHS regarding concerns raised by staff.
However, NHS boards are required, under the NHSScotland Staff Governance Standard, to have local policies in place which are compliant with the Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHSScotland PIN Policy. While the format and content will be for boards to determine locally, the PIN sets out a requirement for boards to ensure that managers are appropriately trained to fulfil those responsibilities under the local policy, including making staff for whom they are responsible aware of the policy and responding appropriately where concerns are raised with them.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS staff annual appraisal process asks employees to report whether they have raised concerns.
Answer
There are a number of different personal development planning and review (PDP & R)/appraisal processes which apply to NHSScotland employees depending on staff group. They operate as part of a continual process of planning, monitoring, assessment and support to help staff develop their capabilities and potential to fulfil their job role and purpose. While such discussions may offer an opportunity for an employee to raise concerns, there is no requirement as part of such discussions to ask employees about whether in fact they have raised concerns.
As stated in the Implementing and Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHSScotland PIN Policy, many concerns will be raised openly with line managers as part of normal day-to-day practice, and indeed the PIN encourages a culture conducive to this being the case.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual caseload is for community midwives in NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Lothian.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally. However, we expect NHS boards to plan services to suit the needs of their local population and ensure that care is person centred, safe and effective.
We are aware there is a need to have midwives in the right place at the right time. We are giving health boards the tools to identify how many midwives they need, and where, for their local needs. We expect all boards to determine their workforce requirements and ensure they consider their future midwifery workforce needs, by taking account of birth trends and women’s changing needs and expectations.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive how many induction programmes for NHS staff cover (a) patient safety training and (b) how to raise concerns.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of induction programmes for NHS staff which cover (a) patient safety training and (b) how to raise concerns.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS plans to revise the QFracture algorithm.
Answer
The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is now revising its guideline on the management of osteoporosis. This review will include risk estimation tools for osteoporosis and key questions that will be asked include:
which diagnostic measurements or tools are effective in identifying increased risk of fracture, and
which diagnostic methods or tools best predict response to pharmacological treatment.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is also due to provide further guidance on assessing the risk of fragility fracture in osteoporosis later this month. While this guidance will not have formal status in Scotland we nevertheless expect this will help guide clinical decision making.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2012
To ask the First Minister what impact industrial action by doctors could have on operations, diagnostic tests and outpatient appointments.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2012
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS boards are required to report on how many deaths there have been of patients on the delayed discharge database.
Answer
NHS boards are not required to centrally report how many deaths there have been of patients on the delayed discharge database. However, I wrote to board chairs on 10 February 2011 to ask that medical directors review any future cases where a patient has been deemed medically fit for discharge but subsequently dies before that discharge can take place.
The recording of any such deaths, and related reviews of the circumstances, are a matter for individual NHS boards. We recently rolled out a new data system which means this information should be readily available to NHS boards.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 13 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how and (b) when the change fund for justice will be allocated.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s aim is to use the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund to help secure a significant improvement in the way services targeted at reducing reoffending are funded, commissioned and sustained. The government has been working with a stakeholder group, including COSLA and ADSW, to consider how the change fund could most effectively be used to support the desired shift to a more preventative and sustainable way of funding services to reduce reoffending. Plans for deploying the change fund will be announced before the summer recess.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2012
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 June 2012
To ask the Scottish Executive what inquiries it has made to those NHS boards where there is a variation in retrospective changes to New Ways waiting times coding of social availability as shown in the appendix to the PricewaterhouseCoopers report, Review of aspects of Waiting Times Management at NHS Lothian.
Answer
As part of the Health Directorate’s normal discussion with NHS boards around their delivery and reporting of waiting times, the issue of any significant retrospective changes to data has been raised.
In relation to retrospective changes made in the latest published statistics in May 2012, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde made a number of changes to the 31 December 2011 figures. These were due to records being updated following the holiday period in December and the roll out of the TrakCare patient information systems across the board.