- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the provision of acute pain services in light of the report by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death, An Age Old Problem: A review of the care received by elderly patients undergoing surgery.
Answer
Although it operates UK-wide the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death reports do not normally cover Scotland as such work is undertaken by the Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality. This report covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, we will consider any relevant learning for NHSScotland.
The provision of acute pain services by the NHS in Scotland has been the subject of reviews by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, against the clinical standards for anaesthesia. The most recent of these was published in September 2010 and found that the delivery of acute pain services had improved from the previous review in 2005, albeit with scope for further improvement.
NHS boards are expected to have due regard to these findings in order to improve the quality of the service they provide. This reflects the ambitions in the Healthcare Quality Strategy for NHSScotland of safe, effective and person-centred care for every patient.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies for (a) consultants and (b) middle grade staff there were in NHS Lanarkshire in each of the last 12 quarters in (i) all specialties and (ii) accident and emergency departments, broken down by hospital.
Answer
Information on staff within NHSScotland is held by Information Services Division (ISD) which collects a variety of information on staff in post across all NHS staff groups, including vacancy information. This data is published online by ISD as at 30 September each year.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 19 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has undertaken of the recent decision in the Netherlands to require undergrounding of all new high electromagnetic field power lines proposed within 300 metres of habitations, in light of the number of habitations within 300 metres of the proposed Beauly to Denny power line route.
Answer
The Scottish Government maintains an interest in any relevant policy development in Europe and beyond. We have read the recent decision in the Netherlands with interest and note the reasons for this Exchange Principle as offering the opportunity to reduce the potential environmental impact in urban areas, reduce the impact on nature and improve the landscape. The development of Scotland''s electricity infrastructure is a matter for Scottish ministers.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 December 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18514 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 December 2008, how many prescriptions for antibiotics were issued in 2008-09.
Answer
The number of prescribed items for antibiotics for the year ended 31 March 2009 was 4,434,236. This relates to items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors but does not include medicines dispensed in hospitals or hospital-based clinics.
This information has been provided by NHS National Services Scotland. Further information on antibiotic prescribing can be found at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/6125.html.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendations of the Scottish Sleep Forum report on obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome that was published in September 2010.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38376 on 17 January 2011. 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 Health Directorates are currently discussing implementation of the report with the respiratory Managed Clinical Networks National Advisory Group.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the impact of obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38376 on 17 January 2011 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 Sleep Forum''s report on obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome gives a very clear account of the consequences the condition can have on people''s daily functioning and quality of life.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 January 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service has amended its Child Protection Code of Practice, as recommended by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, to take into account the circumstance whereby children are left in its care when the responsible adult has been taken ill.
Answer
As recommended by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is currently amending its Child Protection Code of Practice. The service has advised me that it anticipates this work being completed before the end of February 2011, thereafter the revised code will be conveyed to staff with the support of the SAS Learning and Development Team and Medical Directorate.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that NHS staff are within their rights, having exhausted internal procedures, to go to their MSPs and councillors with concerns regarding (a) their treatment as employees and (b) services.
Answer
The Voicing Concerns Partnership Information Network (PIN) Guideline, which contains a model whistleblowing policy, includes provision for workers to make disclosures more widely (for example to the police, the media, MSPs, consumers and non-prescribed regulators), having exhausted internal procedures.
This PIN guideline is currently under review. As part of this process, the review group will consider and include the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 which gives workers automatic protection for raising a matter internally and the right to make disclosures to prescribed regulators, as well as to make disclosures more widely, in certain circumstances as prescribed within the act. The revised PIN will be published in April 2011.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that NHS staff are within their rights, having exhausted internal procedures, to go to their representatives on the staff partnership forum with concerns regarding (a) their treatment as employees and (b) services.
Answer
NHS staff are within their rights at any stage to raise concerns regarding either their treatment as employees, or regarding services, with partnership representatives.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2011
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 January 2011
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can confirm that NHS staff are within their rights, having exhausted internal procedures, to discuss with patient organisations any concerns regarding services.
Answer
The Voicing Concerns Partnership Information Network (PIN) Guideline, which contains a model whistleblowing policy, includes provision for workers to make disclosures more widely (for example to the police, the media, MSPs, consumers and non-prescribed regulators), having exhausted internal procedures.
This PIN guideline is currently under review. As part of this process, the review group will consider and include the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, which gives workers automatic protection for raising a matter internally and the right to make disclosures to prescribed regulators, as well as to make disclosures more widely, in certain circumstances as prescribed within the act. The revised PIN will be published in April 2011.
