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The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate is currently reporting on the performance of each acute hospital in Scotland against the Standards for Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) published by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland in March 2008. The reports are highlighting areas of good practice and areas which require improvement. There will be an annual report published by the chief inspector, which will point to local and national learning for HAI across the NHS in Scotland.

It is too early for the Inspectorate to highlight national learning and this will not be possible until every NHS board in Scotland has had at least one inspection and this is scheduled to be completed by the end of September 2010. All NHS boards have been required to have regard to the findings of each of the reports published by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate in order that any necessary improvements can be made without delay.

The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group, established under the Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan, has set up a public campaign sub-group to review existing publicity materials and guidance. Following this work, consideration will be given to the need for a national campaign.

Under the New Deal contract, all rotas in NHS Scotland have to be approved by the New Deal Manager/WTR Adviser before implementation. This approval ensures that all working patterns meet the required legal and contractual guidelines, including hours of work and associated rest/time off requirements. If these requirements are not met, rotas cannot be implemented.

The Clostridium difficile organism is naturally present in the gut of a large percentage of children. However, it is rare for this to develop into an infection in this age group, and thus the numbers of patients aged 14 and under who become ill from Clostridium difficile are very low.

Testing methods and diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) in children can also be unreliable and it is therefore not appropriate to carry out routine national mandatory surveillance for this age group.

There are no plans at present to widen the age range below 15 years of age. Health Protection Scotland do, however, continually review the surveillance programme and will extend it should this becomes appropriate.

All NHS boards have implemented the requirements of CEL 30(2008): Prudent Antimicrobial Prescribing: The Scottish Action Plan for Managing Antibiotic Resistance and Reducing Antibiotic Related Clostridium difficile Associated Disease. This, along with many other related healthcare associated infection actions led by the Scottish Government, has resulted in Clostridium difficile cases for the April to June 2009 quarter falling by 42% on the same quarter last year with rates in Scotland now at a record low, almost halving over the previous 12 months.

Antimicrobial pharmacists are specialised senior staff. As part of actions flowing from the Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (ScotMARAP), funding has been provided for the recruitment of antimicrobial pharmacists within each NHS board. I understand these pharmacists are now in post in all NHS boards with the exception of Western Isles who obtain antimicrobial advice from NHS Highland.

In response to concerns over anecdotal reports regarding recruitment and retention issues with junior hospital pharmacists, Scottish health boards for the first time took part in the Pharmacy and Establishment Vacancy Survey conducted by the NHS Pharmacy Education and Development Committee on a UK-wide basis. The survey results showed no significant recruitment or retention difficulties for the majority of pharmacist grades. However, a higher level of vacancies were reported at the more junior pharmacist grades. We are currently analysing the survey data for Scotland in detail and will take appropriate steps to address any recruitment or retention issues identified.

The Guidance on Prevention and Control of Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) in Healthcare Settings in Scotland includes advice on the management of outbreaks. The latest version of this guidance was published on the HPS website in September 2009. The revised guidance can be found at http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/sshaip/guidelinedetail.aspx?id=42640.

All guidance produced by Health Protection Scotland and relevant supporting materials are published on their website, as and when appropriate.

The Chief Nursing Officer wrote to Health Protection Scotland on 24 November to ask that they develop a compendium of current national guidance on HAI.

The compendium will provide NHS staff with an overview of up to date guidance and provide a first point of reference on necessary actions that should be taken by them for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infection.

We expect the compendium to be published by 31 March 2010.

All NHS boards have processes in place to ensure the implementation of the requirements of CEL 30(2008): Prudent Antimicrobial Prescribing: The Scottish Action Plan For Managing Antibiotic Resistance and Reducing Antibiotic Related Clostridium difficile Associated Disease.

This work is supported by the Scottish Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (ScotMARAP) programme which is currently being implemented by the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG). ScotMARAP details the national programme for tackling prudent prescribing over the next five years in primary and secondary care.

The delivery of mammography services is supported by a multi-disciplinary team including radiologists, radiographers and their support staff. Radiographers who are trained to national standards in screening and reporting work with radiologists to deliver safe and effective screening and timeous reporting for women. NHS boards are responsible for the recruitment and training of the workforce.

All breast screening centres are indicating that two-view screening will be implemented by April 2010.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29331 on 3 December 2009. 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.