- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to provide training in sentinel node biopsy to NHS boards.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that two-view mammography breast screening is implemented by the April 2010 deadline.
Answer
We are working closely with all NHS breast screening centres and they are indicating that two-view mammography breast screening will be implemented by April 2010.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards (a) have and (b) have not implemented two-view mammography breast screening.
Answer
(a) Two-view mammography has been implemented in NHS Fife, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Highland, NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland, NHS Tayside and NHS Western Isles.
(b) Two-view mammography has not yet been implemented in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Lothian.
All NHS breast screening centres are indicating that two-view mammography breast screening will be implemented by April 2010.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that all forensic mental health service units have access to specialist drug and alcohol services.
Answer
NHS health boards are responsible for ensuring that forensic patients receive appropriate care and treatment and that includes treatment for drug and alcohol problems if required. Services are available and provided in each of the forensic mental health service units.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards make sentinel node biopsy available to patients with breast cancer.
Answer
Sentinel node biopsy is currently available to all breast cancer patients in Scotland where this is clinically appropriate. Services are configured so that all suitable patients are offered the procedure at their nearest breast cancer unit providing it.
All breast surgeons are required to undertake the necessary training before performing this procedure and have to comply with nationally agreed protocols regarding training and monitoring. Training in the sentinel node biopsy technique is delivered locally and consideration is currently being given to the training needs of new recruits.
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18880 on 8 January 2009 where I outlined that Better Cancer Care: An Action Plan stated that the Scottish Government together with the Regional Cancer Advisory Groups and NHS boards would explore the feasibility of sentinel node biopsy being made available across NHSScotland. Scottish Government has not committed to undertaking a feasibility study into the availability of sentinel node biopsy.
The regional cancer networks have been working with their constituent NHS boards to progress making sentinel node biopsy available across NHSScotland and as the above information denotes, the procedure is now available across all regions.
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.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing a national confidential hotline to allow concerns about hygiene in hospitals to be raised anonymously and made available to infection control teams.
Answer
The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate, on their website, provides named contacts, telephone numbers and a generic e-mail address for members of the public to raise their concerns about hygiene and infection control measures within NHS hospitals. Anonymity will be preserved should the caller wish this to be the case.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings of the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate announced inspection report on Stirling Royal Infirmary of 29 September 2009, whether it will take steps to meet the target (a) of one clinical sink for every four beds, (b) that taps should be temperature-controlled and sensor-operated and (c) that swan neck taps should no longer be procured.
Answer
NHS Forth Valley has carried out a risk assessment, assisted by the board''s infection control team, in the old wards at Stirling Royal Infirmary and as a result has increased the number of wash-hand basins in each ward to a level felt to be practicable in the area whilst the facilities are occupied.
It is the board''s intention, however, to undertake much more extensive alterations to the infrastructure and systems when the buildings are being refurbished to function as community hospitals. It is not practicable to do so at the current time due to the levels of occupancy.
Current guidance from Health Facilities Scotland on sanitary assemblies for ward areas specifies that wash-hand basins should have wall-mounted single lever-action or sensor taps, with fittings actuated by a proximity sensor the preferred alternative. The guidance also specifies that swan-neck taps should be avoided and therefore when such fittings are damaged and due for repair, they should be completely replaced by an appropriate, alternative component as specified in the guidance.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last reviewed the use of antibiotics on farm animals.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not reviewed the use of antibiotics on farm animals.
The marketing, use and administration of veterinary medicines is a reserved matter.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), an agency of Defra, advises the secretary of state on authorisation, manufacture, classification, distribution and administration of veterinary medicines.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken in forensic mental health service units to support individuals who wish to give up smoking.
Answer
NHS boards have a responsibility to ensure that all smokers who wish to give up smoking in forensic mental health service units have access to local smoking cessation services which provide required motivational support and should put in place arrangements for monitoring and evaluating success of their smoking cessation service. The Scottish Government does not hold centrally information on services provided in these types of units across Scotland.
There are particular challenges in providing smoking cessation services in forensic mental health service units. The Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health, a partnership between ASH Scotland, NHS Health Scotland and the Scottish Government, launched in July this year, bespoke training for those providing smoking cessation services in mental health settings. In addition, the Scottish Government funded through ASH Scotland''s Tobacco and Inequalities Fund a project which established a stop-smoking service within The State Hospital. Although funding ended in 2007, the service has now been mainstreamed into general healthcare provision and continues to offer support to staff and patients alike.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 December 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the recommendation adopted by the EU Council of Ministers on 9 June 2009 calling on member states to implement plans or strategies for rare diseases.
Answer
In Scotland, rare diseases are already managed on a pan-Scotland basis, largely through genetic services - which are subject to ongoing enhancement following on from the Calman review (2006) with £4.6 million per annum recurring investment over three years - and through access to treatments via services commissioned by National Services Division.