- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it, or the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, is undertaking to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to prepare for a pandemic.
Answer
The Scottish Government has already undertaken considerable work with businesses to ensure that they are prepared for a flu pandemic. Engagement is continuing on both a Scottish and UK basis with businesses in sectors such as transport and energy.
A Scottish Framework for Responding to an Influenza Pandemic was published by the Scottish Government in 2007 and provides guidance and planning assumptions on which all business continuity plans should be made. The framework is supported by a range of sector-specific guidance, including advice on infection control. The guidance is available on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/pandemicflu.
Local authorities also have a role in supporting businesses. Under the Civil Contingencies Act, local authorities are required to provide assistance to those undertaking commercial activities and to voluntary organisations in relation to business continuity management. These responsibilities are outlined in the Scottish Government''s guidance on preparing for emergencies Preparing Scotland. The Scottish Government continues to provide support to local authorities in carrying out this role.
The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives provides advice on health promotion and occupational health and safety. Business continuity planning for a flu pandemic does not fall within this remit.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that the Protocol for the Scottish Surveillance Programme for Clostridium difficile Associated Disease, established by Health Protection Scotland prior to the opening of the national laboratory service at Stobhill hospital on 20 November 2007, has been followed, particularly in relation to the first criteria, severe cases.
Answer
NHS boards are responsible for ensuring they comply with national guidance as set out in the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) protocols for surveillance. NHS board practice in this area is also the subject of review by the HAI National Taskforce, chaired by the Chief Nursing Officer.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many isolates of Clostridium difficile ribotype 027 and 078 have been found in each of the last four quarters, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) hospital.
Answer
All available information on ribotypes is published in the clostridium difficile quarterly reports available through the Health Protection Scotland website at
www.hps.scot.nhs.uk. At present information is only recorded at a national level and is not broken down by Health Board or hospital. Samples from severe cases of CDAD and suspected outbreaks are submitted to the Scottish Reference Laboratory Service for typing.
The Scottish Government has asked Health Protection Scotland to co-ordinate a snapshot study of clostridium difficile ribotypes. This study will start early next year and will involve the typing of representative samples of all cases of C.diff, not just those of severe disease, suspected outbreaks, or suspected infections with ribotype 027. This will give an accurate picture of the epidemiology of C.diff strains in Scotland and will help to inform how the monitoring of strains should take place in future. The results will be made available publicly.
The following is the original answer (published on 15 December 2008); see below.
All available information on ribotypes is published in the clostridium difficile quarterly reports available through the Health Protection Scotland website at www.hps.scot.nhs.uk.
At present information is only recorded at a national level and is not broken down by health board or hospital. Samples from severe cases of CDAD and suspected outbreaks are submitted to the Scottish Reference Laboratory Service for typing.
The Scottish Government has asked Health Protection Scotland to co-ordinate a snapshot study of Clostridium difficile ribotypes. This study will start early next year and will involve the typing of all samples of C.diff, not just those of severe disease, suspected outbreaks, or suspected infections with ribotype 027. This will give an accurate picture of the epidemiology of C.diff strains in Scotland and will help to inform how the monitoring of strains should take place in future. The results will be made available publicly.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug action team (DAT), alcohol and drug action team (ADAT) or drug and alcohol action team (DAAT) areas have supervised dispensing schemes for (a) disulfiram, (b) suboxone and (c) buprenorphine.
Answer
This information is not held centrally. It is the responsibility of Alcohol and Drug Action Teams, with their local partners, to consider and put in place services which best meet local needs and priorities.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the current target of nine weeks for diagnostic tests will be subsumed within the new referral-to-treatment target of 18 weeks by 2011.
Answer
Yes. The 18 weeks referral-to-treatment standard will cover a patient''s journey from referral to treatment, including any necessary diagnostic tests.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that access to CT and MRI scans by direct referral from GPs is increased from 29% of hospitals for CT and 7% for MRI scans to levels matching those in England for 2005-06 of 49% for CT and 34% for MRI.
Answer
The Better Health, Better Care: Action Plan sets out how the Scottish Government intends to achieve a patient centred NHS for the people of Scotland, which is safe, effective, efficient and equitable. It also includes a challenging target that no patient should wait more than 18 weeks for treatment following referral.
To achieve this target NHS boards will need to improve access to hospital services by increasing the effectiveness of clinical care through faster access to outpatients, diagnosis and treatment to meet the needs of their local population. NHSScotland are currently reviewing and redesigning services in each board area to provide patients with swift access to services, including where appropriate GP direct access to scans, as part of their plans to deliver the 18 weeks referral-to-treatment waiting time standard by the end of 2011.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many arrest-referral schemes are in operation, broken down by drug action team (DAT), alcohol and drug action team (ADAT) or drug and alcohol action team (DAAT).
Answer
Arrest-referral schemes, to which the Scottish Government provides contributory funding, operate in the following areas:
Edinburgh and Midlothian. Action on Alcohol and Drugs in Edinburgh; Midlothian (DAAT).
Tayside: Dundee (DAAAT); Perth and Kinross (DAAT); Angus (DAAAT).
Renfrewshire: Greater Glasgow and Clyde (DAT).
Lanarkshire: Lanarkshire (ADAT).
Dumfries and Galloway: Dumfries and Galloway (ADAT).
Glasgow: Greater Glasgow and Clyde (AAT).
Aberdeen: Aberdeen City (JADAT).
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether regular monitoring of organisms is undertaken on devices used routinely on patients, such as blood pressure cuffs and saturation measurement devices.
Answer
The action being taken to mitigate against cross infection from these devices is to ensure regular and effective cleaning. All NHS boards have decontamination policies for patient equipment detailing when and how items should be cleaned, and more specifically that patient equipment should be cleaned prior to use on another patient. The implementation of policies relating to the decontamination/cleaning of patient equipment is monitored by the charge nurse who will ensure staff in her/his area are aware of procedures and how these should be applied.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded deaths there were in which Clostridium difficile was a contributory factor in each of the last eight quarters, broken down by hospital.
Answer
Information on recorded deaths in which Clostridium difficile was a contributory factor is available through the GROS website at:
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/deaths/clostridium-difficile-deaths/index.html.
- Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 11 December 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that the new State Hospital will be commissioned.
Answer
The redeveloped State Hospital will be commissioned in early 2011 when the new accommodation will come into full use.
