Seòmar agus comataidhean

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 2702 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S4W-17890

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15373 by Alex Neil on 25 June 2013, what impact discontinuing the provision of free samples has had on the cost of stoma care supplies to the NHS.

Question reference: S4W-17898

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15366 by Alex Neil on 12 June 2013, what action it took to encourage the setting up of local forums.

Question reference: S4W-17896

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15363 by Alex Neil on 13 June 2013, whether the further work to establish a national group is different to the quality and cost effectiveness review group mentioned in the answer to question S4W-15356 by Alex Neil on 13 June 2013 and which group will be responsible for setting up a national audit programme.

It is for each health board to plan, deliver and audit the provision of stoma care in its area.

A quality and cost effectiveness review on stoma care is being led by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for NHS Scotland and will take forwards all service issues with respect to the provision of stoma care. Soundings are currently being taken by the board's officers with interested parties on the terms of their review.

The result of that review will then be available to all boards to help their future planning of stoma care services to best meet the needs of patients in a cost effective way.

Question reference: S4W-18035

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments in the October 2013 report by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman regarding prisoners’ access to the NHS complaints process.

NHS boards have been reminded of their responsibility under the Patient Rights Act 2011 and supporting legislation in relation to the handling and learning from complaints. In particular assurances were sought and were received that the procedures set out in the Can I help you? Good Practice Guidance:

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_08.pdf are in place for the handling of prisoner complaints.

A revised form which allows prisoners to select whether they wish to give feedback, make comments, raise concerns or make a complaint was issued in July 2013 to the relevant NHS boards for immediate use to ensure accessibility for prisoners. Officials continue to monitor the situation.

Question reference: S4W-18033

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 12 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission research on the benefits and risks of so-called all single-room hospital design, and what action it will take to ensure that such design does not have an adverse effect on services at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.

The Scottish Government undertook a considerable body of work prior to the adoption of the single room policy in NHSScotland. The Single Room Provision Steering Group was established in order to review available literature and evidence for single rooms, a public attitude survey, a nursing staffing report and a financial impact study. The steering group’s final report may be accessed here:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/04160144/0.

In addition, the Chief Medical Officer took forward an Expert (or Delphi) Consultation, which concluded that the current provision of single room accommodation was insufficient across NHSScotland, and 100 per cent single room provision is clinically appropriate in most clinical settings. The report on the outcome of the consultation may be accessed here:

http://www.pcpd.scot.nhs.uk/PDFs/DelphiReport.pdf.

Over the next year the Scottish Government will continue to review research that has been undertaken since the policy was formulated, in order to assess and bring together the evidence base now available with a review to testing the assumptions made within the current policy.

With respect to the new South Glasgow Hospitals, the design and clinical model are based on 100 per cent single rooms in the adult hospital, which we believe for the reasons set out in the Steering Group report will be to the benefit of patients.

Question reference: S4W-18135

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-18132

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-18133

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-18134

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4W-17887

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what effect the proposed closure of the Winchburgh rail tunnel will have on passengers travelling to and from (a) stations north of Linlithgow, (b) Dunblane and (c) Alloa.

As with any investment of this scale in an operational environment, there will inevitably be some disruption. All rail connections will be maintained during the closure of the Winchburgh Tunnel. Whilst detailed timetable development work is on-going for the period of disruption, I can confirm that some services will be reduced with an extension of journey times. Where possible, capacity will be retained through use of longer trains.