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Aquaculture is an important industry for Scotland, especially rural Scotland and needs appropriate sites for development if it is to grow in a sustainable way. It is for the local planning authority, in the first instance, to determine the acceptability of any site development proposals.

The Scottish Government will issue Reshaping Care Change Fund guidance for 2012-13 later this year, asking Partnerships to record evidence in their Change Plans showing (a) how their actions since the inception of the Change Fund in 2011-12 have impacted on national and local outcome measures and indicators; and (b) how they have accrued benefits which achieve and sustain better outcomes for older people.

Work is underway within NHS 24 to develop a new national strategic framework for telehealth and telecare (recognising the fact that responsibility for the Telecare Development Programme transferred to NHS 24 on 1 April 2011, forming the Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare). This new framework will take the recommendations from the Audit Scotland report into consideration. This framework will be endorsed by the eHealth Strategy Board to ensure consistency with the overall eHealth Strategy for 2011-17.

All programmes of work will be based on robust business cases. Business cases will not be approved unless funding streams have been agreed in advance. Any decisions to take forward national telehealth programmes will be based on the benefits that will be realised for NHS Scotland. The Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare will work with NHS boards and the Scottish Government to identify potential funding streams for the telehealth programmes.

Over the four years of the Change Fund the Scottish Government expects to see the proportion of funding allocated by Partnerships to proactive care and support at home increase. Reshaping Care Change Fund guidance for 2012-13, which will issue later this year, will ask partnerships to record evidence in their Change Plans about expenditure on proactive care and support at home, which may include Telehealth services. Progress will be monitored over the course of the Change Fund lifecycle.

As part of the development of the new Strategic Framework, consultation will take place with the Scottish Government, and a wide range of stakeholders, regarding specific measures. The strategic framework and measures will be endorsed by the eHealth Strategy Board. NHS 24 have also committed to report annually to the Health and Sports Committee on progress on telehealth related activity.

The Scottish Government has agreed all of the recommendations contained in the Audit Scotland report.

Over the four years of the Change Fund the Scottish Government expects to see the proportion of funding allocated by partnerships to preventative and anticipatory care, and proactive care and support at home increase. Progress made by partnerships will be considered by the Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care (MSG) over the whole course of the Change Fund lifecycle.

Following the transfer of responsibility to NHS24 for the Scottish Centre for Telehealth, a national strategic framework was established from 2010-2012. This committed the SCT to delivering four national programmes as follows:

Stroke

Paediatrics

Long Term Conditions

Mental Health

Significant progress has been made in delivering these programmes, along with the establishment of the National Clinical Videoconferencing System, and an education and training programme.

The Scottish Government has already undertaken a review of the Scottish Centre for Telehealth (SCT). This review resulted in the SCT becoming part of NHS24, developing a more focused set of priorities, publishing a national framework and working with NHS boards to adopt telehealth solutions.