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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.

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Question reference: S5W-15901

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport has had any discussions since 2016 regarding incorporating the management of NHS Highland with another NHS board.

Question reference: S5W-15897

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) internal and (b) external reviews of the board of NHS Highland have been carried out since 2016; on what dates they were carried out; who commissioned them; what the terms of reference were and who decided them; who carried out the reviews; when any review reports were published; what the key recommendations of the reviews were, and when any recommendations (i) were and (ii) will be implemented.

There has been one internal and one external review of the Board of NHS Highland carried out since 2016.

The NHS Highland Governance Review 2015-16, by Jan Polley of Polley Solutions Ltd was commissioned by the Board of NHS Highland. The review took place between September 2016 and January 2016. A report was given to the Board in February 2016 and the main findings were discussed at their Board meeting on 31 May 2016. Board Papers are available on NHS Highland's website.

The Scottish Government, working with the NHS Board Chairs group, commissioned a pilot review of corporate governance across NHS Scotland in September 2017. At the request of the Chair, David Alston, the review began in NHS Highland and commenced on 30 September 2017. The review was led by John Brown, CBE, Chair of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Tayside and Susan Walsh, OBE, Non-Executive Member of NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland. The terms of reference for the review were agreed with the review team, the Board Chair and Scottish Government. The remit sets out: (a) make an assessment of the effectiveness of the corporate governance arrangements currently in place; (b) identify areas of strength and weakness and the extent to which these impact on the conduct of all aspects of board business (the board and its committees); (c) building on (a) and (b) above form a judgement about the extent to which the board demonstrates good governance; (d) assess the extent to which the board demonstrates and enables the organisation’s stated culture and values; (e) make recommendations to the Chair of NHS Highland on areas for development and, where necessary, improvement; (f) make recommendations to the Scottish Government on matters relevant to corporate governance in NHS Scotland more widely; and, (g) make any other observations as might be necessary.

The review was completed in April 2018 and, a report is now being drafted. The recommendations of the report will inform the approach taken to the review of corporate governance arrangements in other Boards in NHS Scotland.

The Scottish Government also conducts annual reviews with all NHS Boards, which are held in public. Further information about the annual review of NHS Highland can be found on their website.

Question reference: S5O-01901

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are generic descriptions across all NHS boards of A&E departments, primary care emergency centres, urgent care centres and minor injury units.

There are clear definitions in place which are widely used across NHSScotland.

Accident & Emergency Departments sometimes referred to as Emergency Departments, provide a 24 hour, 7 days a week, consultant led service. People should attend A&E when an illness or injury is serious or life-threatening.

Minor Injuries Units are GP or Nurse led. They may or may not be open 24 hours. People should attend MIU when they need urgent care for a minor injury, burn or fracture.

Primary Care Emergency Centres and Urgent Care Centres both provide Out of Hours Primary Care services for patients when their registered GP Practice is closed and they are too ill to wait until it re-opens. We are working towards consistency of the use of the term Urgent Care Centres going forward.

Urgent Care Resource Hubs are a proposed New Model of Care, intended for both service delivery and training purposes.

Question reference: S5W-14537

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for how many hours (a) minor injury units and (b) urgent care centres have had to close due to staff shortages in the last three months, broken down by (i) NHS board and (ii) unit or centre.

Question reference: S5O-01848

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported problems at Raigmore Hospital, how many operating theatres in Scotland have wooden doors and plaster walls.

Question reference: S5W-14365

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government on which date the Forestry Devolution Programme began its work on the rebranding of the Forestry Commission in Scotland; how much has been spent to date on the rebranding process; what the projected costs are for the whole rebranding process, and what proportion of the rebranding budget is staffing costs.

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I also refer the member to the information provided on 5 February 2018 (http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Rural/20180205_Cab_Sec_REC_-_Forestry_Bill_-_manage_and_administer_its_forestry_responsibilties..pdf) to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee which advised that the costs for rebranding have been substantially reduced in scope from £4.25 million to £1.12 million.

Work has recently begun by filling the design graduate placement post. The budget for this post is £49,500 over 18 months, approximately 4.5% of the total revised projected costs.

Question reference: S5W-14189

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools Education Scotland and NHS Health Scotland will deliver mental health first aid training to in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

We take child and adolescent mental health very seriously. We know that prevention and early intervention make a big difference in reducing the risk of developing mental health problems.

Since 2014, Education Scotland has been delivering Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid Training for Children and Young People to secondary school staff across 18 local authorities.

In 2017-18 the Scottish Mental Health First Aid Training (SMHFA) has been delivered to 67 secondary schools across Scotland. 33 of the practitioners who attended the training went on to attend an additional element of the programme called ‘Training for Trainers’. This allows these practitioners to train local staff to deliver the training in their schools.

The numbers of schools to be trained in 2018-19 has still to be confirmed. The SHMFA programme will continue to be offered to schools across Scotland. This training complements a range of mental health strategies that are already in place within schools and local authorities.

Question reference: S5F-01948

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2018

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to reports that two-thirds of teachers do not feel that they have been sufficiently trained in supporting the mental health needs of pupils.

Question reference: S5O-01672

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet with local health groups to discuss palliative care in the Highlands.

I am meeting with local campaigners, Caithness Health Action Team & locally elected representatives, on 7 February to listen to their concerns regarding care provision, including Palliative Care. NHS Highland have also confirmed that palliative care patients will remain in Caithness.

In addition Scottish Government Ministers and officials meet regularly with a wide range of organisations, including the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC) the umbrella organisation for palliative care charities, to discuss palliative care across Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-13546

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering rebranding the Forestry Commission in Scotland and, if so, how many staff are employed with this; what their terms of reference and remit are, and when they will report their conclusions to ministers.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum (paragraph 66) and the Financial Memorandum (paragraphs 44 and 45) for the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill, there will need to be some rebranding of Forestry Commission Scotland and Forest Enterprise Scotland assets on completion of the devolution of forestry.

The approach will be proportionate and low-cost, the activity will be spread over a period of time and it will make maximum use of existing allocated budgets for the usual replacement of assets such as vehicles and signage on the National Forest Estate. It is anticipated that any additional costs can be subsumed within the overall budget provision.

Three existing members of staff in Forest Enterprise Scotland are, as part of their current responsibilities, contributing to this work. A design graduate placement has also been established in Forest Enterprise Scotland, to provide an opportunity for a new entrant to gain first-hand experience in the development process of a new visual brand.

This work falls under the auspices of the Forestry Devolution Programme, which has been established to oversee all work related to completing the devolution of forestry.