- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 11 July 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time was for both cycles of IVF treatment from 2007 to date, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
Information Services Division (ISD) does not hold this information centrally. Data for IVF waiting times are available from the quarter ending July to September 2014 onwards. Information collected by ISD to measure progress towards the waiting time standard is for the first IVF cycle only. Further information on the first IVF cycle can be found at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Waiting-Times/IVF-Waiting-Times/Publications/2016-05-31/.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 6 July 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how many ex-service (a) men and (b) women have been assessed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
The information is not held centrally.
Individual clinicians are responsible for the assessment and diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and for arranging services and support which respond appropriately to the needs of the individual.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 4 July 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have died from suspected drug abuse in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
National Records of Scotland (NRS) publish annually the statistics of drug-related deaths which were registered in Scotland over the period from 1996. The number of deaths since 1999, broken down by NHS board, can be found on the NRS website - http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/deaths/drug-related-deaths-in-scotland/2014.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 July 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase support for dementia patients under 65 and support Frank's Law.
Answer
We have committed to considering how best to address the charging issue for people with dementia under 65 raised in Amanda Kopel's petition and the ‘Frank’s Law’ campaign, but remain of the view that any changes to the charges to service users for the care they receive at home must be fair to all users, irrespective of their illness or long-term condition.
For 2016-17 the Scottish Government provided additional funding of a quarter of a billion pounds for social care. This offer included £6 million to cover the changes in the charging thresholds to local authorities as a first step towards making charging fairer. We are taking an anti-poverty approach by prioritising support for those on low incomes first.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 July 2016
To ask the Scottish Government how many telephone calls the NHSScotland Confidential Alert Line helpline has received since it was established, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
Since its launch on 2 April 2013 to 31 March 2016 (the latest date for which figures are available), a total of 276 cases have been raised with the NHSScotland Confidential Alert Line. This figure includes both public (whistleblowing) and private (contractual) cases.
Due to the independent and confidential nature of the service, the Scottish Government does not hold a breakdown of the total number of cases by NHS board.
The number of calls along with evaluation reports are published on the Scottish Government website at:http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/NHS-Workforce/Employee-Experience/NHS-staff-alert-line
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 24 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce details of its support for three PhD research studentships on motor neurone disease.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00421 on 15 June 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary test in the cervical cancer screening programme, following recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee.
Answer
The Scottish Government is currently working with NHS Scotland on the development of a business case on the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing to the cervical screening programme. This business case is expected to be submitted later in 2016 and Scottish Ministers will make a decision on the future use of HPV testing in the programme on the basis of the evidence and assessment it provides.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29382 by Maureen Watt on 29 January 2016, during which month in 2017 it will introduce the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as part of the bowel screening programme to replace the fecal occult blood test (FOBT).
Answer
The faecal immunochemical test (FIT) Implementation Group, which includes Scottish Government officials, is actively working to introduce FIT as a first line test in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme, but a final date for implementation has not yet been confirmed. The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing this change to the programme in 2017.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 6 June 2016, Women urged to go for smear test, what steps it is taking to improve the uptake of cervical screening among women (a) over 50, (b) with learning difficulties and (c) in deprived areas.
Answer
Scottish Government officials meet cervical screening coordinators from all NHS boards on a quarterly basis to share best practice in promoting cervical screening services, development of initiatives to improve uptake and how best to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
The Scottish Government is currently working with NHS Health Scotland, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, Cancer Research UK and the territorial boards to develop an awareness raising campaign which will aim to increase awareness of cervical screening among all women. During a second phase the campaign will be targeted towards women aged over 50. NHS boards have also sited information stalls at leisure centres and other community settings to target women over 50.
Recent local initiatives to increase the screening uptake for women with learning difficulties have included delivering training to day centre staff who work with people with learning difficulties and having dedicated staff working with women with learning difficulties, facilitating cervical screening and then assisting during appointments. We also encourage all NHS boards to utilise the information materials available to them in discussing cervical screening with women who have learning difficulties. In particular, the two easy read leaflets in NHS Health Scotland's 'Keep Yourself Healthy' series which deal with cervical screening, both of which are available to support people with learning difficulties in making an informed decision.
Initiatives which have taken place recently to increase uptake among women in deprived areas include events being held at local colleges; dedicated nurses working with the local homeless and travelling women to assist them with GP registration; and full health assessments including screening tests and evening clinics being held in GP practices in the most deprived areas.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 June 2016
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 6 June 2016, Women urged to go for smear test, what recent assessment it has made of the reasons that women in different age groups might not attend cervical screening.
Answer
The Scottish Government commissioned NHS Health Scotland to undertake research with women into the reasons for non-uptake of the screening invitation in 2015. This research was carried out with women from both younger and older age groups and will be used to consider how we can deliver targeted communications to different age groups to improve uptake of cervical screening.