Health, Wellbeing and Sport
Golf (Young People)
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in encouraging young people to try golf. (S4O-05234)
Clubgolf is Scotland's junior golf development programme and is one of the legacies of the Ryder cup. It introduces children to golf and supports the early development of young golfers through structured coaching.
Over 390,000 children have been introduced to golf through clubgolf, with the support of the active schools network and primary schools across the country. The programme is delivered in primary schools to children at the age of nine and provides a four-to-six-week taster sessions block in which young people are provided with the basic skills that are needed to play golf. Upon completion of the programme, all are encouraged to the clubs or facilities that have been involved to continue their golfing experience.
As the minister knows, the former First Minister made a great commitment to the sport and there have been considerable developments at primary school level. What plans does the Scottish Government have to ensure that those develop into secondary education and beyond?
I have been very impressed by the efforts of Scottish Golf, which is the new governing body from the merger of the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association. They have developed their get into golf programme, which is an evolution of the clubgolf programme that seeks to involve a wider range of people and to get whole families involved. I would be very happy to continue those discussions and, if there is more that we can do to support that type of effort, I would be very happy to consider it.
E-cigarettes (Availability on Prescription)
To ask the Scottish Government whether e-cigarettes are now available on prescription from the national health service. (S4O-05235)
The regulation and licensing of medicines is a matter for the United Kingdom Government and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. I am aware that the MHRA has recently issued its first general sales licence to a product that it considers to be a true e-cigarette. That means that smokers will be able to purchase the product as a licensed smoking cessation aid when the manufacturer makes it available. I understand that, at this time, the manufacturer has not yet released the product to market.
There are no plans for the product to be routinely available on prescription. In line with other forms of nicotine replacement therapy, which have similar licences, decisions about prescribing would be a matter for individual NHS boards. I would expect any decisions to be based on the full range of evidence on the clinical risks, benefits and cost of this product compared to existing smoking cessation aids. We would be happy to work with health boards on the matter, once the manufacturer makes more information about the product available.
It is a complex area, but we are, nevertheless, aware that there are clear health benefits to smokers from moving away from tobacco towards e-cigarettes, so we should be doing what we can to encourage them along that path.
Will the minister take on board the fact that this is an area that needs more clarity? There have been press reports suggesting that prescribing of e-cigarettes will become available. There are constituents who are interested in that as an option and there are cost implications for the NHS budget, should prescribing become widespread practice. I suggest that the Scottish Government take more of a lead and be clear exactly what its policy on the matter is.
We know that many people now are using e-cigarettes as an aid to stop using nicotine. We believe that it is better if people use them in conjunction with existing smoking-cessation products.
On the committee that I chair we discuss the subject regularly. E-cigarettes are still a very new product and new information about them is coming forward virtually weekly. I assure Murdo Fraser that we are on the case.
Question 3 in the name of Johann Lamont has not been lodged and an explanation has been provided.
NHS Lanarkshire (Medical Staffing)
To ask the Scottish Government what medical staffing challenges it has identified in NHS Lanarkshire. (S4O-05237)
We work closely with all NHS boards to enable them to provide safe, effective and high-quality care for Scotland’s people at all times. That remains our absolute priority.
Under this Government, staffing levels in NHS Lanarkshire have increased by 13.3 per cent, which is more than 1,200 whole-time equivalent staff. There have also been significant increases in the number of medical consultants—a 63.2 per cent increase in all specialties, including emergency medicine, since September 2006. Over the same period, consultant vacancies in Lanarkshire have fallen by 4 per cent as a percentage of establishment.
NHS Lanarkshire continues to fill vacancies successfully in a number of specialties, it has approved further investment to recruit additional medical consultants and it is proactively recruiting to available vacancies.
Last year NHS Lanarkshire graded the medical staffing position in a number of departments as “high risk”. It reported concerns about on-going recruitment difficulties, about overreliance on locums and about the future of the board’s approved training status. Can the cabinet secretary advise me which services continue to be high risk? Can she give me an absolute guarantee that the Scottish Government will secure the future of approved training status for the health board, which is of utmost importance to the viability of local services, to medical recruitment and to the career development of junior doctors?
We are, of course, aware that certain services in NHS Lanarkshire are currently under enhanced monitoring by the General Medical Council. That monitoring primarily relates to concerns that were raised by trainees about poor clinical supervision. It is for the board, working with its medical workforce and NHS Education for Scotland, to identify solutions.
We have been assured that NHS Lanarkshire is making good progress on its improvement plans. I have close oversight of that, and I am happy to keep Margaret McCulloch updated about the situation. I hope that that reply has given her some reassurance.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. (S4O-05238)
Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet representatives of all health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
I have had sight of a financial planning document that was provided and, I understand, prepared by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. I understand that the document proposes the possible closure of Lightburn hospital. The minister will be aware of the background to the situation concerning Lightburn hospital, and of the commitment from the now First Minister that the hospital has a future. Will the cabinet secretary confirm today that there are no plans to close Lightburn hospital?
I have certainly had nothing submitted to me from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde about the future of Lightburn hospital. If the board has any plans to change the hospital, they will have to go through the procedures that we expect to apply. If the change were to be classified as a major change, it would come to me.
As I said, however, I have not had sight of anything from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde asking for it to be able to proceed with any changes to Lightburn hospital.
As regards the budget for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Paul Martin will be aware that, within a very tight financial settlement, health boards received a fair settlement—albeit that it is challenging, of course. Within that, £250 million has been allocated to social care, which is something that Paul Martin called for and supported—and, I hope, still supports.
I have three similar questions on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. If other members wish to ask supplementaries, I will take them at question 8.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. (S4O-05239)
Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet representatives of all boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
I am sure that when the cabinet secretary next meets the board she will discuss the poor performance of Glasgow royal infirmary against her accident and emergency waiting time target—specifically, the fact that the most recent figures have revealed that one in five patients there is waiting for more than four hours.
I offer the cabinet secretary the opportunity to apologise to patients who have been waiting for eight hours at the so-called immediate assessment unit at the Queen Elizabeth university hospital. Is she aware of calls from the staff there for that service to be dismantled and restructured? What has she done to resolve the situation, which led last Wednesday to a frail elderly patient being left in a corridor on a trolley without a pillow for eight hours?
I would, of course, be interested in looking at and investigating any individual issues of concern. When such issues come to me, I always ensure that the board investigates them and that a response is given. If Drew Smith has any specific patient concerns, he should raise them with me and I will respond.
This week and next week are two of the most challenging weeks in the year for our A and E departments; it has always been so. If we look at performance across Scotland, the figures that were produced yesterday show that although the performance is challenging, it is considerably better than it was last year.
We want the boards to recover and I expect them, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to recover more rapidly than was the case last year. I am always keen to see progress being made, but I hope that Drew Smith and other members recognise the hard work that has been done and the progress that has been made in Glasgow and elsewhere.
Drew Smith specifically raised the assessment unit; he will be aware that a lot of support has gone into that unit. Capacity has been increased through the establishment of the new ambulatory care area, which is capable of seeing 20 to 30 patients a day. The board has also created additional bed capacity across sites, with winter contingency plans meaning that there are an additional 104 beds across the region.
Although I absolutely do not think that an appropriate level of care was provided to the individual patient whom Drew Smith mentioned, and although we want improvements to be made, I hope that he acknowledges that progress has been made since last winter, because I think that the staff deserve such recognition.
Advanced Radiotherapy (Access)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of access to advanced radiotherapy. (S4O-05240)
The radiotherapy sub-group of the national cancer clinical services group is carrying out an exercise to establish the range and types of radiotherapy treatments that are currently available in each of Scotland’s five cancer centres.
I indicate that I am a co-convener of the cross-party group on cancer.
The cabinet secretary will be aware that the cross-party group and Cancer Research UK wish to highlight the benefits of radiotherapy, which experts suggest is involved in four in 10 cancer cures. Many experts further advise that access to the most advanced treatments in Scotland is extremely variable, but there is no public data available to support what many know. If such data was in the public domain, all who are involved in addressing the issue could give it the focus that it deserves.
Will the cabinet secretary confirm that she will use her influence to ensure that that data is made available and that access to advanced radiotherapy is treated as a priority by the Scottish Government and across the national health service?
The member raises an important point. Successful and accurate data is an essential component in enabling us to shape radiotherapy services to meet the needs of the population.
Earlier this year, officials conducted an exercise to investigate what clinical data is available to support advanced radiotherapy service planning. It was found that the existing clinical data was incomplete and was therefore not of the required quality, so the radiotherapy sub-group of the national cancer clinical services group is carrying out further information gathering to establish a more robust platform for the planning and sustainable delivery of advanced types of radiotherapy. That information will inform the forthcoming cancer plan, which will be a very important publication in setting the future direction of travel for the next 10 years.
I hope that the member understands the reasons for that. I will be happy to keep in contact with her as we take these matters forward.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed. (S4O-05241)
Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet representatives of all health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
In her response of 18 June last year to the Scottish Government’s inquiry into the Vale of Leven hospital tragedy, the cabinet secretary undertook to establish a website on which regular updates would be posted on the implementation of all 75 recommendations. She also undertook to give a report to the Health and Sport Committee at the end of November and to report back to Parliament in November.
My inquiries suggest that no such report has been received by the Health and Sport Committee and there has been no report back to Parliament. More urgently, having checked the website, there is absolutely nothing to update us on any progress on any of the 75 recommendations, some seven months after the cabinet secretary undertook to do so.
Can the cabinet secretary explain why that is? Can she remedy it? Can she explain to Parliament why the follow-through on an inquiry that arose from the deaths of so many people has fallen short?
First, I reassure the member that I certainly have been ensuring that boards, as they were expected to, have taken forward their plans to implement the 75 recommendations. As a matter of urgency, I will absolutely look at the issues that he raises about the website not being kept up to date. It should be.
I am aware that there has been continual communication with the patient groups and I will ensure that that has continued. It is my understanding that it has. That has been a really important relationship that has been built with those patients and the families of those affected.
As regards the end of November report, I will check on that; if it has not happened, I will certainly rectify that as a matter of urgency as soon as question time is finished.
The cabinet secretary will be aware that last week 237 individual patients waited more than four hours for treatment at the accident and emergency department of the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley. Last February, the cabinet secretary sent in a crisis team and promised to fix the problem, but yet again only 81 per cent of patients are being seen within the waiting time target. That is not progress. Everybody knows that there are not enough beds or staff at the RAH.
When will the cabinet secretary provide a long-term solution and the investment needed to fix the problems at the RAH in Paisley?
I think that the member does the staff at the RAH a great disservice. If we look at the progress that has been made at the RAH over the past few months—[Interruption.]
Order.
—since the figures that the member highlighted, there has been huge improvement in the performance of the RAH.
As I said earlier, this week and next week are the two most challenging weeks of the year in the winter period. However, I would have thought that the member would recognise—not for my sake but for the sake of the staff, who have put in so much effort to improve things at the RAH and at all our other A and E departments—the substantial progress that has been made. There has been a huge improvement within the figures over the past few months compared with last year. [Interruption.]
Order.
I think that the staff deserve a little bit more recognition of that and a little bit less criticism. [Interruption.]
Order, Mr Bibby.
I think that that would go down a lot better with the staff at the RAH.
When the cabinet secretary next meets NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, I wonder whether she could raise the issue of podiatry. I have a number of elderly constituents who have been refused simple toenail cutting. One such constituent is in his 90s and cannot bend to attend to his nails. Another suffers from vertigo. When I asked the board to consider that case as a special case, I was told quite simplistically that vertigo does not affect foot health. Clearly it may well do if it means that the sufferer cannot bend to attend to his nails.
Will the cabinet secretary look at the guidelines for podiatry for older people and reform them so that constituents such as mine can get the kind of help and attention that will allow them to remain in their own homes, cut down on the number of falls and give them a better quality of life?
If the member wants to furnish me with more details on a particular case, I will certainly look into that individual case. However, more generally, she will be aware that the Scottish Government personal foot care guidelines were published back in September 2013 and described toenail cutting as personal foot care rather than podiatry care. The reason for that was to ensure that the podiatry service is focusing on those who have the greatest need.
No one at risk of developing serious foot problems would be discharged from the podiatry service. Health boards would emphasise that people who develop more serious foot problems are able to access a podiatry service for assessment and treatment. Basically, the podiatry service has been required to focus its attention on those people who need the service most—people with conditions that have a very serious implication for foot care. Those are the guidelines and they have been in place since September 2013. However, as I said in my opening remarks, if the member wants to write to me about the specific case, I will certainly look into it to ensure that the guidelines are being appropriately applied.
It is time that the cabinet secretary stopped accusing the Opposition of not being supportive to staff. On behalf of my party and, I am sure, the other Opposition parties—
I need a question, Dr Simpson.
—I say that we have repeatedly said that the staff are doing a fantastic job.
I want to draw attention to today’s Evening Times, and ask a question about that. The headline refers to “Rush Hour gridlock causing travel misery” near the new hospital. This is about staff as well as patients. Staff members are reporting that they are taking up to two hours to get out of the area at night, and that they are often being fined by their nursery schools for failing to pick up their children on time. If the cabinet secretary is so concerned about staff, would she please do something about that?
At the same time, the ambulance drivers—who are, as we now know from our freedom of information inquiry, experiencing waiting and turn-around times at the Queen Elizabeth hospital of up to 30 minutes, which is 50 per cent longer than at any other hospital in Scotland—are reporting substantial delays at rush hour in getting patients to and from the hospital. The A and E waiting times do not reflect those additional issues—
A question please, Dr Simpson.
Will the cabinet secretary deal with the traffic problem rapidly?
On the subject of A and E waiting times, I am happy to defend staff and to fix and rectify any issues where performance is not as it should be.
Let us take the Christmas week in 2015. There was a 96 per cent performance rate across our A and E departments in Scotland—the best performance for five years—but we have not heard a single word of praise from the Opposition. There has not been one word of praise for staff who delivered a very good performance—
I just said that. That is what I just said. Rubbish!
Order, Dr Simpson, please.
Yet, as soon as there is another opportunity to have a go at the staff in our A and E departments, it is taken by the Opposition.
Have a go at the staff? It is the staff who are complaining.
All that I and the staff are asking for is a bit of balance, and a bit of praise when performance is delivered. [Interruption.]
If members do not take my word for it, they should go and speak to staff about how they perceive the attacks on the A and E department. It is not an attack on me but an attack on them.
It is the staff who are complaining.
Richard Simpson raised issues with ambulance turn-around times. I have been very clear with the Scottish Ambulance Service that ambulance turn-around times, particularly at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, have not been good enough. It has assured me that that has not impacted on clinical safety and that it is actively working with Ambulance Service colleagues to address the issue.
We allocated £400,000 last year to the Scottish Ambulance Service to ensure that it was better prepared for winter. In addition, we announced an £11.4 million increase in funding next year—which I hope Richard Simpson will welcome—that will result in the recruitment of around 300 extra paramedics over the next five years to help to improve the situation.
Yes, the turn-around time at the Queen Elizabeth hospital needs to improve. The Scottish Ambulance Service has assured me that that will happen, which I hope Richard Simpson will welcome.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Can you advise what remedy is open to members of the Parliament who are wrongly accused by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport of denigrating NHS staff? [Interruption.]
Order, please.
I do not think that I have ever heard a member in any party denigrating, or in any way criticising, NHS staff members. We all understand and appreciate the job that they do.
Thank you—
Having undergone surgery in the past two weeks, I can tell members that from personal experience. Members of the Opposition are trying to raise issues that members of staff themselves are bringing to our attention.
Thank you very much, Ms Ferguson—
What remedy is open to members in the chamber when they are wrongly accused in that way by the cabinet secretary?
Ms Ferguson—[Interruption.] Order, please. Order.
Ms Ferguson, as you well know, that is not a point of order. However, you have made your point. I am not responsible for what the cabinet secretary says in her answers, nor am I responsible for the questions that members ask.
Treat others with respect.
I ask members to be more succinct, or we will not get any further with this question session.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
There is a point of order from Dr Richard Simpson—
Is it not your—
Dr Simpson, could you wait until I finish speaking, and then your microphone will be switched on?
I am sorry.
There is a point of order from Dr Simpson.
Thank you.
Is it not your duty, Presiding Officer, to ensure that members treat one another with respect in the Parliament? When a member accuses other members of denigrating staff in the health service, when they have never done so—never in 13 years in this Parliament have I ever denigrated staff, yet the cabinet secretary has accused me of doing so—that is not treating others with respect. It your duty, Presiding Officer—your duty.
Thank you, Dr Simpson. I think that all members are aware that we should treat everyone in the chamber with respect but, as I said, I am not responsible for the content of the cabinet secretary’s answers.
Do I have a point of order at the other side of the chamber? There is a point of order from Rob Gibson.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In the light of those points of order being taken during question time, can you add on time for those of us who actually have questions that we wish answered? [Interruption.]
Order, please.
No—I am afraid that when question time finishes is fixed today, for very specific reasons.
Football Clubs (Supporter Involvement)
To ask the Scottish Government how it considers supporter involvement in football clubs, including ownership, can make a positive contribution to society. (S4O-05242)
The Scottish Government recognises the pivotal role that football clubs play in communities the length and breadth of Scotland. That includes their economic impact as well as the many wider community activities that the clubs are engaged in. On the back of legislation that was unanimously agreed by the Parliament as part of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, we have been consulting on a range of options to enhance supporter involvement and we will work with the football authorities and, of course, supporters to take forward proposals to do that. I urge anyone who has not yet participated in the consultation to do so before it closes on 15 January.
Does the minister agree with anti-sectarianism campaigners such as Dave Scott of Nil by Mouth that greater fan control and ownership provide an exciting opportunity for the silent majority of fans who are appalled by sectarianism to find their voice in clubs and ensure a welcoming and tolerant atmosphere in our game? If the majority of people who respond to the Government’s consultation support a fans’ right to buy, when will the Government deliver it?
I certainly concur that we want as positive an atmosphere as possible in football grounds the length and breadth of Scotland and I agree that football supporter involvement can contribute significantly towards that end. When I set out the Government’s intended way forward at the time of the debate on the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill, I think that I was clear that I have no preconceptions on the type of mechanism that will be taken forward, but my clear commitment is to consider the responses that we garner to the consultation as quickly as possible and then to engage with the football authorities and football supporters soon thereafter to determine a way forward.
Highland Sports (Participation)
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports and promotes participation in Highland sports, including shinty and Highland games heavy events. (S4O-05243)
The Scottish Government is committed to protecting the Highland games as a tradition enjoyed by many communities across Scotland. Our national agency for sport, sportscotland, shares that commitment and recognises the Scottish Highland Games Association as the governing body of traditional Highland games in Scotland. We are also providing the Camanachd Association with funding of up to £546,000 between 2015 and 2019 to support and develop shinty.
The minister will be well aware that I attend many Highland games in the summer in my constituency. There has been a marked increase in the number of foreign heavies and a reduction in the number of Scottish heavies participating in the games. I fear that, if we do not up our game and provide even more support and encouragement for young people to get involved in heavy events, in five or 10 years, there will not be any Scottish heavies competing in Highland games.
One of the advantages that Mr Thompson has over me is that there will be many more opportunities to attend Highland games in his constituency than there are in mine. I certainly concur that it is important that we do what we can to support the development of the heavy events that are part of the various Highland games across the country. Working in partnership with local authorities and others, sportscotland’s active schools programme provides a range of extracurricular opportunities for children and young people to get active and to stay active across a wide range of sports and physical activities.
Heavy events such as hammer throwing and shot put are categorised under athletics in the active schools programme. Although I cannot provide a breakdown for specific activities within athletics, I know that sessions for athletics took place at schools in all 32 local authorities during the 2014-15 academic year. The Government always stands ready to consider any proposals that are made in good faith as to how we can further support involvement in physical activity and sport across the country.
Smoking (Young People)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the prevalence of smoking among young people. (S4O-05244)
Trends in Scotland continue to show that smoking among young people is at the lowest levels of prevalence since current surveys began in 1982. However, we must continue to take firm action to support young people to choose not to smoke if we are to achieve our vision of a smoke-free Scotland by 2034.
Current activity includes continued sales and promotion restrictions, such as our display ban and standardised packaging; robust enforcement of the legislation; and education activity, such as our pilot of the ASSIST—a stopping smoking in school trial—peer education programme.
The minister will be aware of the tobacco-free schools initiative, which was launched last year by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, in conjunction with ASH Scotland, and aims to ensure that nobody is exposed to tobacco on school grounds. After writing to a number of councils in my region, I was disappointed to learn that many of them are unaware of the initiative. Given that two thirds of smokers start smoking before the age of 18, what steps can the minister take to support the roll-out of tobacco-free schools across Scotland?
I thank Stewart Maxwell for his continued interest and support in this area.
Our strategy calls for national health service boards and local authorities to establish smoke-free outdoor areas. It is for local authorities to decide how to do that in partnership with their populations. I know that some areas have already taken action to create smoke-free campuses in schools, colleges and universities, such as the tobacco-free schools initiative, which, as Stewart Maxwell said, was developed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde with ASH Scotland. I fully support that work and encourage all local authorities to consider how to follow it.
The ASSIST peer-led schools-based programme, which we are piloting in the Tayside, Lothian and Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board areas, is due to conclude in 2017, after which it will be evaluated. We hope that it will help with the roll-out to other areas.
Question 12 has not been lodged by Gil Paterson, but an explanation has been provided.
Deep-end General Practitioner Practices (National Health Service Board Control)
To ask the Scottish Government how many so-called deep-end GP practices have been taken into NHS board control. (S4O-05246)
Currently no deep-end GP practices have been taken into NHS board control. We are aware, however, that one deep-end practice in Dundee is due to come under board control in March 2016.
Plans are progressing to take the Lochee GP practice under the control not of the health board but the integration joint board. It is the first time that that has happened to a practice in an area of high deprivation, and it is the first GP practice in the country to come under the auspices of an integration joint board. Who ultimately is legally responsible for delivery of that primary care service—NHS Tayside or Dundee City Council?
NHS Tayside is responsible. Although services come together through integration, the employment status of each respective group of staff remains the same and their employer remains either the local authority or the health board. In this case, I understand that NHS Tayside will be the employer of three GPs at the practice. The other staff at the practice will be transferred into the employment of the health board.
What is important is that there is an opportunity through the Dundee community health partnership working in an integrated fashion to take on responsibility for the operational management of the practice, look at the possibility of a multidisciplinary workforce, and stabilise that practice. It will be able to look to the future and, I hope, develop new services for the people of Lochee, which everyone would welcome.
Mental Health Spending
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase spending on mental health. (S4O-05247)
Despite the UK Government reducing our total budget by 4.3 per cent in relative terms between 2015-16 and 2019-20, the draft budget for 2016-17 confirmed that the £397 million resource consequentials for health would be passed on in full, bringing the total budget for the health, wellbeing and sport portfolio to more than £13 billion for the first time.
Last year, I announced investment of £100 million to improve mental health services over the next five years. The draft budget for the coming financial year provides an additional £50 million, resulting in a total package of £150 million.
On Tuesday, the First Minister announced that £54.1million—more than one-third of that package—will be invested during the next four years to improve access to services for people of all ages, including children and adolescents.
I thank the minister for that comprehensive answer and I welcome the increase in spending. Can the minister confirm whether any national strategy or guidance is being considered to aid the transition of people from child and adolescent mental health services to adult services?
I recognise that it is essential for patients to maintain contact with mental health services when they move between services such as adolescent and adult services. Health boards have in place arrangements to ensure the minimisation of disruption to care and to avoid loss of contact.
We are engaged in the early stages of the new mental health strategy. I welcome all suggestions about what could be part of that, and I will certainly make sure that Mr Robertson’s point is included in our considerations. If he, or any other member, wants to contribute to that process, they are welcome to do so.
Stratheden Hospital (Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit)
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on the construction of the new intensive psychiatric care unit at Stratheden hospital. (S4O-05248)
Construction of the £4.5 million new intensive psychiatric care unit on the Stratheden hospital site is progressing well and is currently expected to be completed within budget by 25 April 2016.
I thank the minister for his answer and his comprehensive answer to Dennis Robertson’s question.
I recognise that, when it opens, the new IPC unit will help to provide essential care to those who need it most. Can the minister add any further information about facilities, particularly for children and young people in Fife, that will be available as a result of the increase that was promised in the budget?
We have already made significant commitments for children and young people’s mental health services. We have the child and adolescent mental health services HEAT—health improvement, efficiency and governance, access and treatment—standard to improve access to treatment for children and adolescents. Indeed, in the latest published figures, 27 per cent more people were seen by CAMHS than in the comparable period for 2014.
I recognise that more needs to be done. Yesterday’s announcement of £54.1 million investment from our total funding package of £150 million on mental health services over five years will improve access to psychological therapies for all ages, including child and adolescent mental health services. That will obviously include people in the NHS Fife area.
National Health Service Consultations (In-patient Participation)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered how it could make it easier for in-patients to participate in NHS consultations. (S4O-05249)
Listening and learning from patients is vital to improving healthcare quality and has always been a priority for this Government. Our Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 gives all patients the right to participate and is set out in our patient charter. We want to build on that and continue to make it easier for the voices of patients to be heard.
To that end, recent developments include: patient opinion, the independent website through which people can share their experiences directly; and the our voice programme, which will strengthen participation systems and practice. We are also in the middle of the national conversation, which I launched in August and through which we have already engaged with more than 10,000 people on the future of our health and social care services and what really matters to them.
I thank the cabinet secretary for her answer. Consultations can sometimes feel like a way to kick an issue into the long grass. What help has the Scottish Government offered to NHS boards to make consultations quicker without compromising their response rate?
The member has raised a fair point. Extensive guidance has been given to health boards and the involvement of the Scottish health council should help boards to make sure that, when they consult on services in their area, they do so in a way that is of quality and is genuinely participative. If we can make further changes to improve that, I am certainly happy to hear proposals through the national conversation or from the member if he wants to write to me directly.
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