General Questions
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (Fastlink)
The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment and I last met SPT on 14 July to discuss various matters, including the fastlink project. Our officials have also been in regular contact with SPT officials recently, as SPT worked on finalising the fastlink business case.
The project is good for Glasgow and potentially good for the surrounding areas. Can the minister tell us more about the next key stage?
As announced in the spending review yesterday, the Government’s capital programme makes funding available to meet the Government’s commitments to implement the core phase of the Glasgow fastlink proposal. The next key stage will be the acceptance of the business case, which my officials are reviewing as a priority and on which they will report to me shortly.
Cancer (Early Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment)
We have launched an ambitious new programme as well as encouraging improved participation in the national cancer screening programmes and increasing awareness of symptoms and suspicious signs of cancer. The initiative will encourage referral at an earlier stage. The draft implementation plan for the detect cancer early initiative was launched on 1 August to engage with key stakeholders.
Has the cabinet secretary had time to study the Daily Record of 6 September? If not, I have a copy that I am happy to share with her. The Daily Record text for Tommy campaign aims to raise £1.2 million for a cancer research laboratory in honour of Celtic legend Tommy Burns. Does she agree that the Tommy Burns memorial laboratory is a fitting tribute that will offer hope to the one in three Scots who will develop cancer in their lifetime? Will she join me in urging the whole of Scotland to text for Tommy so that many more people will benefit from world-leading cancer research and treatment?
I am pleased to give my support to the Daily Record campaign. I have already texted for Tommy to support this valuable project and I encourage others across the chamber to do likewise. The campaign is important for two reasons: it gives us the opportunity to remember one of Scotland’s great sporting heroes and it helps to ensure that research into the diagnosis and treatment of cancer continues to be supported in Scotland.
I wish to associate myself with the cabinet secretary’s remarks. I want to ask her about the uptake of breast cancer screening and bowel cancer screening. There is a lack of uptake in both cases, particularly in deprived areas. What action will the Government take to increase uptake?
Jackie Baillie is right to raise the uptake of cancer screening programmes, particularly in some of our more deprived communities. It is precisely to improve uptake of the screening programmes—as well as other points—that this Government has decided to establish the detect cancer early initiative. That will be supported by additional funding of £30 million. I hope that all members will get behind the programme. The earlier we detect cancer, the better the chance that our world-leading clinicians have of saving lives. That is what the programme is all about.
A90 (Laurencekirk)
We have reviewed the report and supplied it to the Public Petitions Committee for its on-going consideration. The report provides a more informed preliminary estimate for developers and other stakeholders of the scale of the investment that is required to construct a grade-separated junction or junctions at Laurencekirk.
I thank the minister for passing on that information, some of which I have seen.
There are various stages to go through before the stage that Nigel Don mentions is reached. The cost refinement exercise, the purpose of which was to give more certainty to potential developers and the council about the ultimate cost, has been produced. Members will remember that the original cost was between £10 million and £30 million. We thought that, in response to the point that the petitioners made, we had to give a bit more certainty about that. Having done that, it is now up to the Public Petitions Committee and others with an interest in the matter to make their views known.
The local community will be frustrated by the minister’s answer. Too many lives have been lost and too many people have been injured at the junction. Over the past 10 years, there have been four fatal collisions, 15 serious accidents and 22 accidents that have resulted in slight injuries. How many more accidents does the local community need to witness before action is taken? I urge the minister to take action now.
I have listened to the calls for action, not least from the protesters and people with a concern in the area. I have also listened to Mike Rumbles, who asked us to carry out a cost refinement study. We have done that. We have taken action, and that allows us to progress matters. Alison McInnes is therefore not right to say that the Government is not taking action. She did not mention the role of the council or future developers in making further progress or the progress that has been made through the safety changes that are still being implemented on that stretch of road. We have taken action, and we will continue to see matters through as the debate continues after the cost refinement exercise.
NHS (Safeguards for Staff Raising Concerns)
The partnership information network policy on dealing with employee concerns, which sets the minimum standard to which NHS Scotland boards must adhere, confirms that employees should be actively encouraged to raise concerns that relate to the delivery of care without fear of penalty or victimisation. The policy is consistent with current employment legislation and best practice. I encourage any member of staff who has concerns to raise them in that way.
According to a recent British Medical Association survey, many staff are unaware of whistleblowing policies. How will the Government ensure that there is better communication and feedback to NHS staff who have raised concerns in the knowledge that there will be no fear of retribution? Will the cabinet secretary ensure that NHS boards report on actions that have been taken in response to concerns that staff have raised?
It is worth pointing out to Mary Scanlon and others that the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protects NHS Scotland staff who act honestly and reasonably in raising concerns that they have about levels of care either internally or, in certain circumstances, externally.
Under the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011, we have introduced a new system of complaints for the public. Following on from the Mid Staffordshire inquiry, what steps will the cabinet secretary take to ensure that all national health service staff in Scotland understand that they have an absolute responsibility to report concerns about practice that might affect patient safety? Has the Government considered introducing a whistleblowers helpline for staff to contact if they feel that their concerns are not being addressed by local management?
I give consideration to all suggestions, and am happy to do so. With regard to the part of Richard Simpson’s question about the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011, I stress, as I did to Mary Scanlon, that there already is statutory protection for NHS workers in the situation that he describes.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of concerns that have been raised by staff in Ayrshire about NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s intention to move trauma and orthopaedics from Ayr hospital to one centre at Crosshouse hospital and the threat that that might pose to the long-term future of accident and emergency services at Ayr hospital. Can the cabinet secretary assure me of her continuing commitment to A and E at Ayr hospital and her awareness of the need to keep trauma and orthopaedics at the hospital? Can she confirm that staff should not feel threatened by management for raising concerns about the matter?
No one should ever feel threatened when they raise concerns.
Water Rates (Eligibility for Exemption)
The water services charges exemption scheme was set up as a temporary measure in 2002 to help small organisations that had received relief from water charges to make the transition to paying. The scheme was subsequently extended, with some revisions, and will run to 2015.
I thank the cabinet secretary for his reply and Stewart Stevenson for the written response that I received yesterday.
I am happy to endorse that point. We will consider whether organisations that were previously excluded should be included. I should emphasise that the scheme is not exclusively available to charities; it is available to other organisations that are not registered charities. I am aware of one or two organisations in Dr Murray’s constituency that have met with some difficulty. I have asked Scottish Water to work with those organisations and to accommodate them as far as possible, as I am conscious of the impact that those charges can have on the overall viability of well-meaning organisations.
Roderick Campbell has a supplementary question. May we have a brief question and a brief answer? [Interruption.] May we have Mr Campbell’s microphone on?
The cabinet secretary has largely covered the issue that I was going to raise in my supplementary question. I wanted to draw attention to the fact that eligibility for the scheme is based on status at 31 March 1999, which has caused difficulties for some charities. When he reviews the scheme, will the cabinet secretary ensure that Scottish Water takes account of dates?
I am very much aware of the issue. As we look to the new scheme we will take members’ points into account. I am not currently in a position to make specific promises, because we are in the process of reviewing the scheme, which will be refreshed in 2015. However, we are listening to what people are saying.
Open Market Shared Equity Scheme
This year we allocated almost £5 million to the open market shared equity scheme. The grant has now been allocated to potential purchasers, allowing them three months to find a property to buy.
I thank the minister for his response, which answered my question.
Thank you, Mr Pentland. That was most helpful.
Scottish Futures Trust (Non-profit Distributing Programme)
The Scottish Futures Trust leads on delivery of the non-profit distributing programme, which is valued at £2.5 billion. The SFT is supporting public sector procuring bodies such as NHS Lothian and Transport Scotland to deliver NPD projects. The SFT is also in frequent contact with private sector companies regarding the detail of the project pipeline and the commercial opportunities therein.
What progress is being made in meeting local authorities’ requests to take advantage of the NPD programme under the Scottish Futures Trust for financing capital projects?
We will make announcements before Christmas. Local authorities are heavily involved in a number of NPD projects. The NPD £2.5 billion covers transport, health and education. We are consulting widely in all those areas, particularly with the participating authorities, which in some cases are local authorities. The feedback that we have had from local authorities is that if the SFT was not here the Government would need to invent it.
Pressure Sores (Awareness Campaigns)
An integrated programme for tissue viability was launched in 2008 and was supported by investment of more than £1 million. The programme has produced online resources for front-line staff, to raise awareness of the need for continuous improvement in the application of evidenced-based care, to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of pressure ulcers. Staff are supported in the delivery of care by a network of tissue viability nurses and quality improvement leads in each national health service board area.
May I draw the minister’s attention to a suggestion from one of my constituents? Peter Hodge, of Lenzie, suggested that all wheelchairs should have an advice label on them that would remind people that prolonged use raises the incidence of pressure ulcers.
Advice on the prevention of pressure sores is provided as part of the existing assessment process in relation to wheelchairs. Following the assessment, the person is informed of the potential risks and the measures that they can take to avoid developing a pressure sore. That is part of the on-going programme on the provision of wheelchair services in Scotland. Guidance should be provided to individuals when they are issued with their wheelchair.
Freedom of Information (Registered Social Landlords)
Last year, the Scottish Government consulted on extending coverage of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. That consultation process considered whether registered social landlords should be included in any extension of the 2002 act’s coverage. As was announced on 26 January, ministers have concluded that it would be premature to extend coverage until the proposed FOI amendment bill has been considered and until the economic situation improves significantly.
In my experience, the Link Group has lacked transparency and consistency in its dealings with the Robroyston community in my constituency. Will the minister meet me to discuss that further?
I am happy to meet Paul Martin at any time.
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