Chamber and committees

Our new Energy Assistance Package, which we will put in place from April, has four stages which in practice may run concurrently. Stages 1 and 2 will provide energy efficiency advice to all comers and benefits entitlement checks to a wide range of clients at risk of fuel poverty. Stage 3 will ensure installation of standard insulation measures to eligible households under the Carbon Emission Reduction Target programmes run by energy companies. Stage 4 will offer a package of enhanced energy efficiency measures to the most vulnerable - those living in energy inefficient housing in the private sector who are either older pensioner households, low income pensioner households or low income households with a child under 5 or a disabled child under 16, and to all private sector pensioner households who have never had a central heating system.

We plan to offer at stage 4 replacement LPG heating systems to those already using this fuel if that is their preference rather than electric storage or air source heat pumps.

I refer the member to answer to question S3W-20486 on 26 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx. NHS bo

GPs as independent contractors are expected to identify and address their own education needs throughout their careers. GPs are also expected to follow national clinical guidelines on the management of patient with dementia, which includes diagnosis (Bib. number 47786).

They are supported in this by NHS boards, for example through the Protected Learning Time initiatives which allows supported time for training. They also have access to a range of education and training materials in different formats and media. Directors of GP Post Graduate Education; NHS Education for Scotland; The Royal College of General Practitioners; NHS elibrary services; specialist colleagues; are amongst those available to help and advise GPs on resources for diagnosis support, and education and training to meet their development needs.

Achieving additional skills and knowledge also forms part of the new GP training curriculum, which includes the Care of Older Adults.

We have a specific timetabled target for NHS boards, linked to the GMS contract, to achieve improvements in the early diagnosis and management of patients with dementia by March 2011. The Mental Health Collaborative is supporting NHS boards in this work and has produced a toolkit designed to analyse their dementia services from the perspective of those using the service.

NHS boards are also introducing standards for integrated care pathways (Bib. number 44374) for those with dementia to ensure the right care is available at the right time.

NHS Education for Scotland has also recently commissioned the Dementia Services Development Centre to design and deliver training to support early interventions. By the summer, 40 nurses and Allied Health Professionals from across Scotland will have completed this training.

We are also investing £600,000 in our work with Alzheimer Scotland and the Dementia Services Development Centre to develop better structured intervention, support and information services immediately following first diagnosis. This work will further develop our understanding of how we can best offer these services in a way that meets the needs of patients and carers in an understanding and sensitive manner.

Current spend on mental health services, including dementia, is drawn from the record funds allocated to NHS boards and local government. For 2008-09, £10.6 billion has been allocated to Health and £11.2 billion to local government.

We are also investing over £1.5 million over the next three years through the Dementia Clinical Research Network and on our work with Alzheimer Scotland and the Dementia Services Development Centre to design effective, practical steps for better and earlier identification and interventions for dementia.

Following research into public attitudes and understandings of dementia in 2008 we will shortly launch a pilot public awareness campaign in Tayside which is intended to increase the number of people with dementia coming forward for diagnosis. We will evaluate the outcome of that campaign and use the learning from it to inform possible future national campaign work.

The currently known level of shortfall for home adaptations by housing associations, broken down by local authority, is as follows:

Local Authority	Estimated Shortfall
Highland	£0.127 million
Orkney	£0.025 million
Argyll and Bute	£0.170 million
Dumfries and Galloway	£0.081 million
East Ayrshire	£0.028 million
East Renfrewshire	£0.012 million
Glasgow	£0.235 million
Inverclyde	£0.181 million
North Ayrshire	£0.132 million
North Lanarkshire	£0.450 million
Renfrewshire	£0.003 million
South Ayrshire	£0.016 million
South Lanarkshire	£0.179 million
Total	£1.639 million

 

These figures differ from those stated in S3W-19801 as they have been updated to reflect the £0.500 million slippage from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme which has been reallocated to East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

From 1 April 2009 NHS boards have a specific HEAT target to reduce energy consumption by 2% per annum (climatically adjusted). An additional £15 million of capital resources have been identified over three years to support carbon reduction measures within NHS boards

The Scottish Government will also require all NHSScotland bodies to apply the BREEAM Healthcare sustainability assessment tool to new capital investment and require an excellent rating for all new health facilities.

The Scottish Government is aware of the significant additional burden that high fuel prices in general have on those living and working in many rural parts of Scotland.

As fuel duty is a reserved issue, responsibility for this matter rests with the UK Government. However, the Scottish Government has made a number of representations to the UK Government on the issue recently and will continue to do so.

In addition, Scottish Government officials are due to shortly meet with trade bodies and suppliers to discuss the impact of recent price rises in LPG and Heating Oil.

In terms of current assistance, to help households and small businesses we fund the Energy Saving Scotland advice network to advice on alternative fuel supplies, including renewable technologies, and on measures to improve the energy efficiency of their homes or premises, saving energy, carbon and money.

Depending on personal circumstances and the energy efficiency levels of homes, people may benefit from elements of the Energy Assistance Package, commencing in April 2009, which replaces the Central Heating and Warm Deal Programmes. This package will improve on the existing fuel poverty programmes by reaching more people and providing a wider range of support in one integrated package, and will begin to tackle rural fuel poverty more efficiently. The new package will help increase incomes, reduce fuel bills and improve the energy efficiency of homes.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the Audit Scotland Report Asset Management in the NHS in Scotland and will respond positively to address the key messages and recommendations contained within the report.