Chamber and committees

Adequate fluid intake is fundamental to the care of all patients and as such is the responsibility of everyone involved in the care of patients. Accurate recording of fluid balance for those at risk of, or suffering from dehydration, is key to providing a safe level of care. Maintaining accurate records, including fluid balance charts, is a core responsibility of all registered staff who are accountable for their practice. It is also the responsibility of those who are employed within the NHS in the care team, such as health care assistants.

The Scottish Government has not issued specific guidance to NHS boards on this matter. However, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland''s Clinical Standards on Food, Fluid and Nutrition in Hospitals, (standard 3.6), provides NHS Scotland with a specific standard on fluid intake monitoring. All NHS boards are currently being peer reviewed regarding these standards.

Specific guidance for NHS boards is contained in the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) publication Postoperative Management in Adults - A Practical Guide to Postoperative Care for Clinical Staff. This guidance is available from the SIGN website at:

http://www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign77.pdf.

In addition, as part of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, the Surgical Site Infection Prevention Bundle has been developed and implemented by NHS boards to improve the consistency and standard of treatment given to patients and to improve patient outcomes.

The Surgical Profiles Project also provides data to improve surgical care. This is a package of comparative clinical indicators on local surgical services that NHS boards can use to help improve the delivery and outcomes of patient care by identifying potential areas for attention and also areas of good practice. This project is being managed by NHS Health Quality. The link to this work is:

http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/3638.html.

Good progress is being made in reducing the number of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). The sixth national annual report on SSIs confirmed a downward trend in infection rates across all categories of surgery. Overall the figures show a significant decrease from 1.1% of all reported procedures in 2007 to 0.7% in 2008.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0917-01.htm

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0910-01.htm

The Scottish Government is supporting the single outcome agreement through the provision of affordable housing in North Ayrshire. In 2009-10 funding of £7.681 million will be provided for a range of development projects in North Ayrshire. This investment will increase the supply of new affordable housing in pressured areas such as Arran. An on-going programme of regeneration projects is also being supported in North Ayrshire. North Ayrshire Council have also been awarded a grant of £0.575 million to build 23 council houses in Irvine through the Scottish Government''s council house building initiative.

In addition to its direct funding role the Scottish Government is also engaging closely with North Ayrshire Council in its strategic role of identifying local housing needs and setting local housing priorities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26786 on 9 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The raising of private finance is the responsibility of the registered social landlord managing the project. Whilst no alternatives for sources of private finance specifically in North Ayrshire have been considered for affordable housing the Scottish Government is seeking to maximise private finance contributions through individual projects by adjustments to the allowance system in the appraisal of these projects.

Local authorities have been invited to submit applications for a second round of funding to incentivise the construction of new council housing at a subsidy of up to £25,000 per unit. No decision has been taken yet on whether or how to extend support for councils to help them build new housing beyond the 2nd round nor on any future level of subsidy.

Adopt an Apprentice applications have been received from employers covering 24 local authority areas. North Ayrshire is one of the eight areas which has not received an approach as yet.

Skills Development Scotland solely manages the funding of the Adopt an Apprentice Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government. In the first instance training providers of displaced apprentices, contracted by Skills Development Scotland, should work with the apprentice to support the search for alternative employment which will allow the apprentice to complete their training.

If it does not prove possible to source alternative employment the training provider would be expected to provide initial advice and guidance about possible alternative training opportunities. The provision of alternative training opportunities is managed in partnership between Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council and delivered through colleges. This reflects the ability of colleges to offer a variety of alternative training options to individuals.