Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8144 on 28 January 2008. Allanswers 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/webapp/wa.search.

We have no plans for nationalaction to monitor noise levels within continuing care wards or care homes.

It is the responsibility of NHSboards to provide an acceptable environment for patients within continuing carewards.

Within care homes the responsibilityfor providing adequate care, including the care environment, rests with providers,care home managers and staff. The vast majority of residents have single rooms.

It is the responsibility ofhealth boards and staff in continuing care wards to ensure that patients have accessto mental and physical activities appropriate to their individual needs and wishes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8133 on 23 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website; the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8144 on 28 January 2008.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite; the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Scottish Government officialshave liaised periodically with COSLA officials, in order to ensure that they wereaware of this initiative, and have in addition disseminated information directlyto all local authorities on the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008.

Through our Scottish GovernmentOffice in Brussels, we have made plans for a series of cultural events inBrussels during 2008. The programme will includeevents featuring Scottish Opera and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and a writers’series featuring well-known Scottish writers such as Christopher Brookmyre, IainBanks and Quintin Jardine, as well as talents like Kevin MacNeil, a young up andcoming Gaelic author. The audience for theseevents will come from a range of member state delegations, and will encourage interculturaldialogue and cultural exchange between Scotland and its European neighbours.

Scottish Government officialshave, from an early stage, monitored the development of proposals for this initiative,and in doing so have liaised regularly with their counterparts at the Departmentfor Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). DCMS has designated EUCLID, the UK’s EU CulturalContact Point, as the organisation best placed to promote the European Year of InterculturalDialogue within the UK. The Scottish Government has disseminated informationthrough its national cultural agencies and its local authorities.

The Scottish Social ServicesCouncil, which is responsible for registering people who work in social care andregulating their education and training, has published a skills set setting outthe SVQ units most relevant for staff working with people with dementia. The contentof the skills set links with SVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care.

Following on from the publicationof the Mental Welfare Commission report, Older and Wiser, NHSboards were asked to review services and practice in continuing care wards in lightof the findings of the report and to produce an action plan to ensure they meetappropriate standards for the privacy and dignity of patients and access to physicaland mental activities and care appropriate to their needs. Responses fromhealth boards showed progress on key issues. NHS boards are being encouraged tocontinue implementation of their action plans.

We have identified dementia asa national priority and a range of work is in progress to further improve dementiacare:

we are funding a joint pilotproject between the Dementia Services Development Centre, NHS Forth Valley and otherpartners to improve local dementia services;

NHS Quality Improvement Scotlandpublished in December 2007 National Standards for Integrated Care Pathways for mentalhealth, including the management and treatment of dementia, and

we have established a NationalForum on Dementia, involving key stakeholders, including the Mental Welfare Commission,to advise on key aspects of dementia care.

Care home providers are requiredby regulations to ensure that staff employed in the care home receive training appropriateto the work they are to perform. The National Care Standards - Care Homesfor Older People also require that the carewhich residents receive is provided by management and staff whose professional trainingand expertise allows them to meet the residents’ needs. The Care Commission as thenational regulator of care services ensures that regulations and Standards are met.

Qualifications criteria for registrationby the Scottish Social Services Council take account of the roles undertaken bymanagers and the skills they require. Recognised qualifications must meet the principlesof integration of practice and learning, be recognised within the Scottish Creditand Qualifications Framework (SCQF), and underpin a knowledge and value base thatis consistent with the Code of Practice for Social Service Workers. Once registereda worker will be required to undertake Post Registration Training and Learning tomaintain and update their skills and knowledge