Chamber and committees

Following publication of theMental Welfare Commission Report Older and Wiser - Findings from our unannouncedvisits to NHS continuing care ward (Bib. number 42946), I have asked the NHSboards to provide action plans that set out how they will ensure that all servicesmeet the standards of the best service as identified in that report. Dementia isa national priority and we place great importance on support services for dementiasufferers.

Wealso have two timetabled commitments directed at further improving services forthose with dementia and their carers. These include a pilot programme on how bestto improve dementia services (2008) and the development of standards for an IntegratedCare Pathway for dementia (end 2007). Additional general mental health timetabledinitiatives including work on reducing readmissions, improving physical health;better crisis responses and improving the physical health of those with mental illnesswill also have a positive impact.

Thesecommitments are monitored and discussed with NHS boards and their partners throughthe Implementation Review process and visiting programme.

Weare also developing an Outcomes Framework for Community Care that will provide anothermonitor on joined up care for vulnerable people (including those with dementia). It includes four national outcomes, 16 performance measuresand, for the present, five targets that will drive joint performance. It will startin 2007-08 and be fully implemented in 2008-09. It covers areas such as user satisfaction,waiting times for assessments and service delivery, quality of assessments and reviews,emergency admissions, carers’ well-being, etc.

Work on benchmarking (identifyingnational common service definitions and measurable outcomes in health and socialcare) is also well underway. This work will provide outcomes allowing the benchmarkingand comparison of services across Scotland, including those for people with dementia.

I am meeting the Care Commission’sConvener and Chief Executive on  2 July 2007when a wide range of strategic issueswill be discussed.

The current regulatory framework,including the National Care Standards, requires care homes and independent hospitalsto provide care and support that meets the assessed needs of individual serviceusers, including of course people with dementia.

The Regulation of Care (Scotland)Act 2001 and its associated regulations require a care home provider to ensure thatat all times suitably qualified and competent persons are working in the care hometo meet the individual needs of care home residents.

Staff registering with the ScottishSocial Services Council (SSSC) are required to meet specific criteria, one beinghaving an appropriate qualification for the job they are employed to carry out.The level of, and range of, acceptable qualifications is set by the SSSC. Registrationof staff working in adult care home services commenced in January 2006 with managersof the service and further groups from October 2007.

The on-going pilot project (dementiaServices Development Centre/Forth Valley) looking at ways to improve local servicesand match care better to local needs, will also be given consideration to this issue.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotlandare currently developing standards for an Integrated Care Pathway for dementia,which includes an accreditation process toensure this is delivered. A draft is currentlyout for consultation to June 2007 and thestandards and accreditation process will be finalised later this year.

These standards are for all agenciesand interests and will ensure patients receive comprehensive, quality care throughoutthe patient journey.

We have established new workforceplanning arrangements in Scotland to help match the supply of staff to the workforce demandfrom NHS boards. Board plans published in April 2007 provide staffing projectionsfor all staff groups to deliver their planned patient services including dementiaservices.

The Scottish Government has noplans to review this decision. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) is the bodywhich reviews decisions by National Institute and Clinical Excellence (NICE) withregard to their applicability in Scotland. In this case, NHS QIS endorsed the position stated byNICE that these drugs are recommended for the treatment of moderate dementia inAlzheimer’s disease.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-554 on 14 June 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website; the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The Mental Health (Care andTreatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 places a duty on health boards and localauthorities to secure the provision of appropriate independent advocacyservices for all people with mental disorders, including those with dementia. Throughthe implementation review process the Scottish Government is activelymonitoring the provision of advocacy services for all client groups. We alsofund the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, which promotes and supportsadvocacy services throughout Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-645 on 13 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-645 on 13 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website; the search facility forwhich can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.