Chamber and committees

Disabled people living in their own homes with an incontinence problem have direct access to support and advice through their GP who will arrange for a nurse to undertake a comprehensive clinical assessment.

NHS boards have developed clinical guidelines to support their staff to deliver the effective care to patients with urinary incontinence. The guidelines are based on the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Best Practice Statement for Urinary Dysfunction and SIGN Guideline 79 - The Management of Urinary Incontinence in Primary Care. These guidelines focus on effective continencepromotion and supportive incontinence management.

The Scottish Executive has established Scottish Screen as the prime public agency charged with the promotion of Scotland as a film location. Its annual report records the progress it has achieved in attracting film and television companies to work in Scotland.

Funding for smoking cessation services is not currently ring fenced for specific priority groups such as pregnant women.

The Ministerial Working Group on Tobacco Control considered the allocation of the additional £4 million for the provision of smoking cessation services in 2005-06. The group noted that if funding was allocated on a pro-rata basis 4.3% would be allocated to services for pregnant women. It considered that ring fencing the funding in this way to be too prescriptive and that health boards should be allowed to identify and respond to local needs of the priority groups, such as pregnant women, identified in the Smoking Kills White Paper.

Supported by a Scottish Executive Integrated Transport Fund award of £0.5 million, Strathclyde Passenger Transport has appointed the consultants Scott Wilson to undertake a feasibility study into the proposed Crossrail scheme. The study’s findings are expected in mid-June.

All opticians must be registered with the General Optical Council to practice in the UK. They must therefore meet the registration requirements and comply with the code of practice of the General Optical Council.

Dispensing opticians and optometrists must also comply with their Code of Conduct, which states that “patients must be able to trust Dispensing Opticians and Optometrists with their wellbeing” and that practitioners “have a duty to maintain a good standard of practice and care and to show respect for all aspects of human life”.

The NHS does not generally provide high street optical services itself, but may make arrangements for these services through independent contractor optometrists. Their terms of service require them to provide proper and sufficient consulting and waiting room accommodation and suitable equipment for the provision of general ophthalmic services. Health boards are able to inspect such accommodation and equipment on request. It is expected that any contractor carrying out health care on behalf of NHSScotland will adhere to local and national NHSScotland guidance and protocols relating to infection control, hygiene and safe decontamination of re-usable devices.

Neither the NHS nor the Scottish Executive sets cleanliness and hygiene standards in respect of privately-operated optician services.

The Executive regards cleanliness and hygiene in all healthcare premises, whether owned and operated by the NHS or used to provide a service to NHS patients under contract, as very important. Clean and hygienic premises reduce the risk of infection and improve the quality of patients’ and users’ experience of public services.

Neither NHSScotland nor the Scottish Executive sets cleanliness and hygiene standards in respect of privately-operated optician services. The NHS does not generally provide high street optical services itself, but may make arrangements for these services through independent contractor optometrists. Their terms of service require them to provide proper and sufficient consulting and waiting room accommodation and suitable equipment for the provision of general ophthalmic services. Health boards are able to inspect such accommodation and equipment on request. It is expected that any contractor carrying out healthcare on behalf of NHSScotland will adhere to local and national NHSScotland guidance and protocols relating to infection control, hygiene and safe decontamination of re-usable devices.

This information is not held centrally. Any such information would be held by NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

We have had no specific discussions about NHS general dental service provision with NHS Ayrshire and Arran. Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in the area rests with NHS Ayrshire and Arran. The boards is aware that if there is a gap in provision, which cannot be filled by other means, it can apply to Scottish ministers for approval for salaried dentist posts.