Chamber and committees

This is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service, the information requested is not held centrally.

There were nine Inspector roles advertised in financial year 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. Three were advertised in June 2012 and six advertised in March 2013. All were advertised internally and externally.

This information is not held centrally.

The information requested is not held centrally.

All inspection reports produced by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate may have requirements and recommendations. NHS boards are invited to review draft inspection reports to check for factual accuracy. Any factual accuracy amendments that are accepted will lead Healthcare Improvement Scotland to correct the report. If necessary, they may reflect the correction in the requirements and recommendations.

Ambulance Service activity is published annually in the Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland Cost Book and this can be found at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Finance/Costs/

As part of their Patient Transport Service Improvement Programme - which includes investment in new technology, training and staff development - the Scottish Ambulance Service expect that staff numbers are likely to reduce by around 60 and the Patient Transport Service fleet will reduce by around 33 vehicles. All of the staff reductions will be secured by retirement, leavers or redeployment within the service.

I expect the Scottish Ambulance Service to ensure they deliver a consistent, high quality patient transport service for patients, and a service that is demand responsive and person centred. Any efficiencies that are secured through the better use of technology, improved planning and enhanced co-ordination will be reinvested in front-line care.

In 2011-12, 11 people left NHS Health Scotland via voluntary redundancy and 6 via early retirement, which they applied for via the open voluntary redundancy scheme.

In 2012-13, 4 people left NHS Health Scotland via voluntary redundancy.

Two clinicians working in Scotland have reported adverse incidents about transvaginal mesh products to the Incident Reporting and Investigation Centre of Health Facilities Scotland, which is part of NHS National Services Scotland.

No information is held on the number of clinicians in Scotland who have reported adverse incidents or concerns about transvaginal meshes to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority.

Officials are in regular contact with colleagues in the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA’s) about a range of issues including transvaginal meshes. This topic has been the subject of discussions at the MHRA’s Committee on the Safety of Devices, committee papers are available from the following website:

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Committees/Devices/index.htm

In addition to discussions within the last month, there was also discussion in November 2012 when the University of York Health Economics Consortium produced its report on Summaries of the Safety/Adverse Effects of Vaginal Tapes/Slings/Meshes for Stress Urinary Incontinence and Prolapse which is available at the following web-site:

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Safetyinformation/Generalsafetyinformationandadvice/Product-specificinformationandadvice/Product-specificinformationandadvice%E2%80%93M%E2%80%93T/Vaginalmeshforpelvicorganprolapse/