Chamber and committees

This information is not held centrally.

There is no nationally or internationally agreed definition of adverse event, Healthcare Improvement Scotland has been asked to develop a national approach to the management of adverse events and this will include an agreed definition.

NHS boards are responsible for ensuring the quality, safety and effectiveness of the services they provide and as such, there are a range of mechanisms in place for the recording and management of adverse events across the NHS in Scotland.

NHS Boards are responsible for the local management of adverse events and the expectation is that all staff involved in such incidents, are made aware of any learning resulting from them.

This expectation is set out in the Scottish Government’s Staff Governance Standard, under the Managing Health at Work PIN Guideline (2003), and the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Standard that were published in 2005 by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. It is the responsibility of NHS Boards to ensure this guidance is reflected in local policy and practice.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland published the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Standards in 2005 and these can be found at: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org.

In addition there is guidance and alerts circulated via the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetyguidance/DeviceBulletins/index.htm.

It is unclear how many people might lose either wholly or in part their eligibility for benefits as a result of the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

However there is enough data to allow us to estimate what the impact of moving from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments might be for the Blue Badge Parking Scheme and the National Concessionary Travel Scheme. These are set out in my letter of 22 February 2013 to the Convener of the Welfare Reform Committee. It is available at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_Welfare_Reform_Committee/papers_05032013.pdf.

Headcount numbers of GPs working in general practice in Scotland are routinely collected and are published annually at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/GPs-and-Other-Practice-Workforce/.

The published figures currently run from 1988 to 2012 inclusive and include the geographical breakdown of headcount by NHS Board and Community Health Partnership.

The Bill on integration of adult health and social care being introduced to parliament before summer, will ensure that statutory partners, both Health Boards and Local Authorities, jointly plan and design services based on the needs of the population. The Bill will ensure that statutory partners are held equally and jointly accountable for the effective delivery of adult health and social care services. Our approach will ensure a focus on person- centred care, which will be of particular benefit in deprived areas.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the Deep End group of practices that are situated in the most deprived areas of Scotland whilst delivery models for the future are being informed through pilot work in deprived areas, including the 17c Reducing Inequalities Pilot Programme and the Scottish Government sponsored Links Project.

The national strategy for Self Directed Support was launched on 23 November 2010. It sets out a 10 year vision which aims to give people more choice and control over their health and social care and support.

The publication of local self-directed support implementation plans is a local authority matter and is a decision to be made at a local level. Information regarding local implementation plans has been provided to the Scottish Government via the local authority Self-directed Support “stock take” questionnaire.

The SDS Programme Board has made a recommendation of 01 April 2014 as the target commencement date for the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. I have approved this as the target commencement date for the Act.

Local authorities have a duty under section 12A of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess a person’s social care needs. Following the commencement of the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 local authorities will be required to offer the four self-directed support options to anyone assessed as eligible for social care.

The Welfare Reform (Consequential Amendments) Scotland Regulations 2013 and the Education (School Lunches) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2013 were laid before the Scottish Parliament on 25 February 2013. The Welfare Reform (Consequential Amendments) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2013 were laid before the Scottish Parliament on 27 February 2013.

This enables the regulations to come into force at the same time as the regulations for Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payments.