Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-17668

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Adam Ingram on 20 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that disposals arrived at by children’s panels are properly resourced.

The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 requires local authorities to give effect to a supervision requirement made by a children''s panel. The act also places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in need by providing a range and level of services appropriate to their needs.

Resources have been allocated to local authorities and under the single outcome agreement, it is for the local authorities to agree their strategic priorities for the local area and express those priorities as outcomes to be delivered by the partners.

Under the Getting It Right For Every Child programme, agencies involved in a child''s care are being encouraged to come together at an early juncture to agree the child''s intervention plan, its resourcing and implementation, using a common language and approach. This approach will be strengthened under the new Early Years Framework, jointly developed with COSLA, where the importance of early identification of need and providing timely and appropriate support is recognised.

The Scottish Government can set the direction of policy and is giving local authorities and community planning partners the room they need to deliver services that meet varying local needs.

Question reference: S3W-17667

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Adam Ingram on 20 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider legislation to entitle children’s panel members to have paid time off to participate in hearings.

There are no plans to introduce legislation of this type.

Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, states that an employer shall, with certain exceptions, permit an employee who is a member of a children''s panel to take reasonable time off for the purpose of attending hearings. For many panel members this is already paid time off. Employers recognise that the skills and experience gained through being a panel member can be of benefit within the workplace. They also see this as a way of putting something back into the community.

It is one of the strengths of Scotland''s unique system of children''s hearings that the panel comprises of volunteers recruited from the local community. The contribution that those members make is valued very highly. The reform of the children''s hearings system is an opportunity to provide a more improved and consistent level of support.

Question reference: S3W-17673

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a staff uniform policy in relation to the prevention of healthcare-acquired infections and, if so, what the main principles are.

The Scottish Government''s Health and Wellbeing Directorates are in the process of finalising a national uniform and dress code for NHSScotland.

The most appropriate measures to prevent the spread of infection is rapid diagnosis of patients, the use of personal protective equipment including disposable aprons and gloves, environmental cleaning and rigorous hand hygiene procedures.

All boards have infection prevention and control policy manuals which are based on Health Protection Scotland model policies. These policies include guidance on the use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene. Compliance with these policies is monitored through the Infection Prevention and Control Annual Audit Programme.

Question reference: S3O-04868

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that incidence of and mortality from Clostridium difficile are reported on a hospital-by-hospital basis.

Yes. The Scottish Government will be issuing a reporting template for all boards to use from January 2009.

This template will enable boards to undertake a critical review of all cases of Clostridium difficile associated disease in hospital and those which result in death, identify whether the patient''s clinical care was optimal and what can be improved to reduce the risk of future patients developing CDAD.

I will make it clear to NHS boards that the outcome of the analysis of all cases must be reported at bi-monthly board meetings and that the data must be published.

Question reference: S3W-17622

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what outcomes for people with learning disabilities were set out in single outcome agreements, broken down by local authority.

Learning disability is mentioned in the single outcome agreements in the context of the provision of care and support services, accommodation, employability, independent living, children and young people, obesity, personal life plans and pregnancy services.

In relation to community care, 10 local authorities have included Indicator 29 in their single outcome agreements, which is to increase the proportion of people needing care or support who are able to sustain an independent quality of life as part of the community, through effective joint working.

Question reference: S3W-17186

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 October 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, following publication of the report of the recent investigation by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, Wrong place, Wrong time, whether it will urgently review the operation of adolescent mental health services across Scotland to ensure a consistent approach to the care and treatment of 16 and 17-year-olds.

I welcome the commission''s continued attention to child and young people''s mental health services and share the ambition for consistency of approach.

Working with NHS boards and other partners we continue to address and progress the recommendations made in The Mental Health of Children and Young People Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care (Bib. number 38415). Full delivery will ensure equity of access across Scotland to services designed to meet the particular prevention, care, transition and recovery needs of children and adolescents.

Question reference: S3W-17679

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it will take to ensure that cases of Clostridium difficile are accurately diagnosed.

NHS laboratories follow the framework set out in Health Protection Scotland guidance document Guidance on Prevention and Control of Clostridium difficile Associated Disease in Healthcare Settings in Scotland. The guidance is available at:

http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/sshaip/guidelinedetail.aspx?id=39295.

In addition, Health Protection Scotland is working with NHS boards to improve surveillance procedures and reporting systems across all NHS boards, as set out under the surveillance section of our national HAI action plan which was established in response to the recommendations arising from the publication of the Health Protection Scotland Report Review of Clostridium difficile Associated Disease Cases and Mortality in all Acute Hospitals in Scotland from December 2007 - May 2008 and the report of the Independent Review Team Report on the Clostridium difficile Outbreaks at Vale of Leven Hospital.

The national action plan is available from the HAI Task Force website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/19529/2005/actionplans.

Question reference: S3W-17675

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Scotland insists that sterile scrubs are used by all clinical staff in hospital wards.

Question reference: S3W-17619

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many single outcome agreements make reference to learning disability.

Question reference: S3W-17671

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 November 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will pilot the use of sterile clothing as a means of reducing the incidence of healthcare-acquired infections.