Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14683 on 21 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health Protection Scotland is part of National Services Scotland, and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is a special health board. National Services Scotland and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland are accountable to Scottish ministers who hold annual reviews in public.

We are always willing to learn from other countries, and the Scottish Government has done so for many years. Our key stakeholders on the HAI Task Force are in regular contact with their counterparts around the world “ including the Department of Health “ so both they and we can learn from each other on the most effective approaches that are being taken towards tackling Clostridium difficile and other Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs). It is also the case that both the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorate and the Scottish Infection Research Network (SIRN) at Glasgow University encourage and support innovative research and projects into HAI to ensure that our approach continues to evolve.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) does not undertake unannounced visits of hospitals to check standards. NHS QIS reviews the performance of NHS boards against its standards in accordance with its planned work programme. Further information regarding the work of NHS QIS is available from their website www.nhshealthquality.org.

NHS boards are accountable for the quality and safety of the NHS services they provide including those provided in hospitals. A range of scrutiny and performance management arrangements are in place including annual reviews by Scottish ministers held in public.

The future of scrutiny arrangements in the public sector, including the NHS, is being considered as part of the Scottish Government''s response to the Report of the Independent Review of Regulation, Audit, Inspection and Complaints Handling of Public Services in Scotland (The Crerar Review).

NHS boards are accountable for the quality and safety of the NHS services they provide including those provided in hospitals. A range of scrutiny and performance management arrangements are in place including annual reviews by Scottish ministers held in public.

The future of scrutiny arrangements in the public sector, including the NHS, is being considered as part of the Scottish Government''s response to the Report of the Independent Review of Regulation, Audit, Inspection and Complaints Handling of Public Services in Scotland (The Crerar Review).

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15205 on 18 August 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Guidance to NHS boards is provided in the Standard Infection Control Precautions model policies produced by Health Protection Scotland (HPS). HPS is currently drafting new overarching national guidance on Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) which will set out the containment measures that should be used for patients with Clostridium difficile. As advised in previous answers, the Scottish Government''s HAI Task Force has been informed by HPS that the draft CDAD guidance will be provided to them in September 2008.

Investigations by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde into cases of Clostridium difficile were on-going in late May 2008 and I was being kept regularly informed of the situation that was emerging. As evidence was still being gathered, and as the situation was being actively managed by the board public health professional team with specialist advice from Health Protection Scotland, it would not have been appropriate for me to intervene in that process by instructing a look back exercise any earlier than June.

Yes.