Chamber and committees

Yes. Myministerial colleagues and I spent considerable time over the summer of 2003consulting with communities across Scotland about antisocial behaviour. Problems with groups of people causingalarm and distress were raised many times and we found widespread support forour proposals to strengthen the powers of the police to deal with such groups.That dialogue with the people affected by antisocial behaviour has continuedand will continue throughout the progress of the bill and beyond.

In December 2000 the UKNational Screening Committee recommended that there was no evidence to supportthe introduction of a population-based thrombophilia screening programme.Screening for individuals considered to be at high risk is available throughoutNHSScotland.

All acute hospitalsthroughout Scotland will be able to treat DVT. The treatment is not normallycomplicated, however, and many cases are managed by the patient’s GP orself-managed by the patient after instruction. In cases of recurrent DVT, whichrequire investigation for an underlying predisposition to form clots(thrombophilia), screening is widely available across NHS Scotland.

The Information andStatistics Division of the Common Services Agency maintains statistics on hospitaldischarges and diagnoses. It is possible to identify cases of deep veinthrombosis linked to travel generally, but not cases specifically linked to airtravel. In 2002, 10 such cases were recorded, and the provisional figure for2003 is 13. However, caution is necessary in interpreting these figures. Somehospitals may not have recorded a possible link with travel. Also, it ispossible that the same patient may have been seen more than once in the courseof a year. We are not aware of any research relating specifically to thesefigures.

The Information andStatistics Division of the Common Services Agency maintains statistics onhospital discharges and diagnoses. There are no plans to collect informationseparately on incidences of air-related deep vein thrombosis treated inhospitals.

It is not possible todistinguish the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis which may have been triggeredby air travel from those of deep vein thrombosis in people who have not flownrecently or at all, so it would not be possible to issue such specificguidance. Though the Executive does not issue clinical advice to medicalprofessionals directly, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN),which is funded by the Executive, has issued advice on what may be done toprevent or reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism, including deep veinthrombosis, developing in the first place. The good practice clinical guidelineProphylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism was published in October 2002 andincludes a section on long distance travel. SIGN guidelines are made availableto the NHS at all levels, and are kept under regular review to take account ofnew published research.

Doppler machines are widelyavailable in acute hospitals throughout Scotland.

Community health partnerships(CHP) should, where possible, reflect natural communities. They must be fit forpurpose and the size should be based on the principle of co-terminosity betweenCHPs and local authorities and natural communities. Consideration must also begiven to the minimum population size required to deliver a wide range ofservices for local people.

We attach the highest importanceto gaining the views of all professional staff and local communities inevolving community health partnerships (CHP) and this includes the issue of boundaries.The consultation paper on the development of CHPs issued on the 18 Julyemphasised that NHS boards must ensure that local authority partners are fullyinvolved in the development of CHPs and that all proposed schemes should bedeveloped through a bottom up inclusive process and demonstrate that the viewsof all stakeholders have been taken into consideration.

The main aims of community healthpartnerships (CHP) were described in the white paper Partnership for Care.Further information on the broad criteria is contained in the NHS Reform Billand is underpinned by the recent consultation process on CHP guidance whichdescribes the proposed form and function of CHPs.