- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how it has ensured that Her Majesty's Government's representations to the European Union in respect of the General Agreement on Trade in Services reflect the Executive's commitment to retain Scotland's public water services in the public sector.
Answer
The Scottish Executive achieved this outcome by advising the Department of Tradeand Industry of the Executive’s commitment to retaining Scotland’s public water services in the public sector.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 2 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7791 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2004, what research and monitoring it carries out to satisfy itself that approved PPP projects are better value for money than a conventional procurement route over the lifetime of the projects concerned.
Answer
Value for money is assessed atOutline business case stage and full business case stage. It is for the procuringpublic sector body to monitor value for money throughout the procurement process.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 1 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-665 by Mr Tom McCabe on 30 October 2003, whether GP prescribing of portable oxygen has ensured that an effective means of supply and distribution is in place to meet the needs of all patients in Scotland who can benefit.
Answer
Portable oxygen has been availableon GP prescription since 1 April 2004. The arrangements we have put in place are designed toensure that GPs will be prescribing on the basis of specialist advice. The supplyand distribution of oxygen cylinders and associated equipment remain subject tolocally negotiated agreements between NHS boards and the community pharmacists intheir areas.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 1 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were issued with portable oxygen cylinders on prescription in April 2004, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer
Statistical information aboutitems dispensed on the NHS does not include the number of patients for whom prescriptionswere written. Portable oxygen has been prescribable by GPs since 1 April 2004. The CommonServices Agency will record the number of portable oxygen cylinders provided onNHS prescription but final data for April 2004 are not likely to be available beforethe end of June.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, what information it has circulated to GPs, pharmacies and hospitals regarding the prescribing of portable oxygen.
Answer
The three Health Department Letters(HDLs) listed were issued to all NHS boards earlier this year for distribution tofamily health service staff and health care professionals, including GPs and communitypharmacists. Hospital staff with a clinical responsibility for Domiciliary OxygenTherapy Service patients also received copies and their attention was drawn to theclinical criteria by which a patient's suitability for portable oxygen should beassessed.
NHS HDL(2004)01 dated 12 January 2004
Addendum to NHS HDL(2004)01 dated9 February 2004
NHS HDL(2004)11 dated 15 March 2004
All HDLs may be accessed on theNHS net at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has taken on whether, if the Civil Partnerships Bill is enacted in the form currently proposed, it would be acting contrary to Articles 9(1) and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by allowing mixed-sex couples to manifest their faith in the creation of the civil status of marriage while not giving same-sex couples the freedom to manifest their faith in the creation of the civil status arising out of the Civil Partnerships Bill.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is satisfied that the devolved provisions in the Civil Partnership Billcomply with the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-665 by Mr Tom McCabe on 30 October 2003, whether a decision has been taken regarding the possible benefits of making conservation devices available on the NHS.
Answer
No decisions have been takento date. A scoping study to establish the clinical suitability of the devices forpatients, and the possible cost and supply implications, has just commenced. Theresults of the study will be available later this year.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current (a) target, (b) average, and (c) actual median waiting time is in each NHS board area for a first consultation at an ear, nose and throat clinic following referral from a general practitioner, showing the differences between routine and non-routine referrals where applicable.
Answer
The mean and median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the specialty of ear, nose and throat (ENT), following referral by a general medical practitioner, by NHS board area of residence, in the year ended 30 September 2003, are given in the table. This information is compiled from discharge data, and it is not possible to separately identify routine and non-routine appointments.
Partnership for Care: Scotland’s Health White Paper and A Partnership for a Better Scotland include our commitment that, bythe end of 2005, no patient will wait more than 26 weeks for a first out-patientappointment, following referral by a general medical/dental practitioner.
The Centre for Change and Innovation are leading a £3.5 million national redesign of ENT outpatient services, launched on 7 May. This redesign is supporting frontline clinicians to test and implement new ways of delivering out-patient services that reduce waiting times and improve quality.
NHSScotland: Mean And Median Waiting Times For A First Out-patient Appointment With a Consultant In the Specialty of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS Board of Residence, Year Ended 30 September 2003
| NHS Board | Mean Waiting Time (Days) | Median Waiting Time (Days) |
| Argyll and Clyde | 76 | 64 |
| Ayrshire and Arran | 54 | 47 |
| Borders | 73 | 34 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 52 | 46 |
| Fife | 102 | 82 |
| Forth Valley | 80 | 63 |
| Grampian | 143 | 85 |
| Greater Glasgow | 110 | 84 |
| Highland | 51 | 43 |
| Lanarkshire | 117 | 98 |
| Lothian | 87 | 55 |
| Orkney | * | * |
| Shetland | 44 | 45 |
| Tayside | 122 | 55 |
| Western Isles | 73 | 69 |
| Scotland | 97 | 66 |
Source: ISD Scotland SMR00.
Note: *Information not shown due to small numbers.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has, since the publication of the Civil Partnerships Bill in the House of Lords, consulted with Scottish faith communities to ask if they would wish the freedom to choose whether they will be able to officiate in the creation of the civil status that will arise from the Civil Partnerships Bill once enacted in the same way as they may officiate in the creation of the civil status of marriage under the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 and what the results of any such consultation were.
Answer
The Executive consultedwidely prior to the publication of the Civil Partnership Bill including withfaith groups. Since the publication of the Civil Partnership Bill on 31 March 2004, the Scottish Executive has not consulted with Scottish faith communities to ask if they wishto officiate in the formation of civil partnerships. It is of course the casethat faith groups if they wish will be able to conduct blessings or other formsof ceremony in line with the wishes of the partners, before or after a civilpartnership is registered.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-665 by Mr Tom McCabe 30 October 2003, whether the study to consider the possible benefit to patients of alternative methods of supply and distribution of portable oxygen is complete and, if so, what the results of the study were.
Answer
The study on alternative supplyarrangements has yet to commence. A prerequisite for starting the study is receiptof data on how the new arrangements, which came in from 1 April 2004, are impactingacross the NHS in Scotland.
Arrangements for collection of the necessary data are now in place and the intention is to feed the results intoa wider review of the revised Domiciliary Oxygen Service which is to take placein 2005-06.
