Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-04807

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median averages given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003 differs from the mean averages for each quarter since 1997.

The information requested isshown in the following table.

	Difference in Median Wait and Mean Wait (days)
Quarter Ended	In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times			First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times
	Median	Mean	Difference	Median	Mean	Difference
30 June 1997	34	59.6	-25.6	40	54.0	-14.0
30 September 1997	34	60.7	-26.7	45	60.2	-15.2
31 December 1997	32	58.8	-26.8	44	61.7	-17.7
31 March 1998	33	60.7	-27.7	43	60.7	-17.7
30 June 1998	32	59.4	-27.4	43	59.3	-16.3
30 September 1998	33	60.4	-27.4	48	64.0	-16.0
31 December 1998	31	59.2	-28.2	48	64.8	-16.8
31 March 1999	33	57.9	-24.9	47	66.2	-19.2
30 June 1999	30	53.5	-23.5	46	64.3	-18.3
30 September 1999	31	54.9	-23.9	51	69.2	-18.2
31 December 1999	30	53.6	-23.6	50	69.6	-19.6
31 March 2000	33	57.1	-24.1	48	68.7	-20.7
30 June 2000	32	58.9	-26.9	47	65.0	-18.0
30 September 2000	35	62.7	-27.7	50	68.3	-18.3
31 December 2000	34	62.1	-28.1	50	71.9	-21.9
31 March 2001	35	62.4	-27.4	51	78.0	-27.0
30 June 2001	33	61.1	-28.1	50	73.4	-23.4
30 September 2001	34	63.4	-29.4	56	77.2	-21.2
31 December 2001	32	61.8	-29.8	55	80.0	-25.0
31 March 2002	33	64.3	-31.3	56	83.3	-27.3
30 June 2002	31	61.0	-30.0	54	84.1	-30.1
30 September 2002	34	66.5	-32.5	57	87.6	-30.6
31 December 2002	34	68.5	-34.5	57	91.0	-34.0
31 March 2003	38	75.2	-37.2	56	91.8	-35.8
30 June 2003	38	76.3	-38.3	51	85.0	-34.0
30 September 2003	41	80.1	-39.1	54	87.2	-33.2

Note: Data for the mostrecent quarters should be considered provisional.

Inpatient/Day case data issourced from the SMR01 dataset, Outpatient data is sourced from the SMR00dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led outpatientclinic.

Question reference: S2W-04809

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, what the range of values in the dataset of waiting times is for the latest waiting times figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases and what the greatest value is in each case.

The following table showsthe minimum value and the value of the 99th. percentile of the waiting timesdistributions. The use of the 99th percentile for the maximum value is anappropriate statistical convention to remove outliers due to recording error.

In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times		First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times
Minimum Value (days)	99th. Percentile Value (days)	Minimum Value (days)	99th Percentile Value (days)
0	489	0	442

Note: Data is for quarterend September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

In-patient/Day case data issourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patientclinic.

Question reference: S2W-04810

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, what the standard deviation is in the latest waiting times figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

First Outpatient Appointment Waiting Times Standard Deviation (days)	Inpatient/Day Case Waiting Times Standard Deviation (days)
123.7	108.9

First Outpatient Appointment Waiting Times

Standard Deviation (days)

Inpatient/Day Case Waiting Times

Standard Deviation (days)

123.7

108.9

Note: Data is for quarterend September 2003, and should be regarded as provisional.

In-patient/Day case data issourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patientclinic.

Question reference: S2W-04812

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether the waiting times data has symmetrical distribution or whether it is skewed and, if so, in what way.

Question reference: S2W-04806

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median average given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003 differs from the mode average in those figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

The out-patient mode value of 0 days accounts for around 4% of cases and includes, for example, patients who attend “drop-in” out-patient clinics and urgent same day referrals from General Medical Practitioners.

The in-patient mode value of 1 day accounts for around 4% cases and includes, for example, patients where a clinical decision has been made to treat them urgently and a session is available at short notice.

	Difference in Median Wait and Mode Wait (days)
Quarter ended	In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times			First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times
30 Sept 2003	Median	Mode	Difference	Median	Mode	Difference
30 Sept 2003	41	1	+40	54	0	+54

Note: Data is for quarterend September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

In-patient/day case data issourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patientclinic.

Question reference: S2W-04808

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median averages given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003 differs from the mode averages for each quarter since 1997.

The information requested is shown in the following table.

	Difference in Median Wait and Mode Wait (days)
Quarter Ended	In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times			First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times
	Median	Mode	Difference	Median	Mode	Difference
30 June 1997	34	1	+33	40	0	+40
30 September 1997	34	7	+27	45	0	+45
31 December 1997	32	1	+31	44	0	+44
31 March 1998	33	1	+32	43	0	+43
30 June 1998	32	1	+31	43	0	+43
30 September 1998	33	1	+32	48	0	+48
31 December 1998	31	7	+24	48	0	+48
31 March 1999	33	1	+32	47	0	+47
30 June 1999	30	1	+29	46	0	+46
30 September 1999	31	1	+30	51	0	+51
31 December 1999	30	1	+29	50	0	+50
31 March 2000	33	1	+32	48	0	+48
30 June 2000	32	1	+31	47	0	+47
30 September 2000	35	1	+34	50	0	+50
31 December 2000	34	1	+33	50	0	+50
31 March 2001	35	1	+34	51	0	+51
30 June 2001	33	1	+32	50	0	+50
30 September 2001	34	1	+33	56	0	+56
31 December 2001	32	1	+31	55	0	+55
31 March 2002	33	1	+32	56	0	+56
30 June 2002	31	1	+30	54	0	+54
30 September 2002	34	1	+33	57	0	+57
31 December 2002	34	1	+33	57	0	+57
31 March 2003	38	1	+37	56	0	+56
30 June 2003	38	1	+37	51	0	+51
30 September 2003	41	1	+40	54	0	+54

Note: Data for the most recent quarters should be considered as provisional.

In-patient/Day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

Question reference: S2W-04811

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, what percentage of out-patients was seen within (a) 39 weeks and (b) 52 weeks.

The information requested isshown in the following table.

Percentage of First Out-patient Appointments seen within 39 weeks of Referral Date	Percentage of First Out-patient Appointments seen within 52 weeks of Referral Date
94.0%	97.0%

Note: Data is for quarterend September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

In-patient/Day case data issourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patientclinic.

Question reference: S2W-04805

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median average given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003, differs from the mean average in those figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases.

The information requested isshown in the following table,

	Difference in Median Wait & Mean Wait (days)
Quarter ended	In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times			First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times
30 Sept 2003	Median	Mean	Difference	Median	Mean	Difference
30 Sept 2003	41	80.1	-39.1	54	87.2	-33.2

Note: Data is for quarterend September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

In-patient/day case data issourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patientclinic.

Question reference: S2W-04960

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 14 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fifth supplementary to question S2O-867 by Ms Margaret Curran on 4 December 2003, what restrictions will be placed on local authorities that move to a prudential regime for housing provision.

The prudential regime willbe introduced for all local authorities from April 2004 and will replace theexisting section 94 consent from ministers that permits local authorities to incurcapital expenditure.

From April 2004, it will befor individual authorities to decide for themselves what is an affordable andprudent level of borrowing in their circumstances. Ministers will, however,retain step in powers if there is an unsustainable increase in borrowing eitheracross the UK as a whole, across Scotland or at an individualcouncil level.

Question reference: S2W-04959

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2003
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 14 January 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been carried out of the impact of the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 on the number of homelessness presentations.

The Homelessness etc. (Scotland)Act 2003 has not yet been commenced so no analysis of its impact has been possible.

Local authorities have beenpreparing for commencement of their duties under the new legislation throughtheir homelessness strategies. The phasing of the abolition of priority need,changes to the duties owed to intentionally homeless households andmodification of the local connection provisions will be informed by researchstudies to be undertaken during 2004.

The first commencement orderfor the 2003 act will come into force on 30 January 2004.

Chamber and committees