Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32906 on 23 April 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32206 on 16 March 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

In December 2008, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) published its report on a clinical audit of care in rheumatoid arthritis (CARA), to help implement key SIGN Guideline recommendations, and to identify any significant variations in the provision of care. The Scottish Society for Rheumatology''s web-based audit programme, supported by NHS QIS, is now undertaking further audit work relating to newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis, to help inform improvements in care.

The Scottish Government Health Directorates are in the process of developing a national Musculoskeletal Programme to improve the delivery of musculoskeletal and chronic pain services. The re-design focuses on how both access to services and assessment procedures can be managed by a multi-professional team working in a community setting. It builds on examples of good practice, such as the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Day Service, which enhances staff capabilities to meet the needs of rheumatology patients at an earlier stage in their journey, and to provide case management for those with complex needs.

The Remote and Rural Implementation Group is responsible for monitoring implementation of the actions set out in Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare. Six monthly reports are published by the North of Scotland Regional Planning Group, via www.nospg.nhsscotland.com.

The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) within the General Medical Services contract rewards GPs for delivering Primary Care services to patients. Asthma is one in the series of clinical areas covered in the QOF and remuneration to GPs is dependent on levels of achievement against a range of criteria.

As part of that criterion, GPs are eligible to receive additional funding when conducting reviews of asthmatic patients. However, in order to qualify for this type of funding, practices must review at least 40% of their asthmatic patients in a 15 month period. Where a practice fails to achieve that percentage they would not be entitled to receive funding under current QOF arrangements.

The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) within the General Medical Services contract rewards GPs for delivering Primary Care services to patients. Asthma is one in the series of clinical areas covered in the QOF and remuneration to GPs is dependent on levels of achievement against a range of criteria.

The QOF is published as part of the Statement of Financial Entitlements and the latest version can be viewed at:

www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/pca/PCA2009(M)15.pdf.

Information on the number of acute occupied bed days which are directly attributable to alcohol-related conditions is not held centrally.

Information on acute occupied bed days is recorded on the SMR01 dataset. SMR01 has space for up to six diagnosis codes to be recorded, a main diagnosis and up to five secondary diagnoses. Alcohol-related problems will be recorded as either a main or a secondary diagnosis, so it is not possible to identify the cases where alcohol was directly attributed to the length of the admission.

Information on the total length of stay of patients treated in acute hospitals in NHS Scotland for alcohol-related conditions, recorded in any diagnosis position,  2006-07 to 2008-09 is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre  (Bib. number 50503).

Due to the way alcohol-related conditions are recorded, we are unable to determine whether or not the reason for admission is directly attributable to alcohol. Therefore, the figures contained in the table may be an overestimate.

Information in the table relates to discharges from acute non-obstetric, non‘psychiatric hospitals. It should be noted that patients with alcohol-related conditions may be admitted to mental illness hospitals. Statistics for these admissions are not included in the table.

The information requested is not available centrally.

This information is not collected centrally.

The European Commission was advised by the Scientific Committee on Foods (SCF) in 2003 on the use of energy drinks. The SCF considered the effects of caffeine intake and noted that caffeine stimulated irritability, nervousness or anxiety in some subjects, particularly if they were normally low consumers of caffeine. However, the SCF also noted that these effects were transient, not long term. For children, who do not normally consume much tea or coffee, and who might substitute energy drinks for other soft drinks, the consumption of energy drinks might result in an increase in their daily caffeine exposure, but there is no maximum level set.

Another potential health implication is that energy drinks, as with most soft drinks, can contain quite high sugar levels so this would have implications for calorie intake and dental-health.

As most energy drink manufacturers advise through voluntary warning labelling that such products are not suitable for consumption by children, retailers, in acting responsibly, would wish to take account of such warnings and not sell such drinks to children. However, there are no specific guidelines regarding the sale of energy drinks.

Regarding pregnant women, the Food Standards Agency Scotland advises that pregnant women should limit their daily caffeine intake, ideally keeping this below 200mg a day.