Chamber and committees

Data on uptake is currently not available, as the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme is not yet rolled out across all NHS health boards.

Data on the Scottish Bowel Screening Pilot was published in August 2008 via the Information Services Division (ISD) website on www.isdscotland.org/isd/5728.html.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20064 on 2 February 2009 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.

Mental health services for those with sensory loss are developing and improving. A new dedicated community service and a deaf counselling service are now operational in Lothian. National access to specialist in-patient services when needed is provided by the John Denmark Unit in Manchester.

We are looking to improve on current arrangements and are considering the merits of a Scotland-based in-patient facility. We are also considering how to improve regional specialist community services with the three regional planning partnerships.

The Scottish Government is aware of proposals for patient access schemes in England which are also sometimes referred to as market access or risk share schemes. The Scottish Government has asked the Scottish Medicines Consortium to examine the benefits and practicalities of these schemes within the Scottish context and a report will be available in due course.

Yes. The research is expected in March 2009 and will be published on the NHS Health Scotland website later this year.

The National Advisory Group on Breast and Cervical Screening will consider the findings, before providing advice on potential interventions to improve uptake.

Information regarding the percentage of children that received a basic dental inspection is not available broken down by local authority.

Information, however, is available for primary 1 and primary 7 children by NHS board in tables 6 and 7 of part 2, Basic Inspection, in the National Dental Inspection Programme of Scotland Report of the 2007 survey of P7 children which can be found at http://www.scottishdental.org/index.aspx?o=2233.

National Dental Inspections are only carried out in local authority primary schools, therefore information is not available for secondary schools.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) is considering the implications for Scotland of the NICE methodology changes for appraising end of life drugs. However, the SMC already has the ability to exercise considerable flexibility.

The SMC assesses the cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) of new drugs as part of its appraisal of health benefits. However, the SMC does not employ a rigid threshold in appraising drugs.

There is a two stage appraisal process. This involves a rapid assessment of the evidence by the New Drugs Committee (NDC) to provide a recommendation about the costs and benefits of using the medicine. This is followed by the SMC appraisal which looks again at the evidence together with the NDC advice, the case put forward by the patient interest groups and the company''s response to the NDC advice.

This approach ensures the SMC can consider all drugs flexibly, taking account of wider considerations as well as the economic evidence provided.

The proposal to establish two new scrutiny bodies covering health, mental welfare, care and social work was announced as part of the package of scrutiny changes by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 6 November. The legislative provisions for the new bodies will be taken forward in the Public Services Reform Bill which will be introduced in Parliament in the spring.

A project team has been set up within Scottish Government to take forward the work required to establish the two new bodies. As part of the project an engagement and consultation process has been established. That process is underway and includes a number of focus groups and stakeholder events. This will enable the views of both internal and external stakeholders, including the bodies affected, to be considered as the legislative proposals are developed.

Education authorities have a duty under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to make adequate and efficient provision for the additional support required by children or young people with additional support needs, including those who have experienced a bereavement and, as a result, require additional support to enable them to benefit from school education. Advice and support on bereavement care is available from the charity CRUSE Bereavement Care who receive core funding from the Scottish Government to specifically support their work with children suffering due to bereavement. As part of their Youth Involvement Project, CRUSE have a section of their website dedicated to bereavement care for children. The website address is www.rd4u.org.uk.

Basic child health reviews and health checks are set out in the Health for All Children (Hall 4) Guidance. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/04/15161325/13390.

The guidance recommends that all children should have contact with health professionals within the first 24 hours for a full physical health check; within the first 10 days of life for a blood spot test for particular illnesses and a general check to ensure there is no cause for concern; new-born hearing screening is offered to all babies within the first four weeks of life unless born prematurely or ill; at six to eight weeks for a full physical health and development check, including weight; at  two, three and four months for immunisation and to check weight; at 12 months for immunisation; at 13 months for immunisation and to check weight; between the ages of three to five years for immunisation and to check weight; between four and five years for an eye sight test, usually at pre-school, and between the ages of four to six, usually in school year primary 1, for a full physical health check including height, weight and dental check.