The information requested isnot available centrally.The first nationalcollection of information on waiting times for services provided by AlliedHealth Professionals, including physiotherapy, was undertaken on 14 September 2005. Theresults from this census were published by ISD Scotland on 6 July 2006, in theAHP Census – Waiting for AHP Services Report and is available from: http://www.isdscotland.org/.

Applicants for registrationare required to list any court or tribunal judgements against them under relevantdiscrimination legislation. Local authorities may also make use of informationwhich has been brought to their attention in relation to other councilservices, subject to the provisions of data protection legislation.

NHS Quality ImprovementScotland has published recommendations for healthcare professionals on themanagement and treatment of eating disorders (Bib. number 41194). Thoserecommendations are supported by our 2007 published proposals for better led,managed, organised and co-ordinated eating disorder services across the publicand independent sector (Bib. number 43134).

Followingthese guidelines NHS board regional planning groups are giving attention to theorganisation of services through initiatives including local managed care/ clinicalnetworks and integrated care pathways for better supported and coordinatedpatient journeys and family involvement. The Anorexia Nervosa IntensiveTreatment Team now operating in Lothian is one such initiative which alsodelivers on our objectives for early interventions and reduced hospitaladmissions.

NHSEducation Scotland is developing a specific educational resource for bothundergraduate and pre-registration programmes on mental health themes,including eating disorders.

We continue attention onraising awareness of the effect anorexia nervosa and bulimia can have onpeople’s mental health and wellbeing and we are advancing a wider mental healthimprovement programme, which will impact on improving eating disorder care.

All patients presenting to aGP with depression or anxiety should have an assessment carried out using anagreed assessment tool. The outcome of that assessment will inform what levelof need the patient has and what treatment should be offered.

In this respect our workwith NHS Boards and their partners to increase the availability of evidencebased psychological therapies in a range of setting will be key.

We are committed to reducingadmissions of children and young people to adult beds by 50% by 2009 and toincreasing the number of in-patient psychiatric beds for young people indedicated units to 47 by 2008 and to 56 by 2010. Visits this year to all NHSBoards have focussed on implementation by the published timetable and on widerattention to the services and support in place and planned for children and young people’s mental health.

We are also working with NHSBoards and others to provide mental health training for all those working withor caring for looked after or accommodated children and young people; and toensuring that a named mental health link person is available to every school tobetter inform all concerned and help identify needs at the earliest point.

Work continues in all areason the implementation of overall service improvements for better communitysupport, and better crisis prevention and intervention which will benefit thechildren and young people care group.

Together with ongoingattention to early intervention and supported transitions these initiativeswill help ensure the right level and quality of care is delivered to childrenand young people across Scotland.

The Code of Practice for theInternational Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals in Scotland was publishedin March 2006. It aims to promote high standards of practice in internationalrecruitment based on the principle that such recruitment should not prejudicethe healthcare systems of developing countries. A key component of the Code ofPractice is to preclude the active recruitment of healthcare professionals fromdeveloping countries, unless a government-to-government agreement exists.

The Department of Health (England) hasworked with the Department for International Development to produce a list ofdeveloping countries and countries that should not be recruited from. This listis based upon the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)Development Assistance Committee list of aid recipients. It also includescountries from whom the UK has agreed not to recruit. This list of countries ismaintained by NHS employers and can be accessed online at:

http://www.nhsemployers.org/workforce/workforce-558.cfm.

However,under the Code of Practice, healthcare professionals from these listeddeveloping countries who volunteer themselves by direct, personal applicationare entitled to be considered for employment. The recruitment of non-EEAdoctors within NHS Scotland will still need to comply with UKimmigration rules.

International recruitmenthas made a key contribution to the delivery of health services in the UK andNHSScotland has a long history of developing the knowledge and skills ofhealthcare staff coming to the UK at some time in their careers.

Over the past 10 years thenumber of physiotherapists working in NHS Scotland have increased by 37%.Locally it is for NHS boards to plan the number and skill mix of staff neededto deliver services in their areas including the recruitment of newly qualifiedstaff.

We are also working inpartnership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, NHS Education for Scotland anda National Solutions Group to address the current and potential challengesfacing the allied health professionals (AHP) workforce in NHSScotland, with aninitial focus on physiotherapists.

This work includes exploringand developing potential educational solutions, including a developmentprogramme to enable newly qualified allied health professionals, to work inprimary care and community settings. The establishment of an AHP Bank is beingexplored to support flexible employment options and cover short term servicegaps. The group is also considering mechanisms to enable current graduates, notyet in employment, to maintain their skills and work readiness. In addition,each NHS board now has a lead contact that will link colleagues both locallyand nationally to exchange ideas and create local action plans. This will pavethe way for a co-ordinated national approach to the graduate employment issueand improve workforce planning.

Developing appropriate skillmix and succession planning to create more opportunities for junior staff isalso key. Funding has therefore been provided for specialist practitionerposts, a leadership programme and continuous professional development. Thedevelopment of NHSScotland’s existing junior staff in this way allows them toprogress into more senior and specialist posts, which will in turn free upphysiotherapy posts that are more suitable for newly qualified staff.

There are now 13 specialistnurses dealing with Parkinson’s Disease across NHS boards.

Staffing arrangements are amatter for NHS boards, but they are asked to consider the role of bothspecialist nurses and nurses with a broader remit working in the community, aspart of their plans to make sure that services meet the needs of people livingwith long-term conditions.

SIGN’s work programmeincludes the publication of a guideline on Parkinson’s Disease in 2009.

The ScottishGovernment is very supportive of plans to develop a managed clinical networkapproach to services for those with CFS/ME. The health directorates have beenin discussion with some of those developing such proposals, and will provideadvice on the processes involved.