- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 9 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant posts there are for audiologists.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentcontinues to monitor audiology student numbers and the future workforce needs of NHSScotland. The latest information available indicatesthat there are currently 14.6 whole-time equivalent vacancies for audiologists.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering offering free prescriptions in respect of the treatment of chronic conditions such as asthma.
Answer
Yes. I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-694 on 15 June 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 July 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that psychiatric senior house officers are offered funded training posts in order to meet the need for more psychiatrists.
Answer
As part ofModernising Medical Careers (MMC) implementation, with effect from August 2007,the number of specialty training posts will increase from 125 to 279. This willin turn increase the number of consultant psychiatrists available toNHSScotland.
Current workforceplans indicate these training numbers are sufficient to meet the demand ofNHSScotland. However, as part of the workforce planning process, trainingnumbers will be reviewed annually.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will assist Highlands and Islands fire services to build or refurbish any stations that are currently considered to be unfit for purpose.
Answer
All Fire and RescueServices are provided with annual allocations of capital and revenue funding whichare based on an assessment of need. The government will continue to consider anybids for capital support received from Highlands and Islands and will be proactivein the reallocation of capital underspends accrued by other fire services.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire stations in use in the Highlands and Islands are considered to be unfit for purpose.
Answer
The last inspectionof Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service by theFire Services Inspectorate did not identify any stations that were considered unfitfor purpose. Provision of equipment and facilities is a matter for the Fire Boardin the first instance.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 28 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-228 by Stewart Stevenson on 11 June 2007, what the timescales are for each proposed improvement.
Answer
A substantivereply will be issued following my statement to Parliament on Wednesday 27 June 2007.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 27 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the procedures and protocols for the management of breast screening have been adhered to by all breast clinics in each NHS board area.
Answer
The Scottish BreastScreening Programme standards are set by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Its latestreport was published in December 2006 and states “this second, independent review shows beyond doubt thatthe programme achieves high clinical standards, not as a one-off, but consistently,year after year”. The report is available at
www.nhshealthquality.org.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 26 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in relation to the transfer of council house stock and associated debt repayment in Scotland.
Answer
As I announced inthe Housing Debate on 21 June 2007, the government will consult in the autumn onits proposals for social housing. This will include proposals on the role that housingstock transfer might play in developing a social rented sector that is affordableand is focussed on meeting the need of existing tenants and those in housing need.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 26 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to transfer the responsibilities of Communities Scotland to local authorities.
Answer
During the courseof the Housing Debate on 21 June 2007 I spoke about the need todeliver our housing and regeneration commitments through a simpler public sectorlandscape. It is important that decisions about changing the way Communities Scotland’sfunctions are delivered are taken on an informed basis. I am currently in discussionswith officials about the role and functions of Communities Scotland and hope toreach firm conclusions in the next few months.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 June 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 22 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that patients access orthodontic services at the correct stage in their dentition.
Answer
Access to orthodonticsat the correct stage is dependent on the patient’s dentist either carrying out thetreatment themselves or referring the patient to a specialist.
The Scottish DentalAccess Initiative is being revised to provide for financial help for those specialisedorthodontic practitioners wishing to establish new NHS orthodontic practice or purchaseexisting NHS orthodontic practices in order to maintain provision in an area.
