The National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-being leads the Scottish Executive’s work on the promotion of public mental health and improving the quality of life of those experiencing mental illness. As part of this work, employment and working life is one of six priority areas identified for action. The National Programme has commissioned research into Employment and Mental Health in Scotland to help inform policy and practice in this area. This is due to be published this year and forms part of the Scottish Executive’s work on Employability and Healthy Working Lives.

The “See Me” anti-stigma campaign works to address public attitudes to mental ill-health “See Me” has a dedicated strand of activity, launched in 2004, specifically aimed at the workplace. There was an encouraging response from employers, particularly in the public sector. This work aims to help overcome stigma and discrimination in finding and maintaining employment.

The national programme also funds a dedicated mental health programme within Scotland’s Health At Work (SHAW). This builds capacity to support the delivery of sustainable workplace training initiatives aimed at reducing stigma and discrimination amongst the general workforce and specifically targeting attitudes and behaviours of line managers, occupational health and human resources personnel. This training programme is complemented by Scottish Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) Training, provided by NHS Health Scotland and funded by the national programme. SMHFA is available to the general public as well as to individuals representing specific organisations. Instructors have been trained from Job Centre Plus, NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Forth Valley, to deliver training to employees. SMHFA is being formally launched 20 June 2005.

The Care Commission Corporate Plan, which is approved by ministers, includes a target to inspect all registered services according to the requirements of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. The act requires care home services (of which care homes for older people are only one element) to be inspected at least twice each year, with at least one of these inspections being unannounced.

During 2003-04, 99% of care homes had at least one inspection and 96% had two or more inspections. During 2004-05, 100% of care homes had at least one inspection and at least 99% had two or more inspections.

Information on sub-categories within care service definitions is not collected centrally. I have asked Jacquie Roberts, the Chief Executive of the Care Commission to respond on the position on care homes for older people.

It is not necessary for GP practices to participate in the Quality and Outcomes Framework in order to provide safe services to the patient.

The provision of services that are acceptable for patient safety is covered by the essential services element of the GMS Contract. All practices are required to provide safe and effective services to patients.

The Arbuthnott formula allocates resources to health boards in Scotland by determining their relative need for funding. The formula is based on a board’s population but adjusted for factors that determine relative need for health care. These factors are the age structure of the population and relative number of males and females, the level of deprivation and an adjustment to take into account the additional costs of delivering healthcare in remote and rural areas.

Based on the indicators which contribute to the Arbuthnott formula, the Western Isles has, relative to Argyll and Clyde, a higher proportion of population characteristics which indicate the need for more health care resources, such as older people, and has higher levels of deprivation and remoteness. These adjustments result in higher per capita funding for the Western Isles.

Moray Council, in partnershipwith Highlands and Islands Enterprise, have been working with the Executiveto identify locations in the area that would best meet the criteria for government jobs dispersal. This partnership working will help to target areas ofmost social and economic need. Moray Council will have taken job losses in the areainto account.

I refer the member to the answers to question S2W-11377 on 26 November 2004 and question S2W-13016 on 14 January 2005. 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/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-11377 on 26 November 2004. 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/webapp/wa.search.

NHS Argyll and Clyde is working hard with its partners to deliver the new provisions required under the act within the timetable. My officials last met with the board and its partners on 24 May as part of an on-going series of meetings with all areas to discuss progress. In common with other areas, there are both issues requiring attention and other aspects where good progress is being made.

Our national review of progress will continue up to and beyond the October implementation date.

I announced my proposalsabout NHS Argyll and Clyde to the Parliament on 19 May 2005. Subject to theplanned public consultation and to implementation thereafter, including writingoff the accumulated financial deficit incurred by NHS Argyll and Clyde,financial allocations to Highland and Greater Glasgow NHS Boards will beadjusted to reflect the addition to their areas of people currently resident inthe Argyll and Clyde NHS Board area. This will ensure that the successor NHS boardsare funded on the same basis and to the same level as all other parts of Scotland.

Decisions about theallocation of resources within an NHS board area are matters for each board,subject to them meeting targets set by the Executive and complying withrelevant standards. However, I would not expect residents in the existing areacovered by NHS Highland to see a reduction in services as a result of theplanned boundary changes.

I made it clear in my statement to Parliament on 19 May 2005 that my proposals for the future of Argyll and Clyde NHS Board, which will be subject to public consultation, are intended to speed up the rate of modernisation of health care services in the relevant areas.

The West Highland Health Solutions Group, which looked at options for sustainable futures for the hospitals at Oban and Fort William, was of the unanimous view that the way forward was to develop new and collaborative ways of working between the two hospitals. If, as a result of the public consultation, Oban is brought within the area of Highland NHS Board, I would expect joint working to be facilitated.