For target H, the Executive isworking with an Advisory Group of representatives from key delivery agencies andrural communities to agree the rural areas to be targeted, to consult with localcommunities to identify the key services to be improved, and, later in 2005, toagree with the relevant community planning partnerships the specific targets forimprovements to be achieved in terms of accessibility and quality. For each areaand target, measurements will be made at baseline and in 2008 and changes from baselinecalculated. Research will shortly be commissioned to establish local views on keyservices and how they might be improved and to collect data to measure baselineservice provision. As target improvements for access and quality are agreed withcommunity planning partnerships, further details of the measurement process willbe made available on the Scottish Executive Closing the Opportunity Gap website:www.scotland.gov.uk/closingtheopportunitygap.

Drug Action Teams and their localpartners assess the level of need in their areas and have to ensure that the treatmentneeds of their local drug using population are met. Guidance on the developmentof service provision for psychostimulant users, including cocaine and crack cocainewas issued in October 2002 by the Executive’s Effective Interventions Unit, basedon the work of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Drugs Misuse.

Training modules on dealing withthose with psychostimulant problems have been available from Scottish Training onDrugs and Alcohol (STRADA) since November 2002.

A pilot service for cocaine andcrack cocaine users in the Aberdeen area is currently being evaluated.

The Scottish Executive is implementingthe full range of actions to improve service quality and consistency outlined inthe Review of Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services Summary, published in October2004.

In the last four years the Executive’sEffective Interventions Unit has produced and widely disseminated to Drug ActionTeams, agencies and service providers a body of evidence about effective practicein addressing the problems arising from drug misuse. The unit is now focusing onpromoting and supporting the implementation of that evidence at local level.

We have no plans to set regional targets for wind farm applications. We have however established an environmental advisory forum for renewable energy which will provide advice on the land use planning and locational aspects of renewable energy.

Information on the percentage of people living an alcohol–free lifestyle following alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation programmes is not held centrally.

This information is not currently held centrally. However, information on the number of disciplinary hearings and grievances that result in an action and result in no action is being collected for the first time as at 30 September 2004 using the Staff Governance Standard Self Assessment Audit Tool and data should be available around the middle of the year.

This information is not held centrally.

This information is not collected centrally.

I would expect the NHS employer to maintain contact with the employee throughout any investigation or disciplinary process and if it was felt necessary to refer the employee to the occupational health service. However, it is thought that most employees would consult with their own GP if they considered their health was at risk. It is also open to any member of staff to self refer themselves to the local occupational health. Any such self referral would be in confidence and not divulged to the employer.

There are currently no procedures in place for all suspended or excluded NHS staff to maintain their clinical skills. However, NHS employers use Scottish Executive guidance as well as the Partnership Information Network guidelines on management of employee capability, to offer support, guidance and, if necessary, training to improve poor performance before it reaches the stage of requiring exclusion from the workplace, or, where it is practicable, to support rehabilitation of those suspended or excluded staff who are able to return to work. NHS staff may be suspended or excluded from their duties if their personal or professional conduct or competence has raised concern for the safety and interests of patients and other staff.