- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 10 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive which patient groups are entitled to free chiropody and podiatry care and treatment.
Answer
The planning and provision of NHS services is a matter for NHS boards. The issue of access to NHS chiropody services is a matter for clinical decision in the light of the health needs of individual patients.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 9 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the availability and nature of counselling services in each NHS board area will be examined as part of its review of the overall provision of NHS-funded infertility treatment.
Answer
It is mandatory under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 that couples undergoing assisted conception treatments regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), as provided in the four Scottish infertility tertiary referral centres, are offered appropriate, impartial counselling. As such it is for the HFEA to monitor this aspect of infertility care in Scotland.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that women approaching the upper age limit for NHS-funded infertility treatment are not excluded from treatment due to the length of waiting times.
Answer
Infertility treatment is not covered by a waiting time guarantee, therefore the management of waiting times for infertility treatment is a matter for NHS boards.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the upper age limit for women to access NHS-funded infertility treatment will be revised and, if so, whether that age limit will be set at the point of treatment rather than at the point of diagnosis.
Answer
The Executive is currently reviewing infertility services in Scotland.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when the clinical criteria for NHS-funded infertility treatment will be reviewed and whether any such review will be subject to public consultation.
Answer
The Executive is currently reviewing infertility services in Scotland.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it received from the 2003 consensus conference on the Scottish Programme for Clinical Effectiveness in Reproductive Health regarding the length of waiting times for NHS-funded infertility treatment.
Answer
At its 2003 consensus conference The Scottish Programme for Clinical Effectiveness in Reproductive Health made no recommendations regarding the length of waiting times for accessing NHS infertility services.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what immediate action it will take to decrease levels of infertility.
Answer
There are many factors contributing to fertility issues for couples. These can include medical disorders and lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and obesity and sexually transmitted infections, which may lower fertility levels in both men and women. The Scottish Executive is addressing contributing factors such as these through our health promotion strategies around smoking, diet and activity and sexual health.
The report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS, 2000) provides a robust evidence base for the management and delivery of infertility services. NHS boards have been asked to implement the recommendations from this report.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to monitor and reduce waiting times for NHS-funded infertility treatment between the point of diagnosis and the beginning of the first cycle of treatment.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12419, answered on 6 December 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.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it received from the 2003 consensus conference on the Scottish Programme for Clinical Effectiveness in Reproductive Health regarding the upper age limit for female access to NHS-funded infertility treatment.
Answer
At its 2003 consensus conference The Scottish Programme for Clinical Effectiveness in Reproductive Health recommended that the upper age limit for accessing NHS-funded infertility treatment should be 41.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 6 December 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how funeral directors are advised of bodies with infectious diseases in order to ensure safety and fulfil their duty of care to employees.
Answer
This issue primarily relates to occupational health and safety, which is a reserved matter. However, the Health Services Advisory Committee, which reports to the Health and Safety Commission, in 2003 published guidance
Safe Working and the Prevention of Infection in the Mortuary and Post-Mortem Room. The guidance gives advice to duty holders, including general precautions for undertakers and ambulance staff during delivery or removal of bodies to and from the mortuary.
The Health and Safety Executive is also preparing guidance specifically aimed at the funeral trade on managing the risks of infection from handling human remains. This new guidance should be available in spring 2005.
