The planning and provision of NHS podiatry services is a matter for NHS boards. The issue of access to NHS podiatry services is a matter for clinical decision in the light of the health needs of individual patients.

There are no plans to include podiatric care in the national waiting time targets.

The planning and provision of NHS podiatry services is a matter for NHS boards. The issue of access to NHS podiatry services is a matter for clinical decision in the light of the health needs of individual patients.

The Allied Health Professions Officer in the Scottish Executive has commissioned a national consultation on Allied Health Professions role development, which includes podiatrists, and this is currently underway.

The report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS, 2000) recommended eligibility criteria for access to infertility services. The clinical criteria were based on evidence of effectivenessand the social criteria were designed to provide equity of access to services.

The consensus view of the expert group, supported by the patient representatives advising them, was that, on equity grounds, couples who already have a child in the home, irrespective of the circumstances, should be ineligible for NHS-funded IVF in order that a childless couple may have this opportunity.

NHS boards have been asked to work towards the implementation of the report as existing resources allow and bearing in mind local and national priorities.

The Executive is currently reviewing infertility services in Scotland. If after the completion of this review, expected later in 2004, there was a recommendation to change the criteria then this would be subject to a full public consultation exercise.

The Scottish Executive is currently reviewing the provision of infertility services in NHS Scotland, including waiting times. I anticipate that this information will be made available to the public by the end of 2004.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

The SPS is keeping the situation under review and where practicable is moving low supervision prisoners to other Scottish Prison Service establishments. The SPS is currently spending the equivalent of £1.5 million per week to provide new and refurbished accommodation to alleviate overcrowding and to make the Estate “fit for purpose”.

NHS Quality ImprovementScotland (NHS QIS) is reviewing the self-assessment information provided by NHSboards for the national progress report. This will identify the extent to whichNHS boards and operating divisions have achieved compliance with the declaredstandards for hand hygiene. NHS QIS plans to publish a national overview andlocal update reports in May 2005.

Since July 2003, podiatry isa protected title. This means that all podiatrists must have undergone the minimumof a three-year undergraduate degree programme or an honours degree. Successfulcompletion of the education programmes leads to registration by the Health ProfessionsCouncil (HPC). The HPC is an independent, UK wide regulatory body responsible for setting and maintainingstandards of professional training, performance and conduct of the professions itregulates. Registration is also a condition of employment. It is an offence to practiceas a podiatrist while unregistered and anyone who does is subject to prosecution.The education programmes are quality assured by the Quality Assurance Agency tomake sure that graduates are fit to practice.

Non-registered professionalswho have used the now protected title prior to July 2003 must undergo a “grandparenting”process. This means that they must have been engaged in the lawful, safe and effectivepractice in the profession they wish to be registered in for a period of three outof the last five years. If they fall short of this they must demonstrate that theyhave undergone additional training and experience that satisfies the HPC that theyhave the requisite standard of proficiency for admission to the register.

Since the Ministerial HealthcareAssociated Infection (HAI) Task Force was established in January 2003, itswide-ranging programme of work has resulted in many outputs being published in2003 and 2004: the NHSScotland Code of Practice for the management of HAI andhygiene; the NHSScotland National Cleaning Services Specification; a nationalframework for mandatory induction training on HAI and guidance on mediahandling during incidents and outbreaks. The continuing work of the HAI TaskForce will lead to the publication of further outcomes before the completion ofits work plan by December 2005.

Information from NHS boards onthe number of people with learning disabilities living in long-stay hospitals isin the following table (as at September 2004):

NHS Board	NHS Facility	Number of Long-Stay Patients
Ayrshire and Arran	Strathlea Resource Centre (25); Arrol Park Resource Centre (43); Alisa Hospital (8)	76
Argyll and Clyde	Merchiston Hospital	36
Dumfries and Galloway	NLDU (12); Darataigh Hospital (3); Kerrera Hospital (6)	21
Fife	Lynebank Hospital	49
Grampian	Campbell Hospital	8
Highland	New Craigs Hospital	39
Lanarkshire	Kirklands Hospital	49
Lothian	Murraypark Hospital	17
Tayside	Bridgefoot Hospital	24
		319