- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 August 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 6 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive why there was a reduction of 4,822 in the number of adults attending registered day care services from 1997 to 2003, as referred to in Statistics Release: Day Care Services, Scotland 2003, given the increased emphasis on community care.
Answer
The figures for 1997 and 2003 are not directly comparable.
The 1997 survey asked for a count of all persons who regularly attended the day care service regardless of whether they attended during the census week. From 2001 onwards, the survey asked for only the number of people attending during the survey week.
Since 2001, the number of people attending registered day care services has shown a slight increase. Since 1997, there has been a small increase in the overall number of day care places available.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8489 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 June 2004, what action is being taken within the national programme for improving mental health and well being to support people with communication impairment beyond those with sensory impairment, for example those with receptive and/or expressive aphasia, dyspraxia, dysarthria, semantic-pragmatic disorder and dysfluency.
Answer
The Mental Health Division, which includes the work of the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being, has identified sensory and communication loss as an area which requires attention within mental health promotion, prevention and mental health services. To help identify current needs and map current support services, resources and future requirements, a Sensory Loss Development Group, bringing together stakeholders from various relevant bodies, has been established and has now met on two occasions. The group is planning to commission work on an up to date identification and analysis of needs and onmapping of services and supports and likely future requirements.
The work on needs analysis and mapping will take into account a broad spectrum of needs. The group will be asked to consider the inclusion of receptive and/or expressive aphasia, dyspraxia, dysarthria, semantic-pragmatic disorder and dysfluency. Work is expected to commence on the needs assessment and mapping exercise later this year, and is expected to continue to March 2006.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8489 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 June 2004, what information is held regarding the communication impairments other than sensory impairments experienced by those with a learning disability and what is being done to meet the health needs of these communication-impaired communities.
Answer
The same as you? recommended that Scottish Consortium for LearningDisability should set up a national network of support to local providersoffering advice and training on the extra needs of people with profound andmultiple disabilities. PAMIS, (Promoting A More Inclusive Society), a voluntaryorganisation that works in partnership with people with profound learningdisabilities and their family carers, is developing this network, providingadvice on issues such as non-verbal communication.
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland’s Learning Disability Quality Indicators include a focus on meeting general healthcare needs. Through these, NHS boards are asked to demonstrate how they identify and meet the communication needs of people with learning disabilities in assessment and care planning processes, and in providing primary care and community services.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8489 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 June 2004, how speech and language therapists are involved in the design and provision of training and support for staff so that they can effectively communicate with individuals with communication impairment.
Answer
Speech and language therapists have an important contribution to make both in supporting patients with communication difficulties and also NHS staff in communicating effectively with them. It is for NHS boards to determine how best to utilise the expertise of speech and language therapists in order to meet the needs of those with communication impairment.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-8488 and S2W-8489 by Tom McCabe and Malcolm Chisholm on 9 and 8 June 2004 respectively, how it intends to meet its commitment within Partnership for Care: Scotland's Health White Paper to ensure that, whatever the circumstances of people's lives, they have access to the right health services for their needs, given that it has no central information in respect of people who have a diagnosed communication impairment, aphasia or a specific language impairment.
Answer
Our approach is based on developing services which are patient-focussed, flexible and appropriate, and meet different personal circumstances.
The Health Department is working with NHS Education Scotland to ensure that the principles of equality and diversity are included in all pre- and post-qualifying training, including induction. This will include the communication needs of individuals.
The Health Department is also working with the Disability Rights Commission to develop a national overview of policy development with the aim of assisting boards to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 19 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to give pensioners access to free NHS dental treatment.
Answer
At present, older people canreceive help with the cost of NHS dental services or exemption from charges in thesame way as other adults if they are in receipt of certain benefits or qualify underthe NHS Low Income Scheme. NHS dental services, including the patient charging system,have recently been the subject of a major consultation and the Executive expectsto issue its response to this in the autumn.
In addition, one of the pledgesset out in the A Partnership for a Better Scotland: Partnership Agreementwas to introduce free dental checks for all patient groups before 2007. We arein discussions with the dental profession and work towards this target is underway.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 July 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is proposing any changes to the eligibility for NHS-funded IVF treatment.
Answer
The Scottish Programme for Clinical Effectiveness in Reproductive Health (SPCERH), commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer, held a consensus conference in 2003 to reconsider the eligibility criteria for access to NHS funded infertility treatment. The Executive, working with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, are currently reviewing the feedback from the conference and are also reviewing the current level of service provision across NHS Scotland. If after the completion of these reviews, expected later in 2004, there was a recommendation to change the criteria then this would be subject to a full public consultation exercise.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 July 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 18 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to give patients with mental health problems access to homeopathy treatments.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-9719 on 16 August 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/search_wa.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated outstanding debt in respect of the Skye Bridge would be at the end of (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07, (d) 2007-08 and (e) 2008-09 if the current rate of crossings and consequent income is maintained.
Answer
The issue of outstanding debt is a matter for the concessionaire, Skye Bridge Limited in the first instance. The financial information relating to the Skye Bridge project and the detailed terms of the contract are now the subject of commercially confidential negotiations with the concessionaire, with a view to ending the discredited toll regime.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2004
-
Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 16 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people recovering from addiction to prescribed drugs have been admitted to the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital in each of the last five years.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
