- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS trusts had incurred a financial deficit at the end of 2002-03 and what the deficit of each such trust was.
Answer
The following forecast positions have been received from the trusts in their March financial monitoring:
| Trust | Forecast Overspend (£000) |
| Argyll and Clyde Acute | 5,204 |
| Lomond and Argyll Primary Care Trust | 1,926 |
| Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Primary Care Trust | 4,106 |
| Grampian Acute | 5,199 |
| Lanarkshire Acute | 6,261 |
NHS Argyll and Clyde are working to develop financial plans, which ensure a return to financial balance while protecting patient services.The forecast overspend by Grampian and Lanarkshire Acute Trusts are brought forward figures and are in line with financial plans which demonstrate how these amounts will be repaid.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether research will be undertaken to examine levels of toxins and mercury build-up in children with autistic spectrum disorder in order to ascertain any potential link between such levels and autism.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-298 today. 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
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to the rise in cases of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
Answer
As a result of increases in the reported cases of measles, mumps and rubella in 2002 the Executive will continue to work with health professionals to reinforce the importance of vaccination, and the protection it provides to individuals and the population as a whole.Expert advice from around the world confirms that MMR remains the most effective way to protect children from these very serious, and potentially fatal, diseases.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing core dermatology education for all medical and nursing undergraduates.
Answer
The responsibility for determining the educational requirements for all medical and nursing undergraduates rests with the General Medical Council (GMC) for medical undergraduates and the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nursing undergraduates.These professional bodies decide the standard of expertise to be maintained, in partnership with the higher education institutions, and their advice underpins the content of the courses.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of specialist training places in dermatology is being reviewed and, if so, whether any consideration is being given to increasing the number of such places to provide qualified candidates for any existing consultant vacancies and for any future consultant posts that may be needed over the next 10 years.
Answer
The numbers of higher specialist training posts (i.e. Specialist Registrars) in all specialties are regularly reviewed and adjusted. In 2000 there were 15.3 (whole-time equivalent) Specialist Registrars in dermatology; in 2002 there were 19.8. Decisions on the numbers required in training are informed by anticipated turnover, service need and local service developments. We are reviewing the arrangements for medical workforce planning so that decisions are better informed and taken in a proper context. The Scottish Executive has committed to 375 more junior doctors by 2004 and 600 more consultants by 2006.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what protection and support will be given to any doctor accused of negligence who had been required to work excessive hours.
Answer
The New Deal is a contractual agreement between the trusts and junior doctors, designed to protect staff and patients. The Scottish Executive fully supports the New Deal, and our role is to encourage trusts to meet their contractual obligations.The Scottish Executive works in partnership with the BMA Scottish Junior Doctors Committee and NHS trust representatives on implementation of the New Deal.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether education and training in dermatology that reflect the workload of GPs in respect of that condition is offered by the NHS.
Answer
Education and training in dermatology is currently offered by the NHS to GPs. At present, general practitioners are expected to identify their own personal learning needs to better provide the health needs of their patients and to seek training accordingly. Guidance and assistance is available to GPs from NHS Education for Scotland (NES) via the Postgraduate Directors of General Practice Education.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making single vaccines for mumps, measles and rubella available on the NHS as an alternative to the triple MMR vaccine.
Answer
The Executive has no such plans.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS trusts are on course to meet the proposed 56-hour week for junior doctors by August 2003.
Answer
The latest compliance figures are shown in the following table:August 2002 - Compliance Figures (Scotland)
| Trust | PRHO | SHO | SpR | Other | Total |
| Posts | Comp% | Posts | Comp % | Posts | Comp % | Posts | Comp% | Posts | Comp | Comp% |
| Argyll and Clyde | 51 | 100% | 133 | 43% | 23 | 52% | 17 | 12% | 224 | 122 | 54% |
| Ayrshire Acute | 36 | 100% | 130 | 21% | 18 | 17% | 23 | 13% | 207 | 69 | 33% |
| Ayrshire PC | | | 15 | 100% | | | | | 15 | 15 | 100% |
| Borders Acute | 15 | 93% | 29.6 | 7% | 10 | 10% | 7 | 29% | 61.6 | 19 | 31% |
| Borders PC | | | 6 | 100% | | | 6 | 100% | 12 | 12 | 100% |
| Carstairs | | | 9 | 100% | | | | | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| CSA | | | | | 9 | 56% | | | 9 | 5 | 56% |
| DandG Acute | 19 | 100% | 38 | 71% | 9 | 33% | 6 | 33% | 72 | 51 | 71% |
| DandG PC | | | 11.5 | 100% | | | | | 11.5 | 11.5 | 100% |
| Fife Acute | 32 | 50% | 100 | 24% | 22 | 14% | | | 154 | 43 | 28% |
| Fife PC | | | 22 | 100% | | | | | 22 | 22 | 100% |
| Forth Valley | 39 | 100% | 83 | 0% | 19 | 16% | 12 | 25% | 153 | 45 | 29% |
| Forth Valley PC | | | 16 | 100% | | | | | 16 | 16 | 100% |
| Grampian PC | 2 | 100% | 30 | 100% | 17 | 100% | 1 | 100% | 50 | 50 | 100% |
| Grampian Acute | 99 | 55% | 219 | 32% | 145.2 | 51% | 33 | 30% | 496.2 | 207.2 | 42% |
| GGPC | | | 68 | 60% | 23 | 70% | | | 91 | 57 | 63% |
| Highland Acute | 30 | 100% | 64 | 39% | 23 | 4% | 14 | 50% | 131 | 63 | 48% |
| Highland HB | | | 1 | 100% | 1 | 100% | | | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Highland PC | | | 9 | 0% | | | 1 | 100% | 10 | 1 | 10% |
| Lanark Acute | 59 | 68% | 204 | 64% | 32 | 56% | 4 | 100% | 299 | 193 | 65% |
| Lanark HB | | | | | 3 | 100% | | | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| Lanark PC | | | 45 | 91% | 4 | 75% | 4 | 75% | 53 | 47 | 89% |
| Lomond/Argyll | | | 11 | 82% | | | 3 | 0% | 14 | 9 | 64% |
| Lothian HB | | | | | 2 | 100% | | | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Lothian PC | | | 55 | 33% | 26 | 96% | 49 | 100% | 130 | 92 | 71% |
| Lothian Univ | 101 | 62% | 219 | 35% | 265.5 | 44% | 36.6 | 40% | 622.1 | 271.6 | 44% |
| North Glasgow | 115 | 100% | 357 | 32% | 248.6 | 39% | 49 | 53% | 769.6 | 352 | 46% |
| Renfrew/Inver PC | | | 16 | 100% | | | 1 | 100% | 17 | 17 | 100% |
| Shetland HB | 1 | 100% | 4 | 100% | | | | | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| South Glasgow | 48 | 44% | 160 | 40% | 90 | 43% | 4 | 100% | 302 | 128 | 42% |
| Tayside PC | 2.5 | 100% | 40 | 33% | 6 | 67% | 10 | 90% | 58.5 | 28.5 | 49% |
| Tayside Univ | 96 | 98% | 163 | 42% | 156 | 37% | 32.6 | 15% | 447.6 | 225 | 50% |
| Yorkhill | 8 | 100% | 74 | 77% | 46.2 | 63% | 2 | 50% | 130.2 | 95.2 | 73% |
| West Lothian | 23 | 100% | 48.5 | 23% | 26 | 12% | 6 | 67% | 103.5 | 41 | 40% |
| Western Isles | 2 | 100% | 8 | 100% | | | | | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| August 2002 | 778.5 | 81% | 2388.6 | 41% | 1224.5 | 41% | 321.2 | 47% | 4712.8 | 2339 | 50% |
| February 2002 | 747.5 | 87% | 2303 | 38% | 1182.5 | 42% | 323.6 | 49% | 4556.6 | 2207.5 | 48% |
| August 2001 | 771.5 | 64% | 2396 | 38% | 1209.5 | 43% | 282.6 | 38% | 4659.6 | 2052 | 44% |
Note:Figures extracted from the Implementation Support Group 2003 Annual Report.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 12 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to recruit volunteers into the Scottish Ambulance Service and what standard of training such volunteers would require to be eligible for recruitment.
Answer
The Scottish Ambulance Service is targeting its efforts to recruit volunteers in the remote and rural areas of Scotland where the life saving interventions they can provide will bring the greatest benefit. They will be used to enhance the level of immediate care available until more qualified medical help can arrive. The ambulance service will conduct all necessary training, which is accredited to the Institute of Health Care Development "First on Scene" level.
