Chamber and committees

NHSScotland is expected to take account of advice and evidence from the HTBS and ensure that recommended drugs or treatments are made available to meet clinical need. Any evidence that emerged either from complaints or through monitoring which suggested that this was not happening would be followed up proactively.

Research funded by the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) in the Scottish Executive Health Department has confirmed the high rates of smoking among people with severe mental illness. These are a matter of concern, as they would be in any population group. The CSO is aware of research that suggests an interaction between antipsychotic medication and rates of smoking, but has not funded any research in this area.

The Yellow Card Scheme underpins drug safety monitoring in the UK. Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions are submitted to the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), jointly responsible for running the scheme.The MCA advise that although it is possible to calculate the number of reports received for drugs indicated for use in mental health problems, it is not readily possible to derive from this information a meaningful estimate of the percentage of doctors submitting such reports. This is because the level of reporting is variable and health care professionals other than doctors may have submitted a proportion of the reports. The scheme invites reports from all doctors, regardless of speciality, dentists, pharmacists and, in some circumstances, nurses. Information about the Yellow Card Scheme can be found on the MCA's website at: www.mca.gov.uk.

I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that there is currently no definition in European law of GM-free for any food. However, the introduction of such a term is currently being considered in Europe and this is supported by the UK including all devolved administrations.

The regulation and safety of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines Control Agency (MCA).The MCA has advised that all medicines for human use must achieve the required standards of quality, safety and efficacy before being granted a marketing authorisation. This also applies to genetically engineered products, including human insulin. In addition, once approved, appropriate post-marketing pharmacovigilance is carried out within the MCA so that medicines are monitored to identify any new emerging safety issues. Information about clinical trials can be found on the MCA's website: www.mca.gov.uk.

Highland Council's proposed single allocation for non-housing capital will rise to £23.2million in financial year 2003-04, a cumulative increase over three years of 34.3%. Given that Highland Council is responsible for the local roads within its area, it is entirely a matter for the council to determine its spending priorities within this budget.

In determining NHS boards' unified budgets each year, the Scottish Executive Health Department takes account of the expected costs of implementing likely recommendations from the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS). I expect NHSScotland to take account of HTBS advice and ensure that funding is available to meet clinical need.

With reference to my earlier reply, all six and seven year old children registered with a general dental practitioner in deprivation categories 5, 6, and 7 are eligible for dental care under the caries prevention scheme.

The Executive is providing annual funding to NHS boards for drug treatment services of £15 million in 2001-02, £16 million in 2002-03 and over £17.4 million in 2003-04. NHS boards are also free to invest resources from their general hospital and community care allocations for drug treatment services, should local needs assessment determine that this is necessary. It is not just a matter of resources, however, but how services are managed and delivered locally. This is a matter for Drug Action Teams (DATs) and local agencies. Action being undertaken by DATs and NHS boards to improve accessibility is included in DAT annual Corporate Action Plans submitted to the Executive. Issues of concern, such as long waiting times for treatment services, are taken up with officials at local level.To assist DATs and partner agencies, the Executive's Effective Interventions Unit will shortly be issuing advice on effective practice in the planning, designing and delivery of integrated drug services. This will include material about good practice in managing treatment services to avoid lengthy waiting times.The DAT Corporate Action Plans for this year asked about waiting times for referral to assessment and to programmes of care. However, in addition, ISD Scotland and the National Waiting Times Unit are currently involved in identifying how waiting time information in this area might be improved and better monitored in the future.

The SIGN guideline on diagnosis and management of epilepsy in adults (SIGN Guideline No. 21) was published in November 1997. The guideline is currently under review. An overall survey of progress by NHSScotland in implementing SIGN guidelines was carried out in 2001 by a subgroup of the Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG) and a summary report was published in July of this year. A copy can be found on the CRAG website at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/crag/. The survey indicates that of the NHS trusts which responded to the epilepsy guideline section of the survey, 77% had either fully or partially implemented the guideline.SIGN guidelines represent best evidence in relation to clinical practice. NHS trusts, through their clinical governance arrangements, are expected to review and apply SIGN guidelines in the light of local circumstances and priorities. The adequacy of trusts' clinical governance arrangements is reviewed by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland and is the subject of periodic published reports. However, detailed information about adherence to individual SIGN guidelines (of which there are 60) in each trust area is not gathered centrally by the Clinical Standards Board, or by the department.