Chamber and committees

As at 31 May 2002, there were 38 patients approved for transfer to alternative care. 31 had waited more than three months since clinical agreement had been reached. Given that individual recommendations must be considered in each case, information on average length of wait for a transfer is not routinely collected.The policy on the care and treatment of mentally disordered offenders remains as set out in Management Executive Letter 1999(5), the key objective of which is that patients receive care and treatment appropriate to their needs, taking into account the safety consideration.A range of provision is proposed including the State Hospital and the existing and planned local forensic psychiatric accommodation and services. NHS Boards are at different implementation stages with a local forensic unit already established in Edinburgh and a planning application lodged in Glasgow. Plans are also being developed for other units and services in line with the published policy.State Hospital patients are entitled to access the full range of services provided by the Hospital according to their clinical needs, which are assessed on a regular basis. Movement of patients between care settings is a matter for clinical decision involving the referring and receiving clinical teams. Once agreed, individual transfers can take time depending on the arrangement to be put in place at the receiving facility or service. Patients who are the subject of an agreed transfer but for whom a place cannot immediately be arranged will of course continue to receive care within the State Hospital.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has made no such representations. The agency's publication At a Glance Guide to the Current Medical Standards of Fitness to Drive is issued to all General Practitioners and provides advice about the relevance of certain medical conditions, including mental illness, to driving. It is also available on the agency's website at www.dvla.gov.uk.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26825.

Information on private dental practices which take no NHS patients is not available. We are aware that there are problems with access to NHS dentistry in some parts of Scotland. That is why I announced a £1 million "Golden Hello" package on 25 April to assist with access problems and with recruitment and retention of NHS dentists.

People with mental health problems may be referred to local smoking cessation services which should provide motivational support. Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Zyban are also available on prescription. In addition a smoking cessation "pathway" for patients has recently been established in the State Hospital at Carstairs.The Executive is aware that people with mental health problems may need additional help to enable them to stop smoking. ASH (Scotland) and HEBS are presently working up proposals to pilot smoking cessation services specifically for people with mental health problems who wish to quit.

There is no direct financial assistance for general dental practices to install computerised records systems. Dentists who wish to transmit their dental claims to the Common Services Agency for the NHS in Scotland via electronic data interchange can receive a grant of £700.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26825.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26825.

On 3 June I announced a £3 milion investment to fund improvements to dental practice premises and facilities which will improve patient safety and access and address the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. This is additional to the £4.3 million the Executive made available for practice improvements during the previous two financial years.The new "Golden Hello" package which will be introduced on 1 August includes grants of up to £10,000, based on the amount of NHS work they undertake, to dentists establishing new vocational training practices and offering a training place. Vocational training surgeries must be built and equipped to high standards and must comply with all health and safety requirements.Grants are available under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative to dentists wishing to locate new practices or expand existing practices in areas of unmet patient demand and high oral health need.

The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a Consultant in Dermatology, following referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS trust of treatment, in the year ending 31 December 2001, are given in the table.NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for a First Out-patient Appointment with a Consultant in Dermatology, Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS Trust of Treatment. Year Ended 31 December 2001^P

NHS Trust	Median Wait
Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals	70 days
Ayrshire and Arran Acute Hospitals	103 days
Borders Acute Hospital	74 days
Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals	44 days
Fife Acute Hospitals	67 days
Fife Primary Care	70 days
Forth Valley Acute Hospitals	119 days
Grampian Primary Care	38 days
Grampian University Hospitals	132 days
Highland Acute Hospitals	34 days
Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals	73 days
Lothian Primary Care	57 days
Lothian University Hospitals	65 days
North Glasgow University Hospitals	53 days
Orkney Health Board	31days
South Glasgow University Hospitals	59 days
Shetland Hospitals and Community Care Services Unit	50 days
Tayside Primary Care	40 days
Tayside University Hospitals	30 days
West Lothian Healthcare	110 days
Western Isles Health Unit	23 days
Yorkhill	103 days
Scotland	62 days

Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.^PProvisional.