Chamber and committees

Review of medicines available on the UK market is an on-going process. Medicines are granted a marketing authorisation (previously product license) if they meet the Medicines Control Agency's (MCA) standards of safety, quality and efficacy. Marketing authorisations are usually granted for periods of up to five years and have to be renewed at the end of that time. On renewal each marketing authorisation must reflect current knowledge about the product. Information about the work of the MCA can be found on their website:www.mca.gov.uk.Additionally, in Scotland, the Health Technology Board for Scotland will consider any proposal to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of specific medicines that have been in use for many years.

The following table shows the latest available data on the number of vacancies in dermatology.It should also be noted that the number of posts for Specialist Registrars training for a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) in dermatology was increased from 14 to 17 in 2001.Dermatology Vacancies Headcount at 30 September

	As at 30 Consultant	September 2000Staff Grade	As at 30 Consultant	September 2001Staff Grade
Total Vacancies	3	1	1	-
Of which the posts were vacant for:
Less than 6 months	1	-	1	-
6 months or more	2	1	-	-
Vacancies as a % of establishment	5.9%	11.1%	n/a	n/a
Of which the posts were vacant for:
Less than 6 months	2.0%	-	n/a	n/a
6 months or more	3.9%	11.1%	n/a	n/a

Note:1. These data are released under National Statistics.2. Data are from ISD(M)4, an annual collection by ISD of consultant and staff grade medical and dental vacancies. 3. Vacancies are those posts vacant at 30 September irrespective of when the vacancy arose.4. Establishment is defined as staff in post + total vacancies. Vacancy rates are calculated by dividing the number of vacancies by the establishment and multiplying by 100.5. Establishment data necessary for the computation of vacancy rates for 2001 will be available from 17 July 2002.

There are currently out of hours emergency dental service arrangements in every NHS board area except Argyll and Clyde and Lanarkshire.

The information requested is not held centrally. Scottish Needs Assessment Programmes provide NHS boards with good practice recommendations for the planning of services, but are not mandatory.

The New Contract for Doctors in Training introduced a contractual requirement for all Pre-Registration House Officer (PRHO) posts to comply with the New Deal by 1 August 2001 and for Senior House Officer (SHO) and Specialist Register (SpR) posts by 1 August 2003.The Scottish Executive Health Department monitors compliance on a six monthly basis. Latest figures for compliance (February 2002) are as follows:

	PRHOs	SHOs	SpRs
Compliance:	92%	41%	46%

The New Deal Implementation Support Group, set up by ministers in 1999 to help trusts to achieve compliance, is continuing to work closely with trusts to help them overcome obstacles to full compliance by identifying and promoting best practice and assisting in work pattern redesign.The Chief Executive of NHSScotland wrote to NHSS trusts in November 2001 to inform them that, where PRHO posts are found to drift from compliance on an on-going basis, postgraduate Deans would be required to take action to ensure offending posts were permanently withdrawn from the process used to allocate medical students to their hospital placements. Trusts are not yet required to achieve compliance for SHOs and SpRs.

The Executive recognises the value of homeopathic treatment. A number of GPs hold qualifications in homeopathy and there are several NHS clinics as well as the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital. Referral for homeopathic treatment in any given case is, however, a matter for clinical judgement, in consultation with the patient.

The Scottish Executive is monitoring the development of services and the use of resources through the monitoring of Partnership in Practice agreements.

All meat consignments imported into Scotland from non European Union countries must enter the country through Border Inspection Posts and must be accompanied by a general or specific licence. All consignments are inspected by a Local Veterinary Inspector on behalf of the local authority who are the enforcing authority. All documentation is checked and a percentage of each consignment is examined. There are very few meat consignments imported into Scotland and recent talks with local authorities confirmed that they have no difficulties meeting these inspection obligations.Customs officers are not involved in the inspection of meat consignments.

Genetically modified crops should not be seen as homogenous in their potential to impact upon human health. Each application to release or market a GM crop is considered individually and each must be supported by information to satisfy the regulatory authorities that it does not pose a threat to human health. Applications will frequently cite published research relevant to the particular health issues raised by a particular genetically modified organism (GMO) or a particular trait. The Health and Safety Executive, the Food Standards Agency and the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment are well placed to take a view on whether a release can take place in safety. Only applications that satisfy these bodies as to their safety are considered for release.

The Executive is keen to promote the development of these networks and would wish them to be operational as soon as is feasible. Managed Clinical Networks for epilepsy services are now being developed in the following NHS board areas: Ayrshire and Arran; Greater Glasgow; Highland; Lothian, and Tayside. We shall encourage other NHS boards to follow suit.