Chamber and committees

The following table shows the trend in administration staff and available staffed beds, between 1991-92 and 2000-01: Administration Staff and Available Staffed Beds in the NHS

Year	Administration Staff (WTE)	Average Available Staffed Beds	Ratio of Staff per 100 Beds
1991-92	15,021	48,738	30.8
1992-93	15,890	46,731	34.0
1993-94	16,665	44,185	37.7
1994-95	17,596	42,351	41.5
1995-96	18,016	40,555	44.4
1996-97	17,478	38,427	45.5
1997-98	17,152	36,784	46.6
1998-99	17,030	35,182	48.4
1999-2000	16,822	33,475	50.3
2000-01	17,017	32,103	53.0

Notes:1. The figures for administration staff include administration and clerical staff, senior management and senior nurse managers, and cover all staff employed by health board areas.2. The figures for average available staffed beds are based on the average daily beds available for the reception of in-patients. The number of administration staff rose between 1991-92 and 1995-96. Since then the number has fallen from 18,016 to 17,017, a reduction of 5.5%. The reduction in staffed beds throughout this period reflects a number of factors including the transfer of patients from hospital to community care, increased use of day surgery, and shorter lengths of stay. The increase in the ratio of administration staff to staffed beds in the NHS does not take into account the major expansion that has taken place over this period in the provision of care and treatment for patients in the community, and in hospital settings that do not require the use of inpatient beds.

Information about deaths resulting from healthcare associated infection (HAI) is not available. HAI is not a notifiable cause of death.There are considerable clinical uncertainties about the degree to which a HAI may contribute to death. In addition, there can be uncertainties about the source of infections which cause or contribute to death. The Scottish Executive and NHSScotland are committed to reducing the incidence of HAI. Preventing and controlling HAI is an important part of the responsibilities of every NHS trust.

The aim of the Accounts Commission report Full House - Theatre Utilisation in Scottish Hospitals, which was published in June 1999, was to help hospitals to improve the use of planned theatre sessions, to identify ways to minimise session and case cancellations, to make full and best use of theatre resources and to use management information in an effective way. The report made a number of recommendations for actions to assist in this regard. These recommendations were, in the main, detailed operational matters for NHS trusts.In compiling their Local Health Plans, NHS boards, in conjunction with NHS trusts, will assess the capacity needed to meet national and local health targets. This work will include an examination of theatre requirements and utilisation. In addition, the National Waiting Times Unit is currently working with NHS trusts, to develop and share best practice to help ensure better and more effective use of existing capacity, including theatre capacity, in NHSScotland.

We expect NHS boards to implement the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network guideline on the management of diabetes, which includes an emphasis on the fundamental importance of healthy eating as part of diabetes health care behaviour. Much of type 2 diabetes, which accounts for about 85% of the prevalence of the condition, is a consequence of overweight and obesity. If overweight people lose weight, they reduce their risk of developing diabetes. Our Scottish Diet Action Plan, Eating for Health, promotes the provision of healthy food choices and health education in order to encourage individuals to choose a balanced diet. Physical exercise is also important.

Mobile telephones should comply with the Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Directive Article 3.1.(a), which states as an essential requirement "the protection of the health and safety of the user and any other person..." This requirement is achieved by compliance with the EU Recommendation on Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields, which specifies the exposure guidelines of the International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones chaired by Sir William Stewart also recommended that the ICNIRP guidelines should be adopted for use in the UK. This was accepted by Government, including the Scottish Executive, and industry.

Good medical and psychiatric practice for patients with a diagnosis of mental disorder or learning disability involves multi-disciplinary reviews of people in community care, or in-patient facilities, including the presenting problems, diagnosis, behaviour and care. Drug or alcohol problems will be identified as part of such practice.The Clinical Standards Board's Standards for Schizophrenia include a statement that patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia should have access to assessment by a specialist in substance misuse. Over the past year, Primary Care NHS Trusts have been auditing themselves to see to what extent they comply with this standard, and a report is expected soon from the board on the findings from its external accreditation of trusts.Drug Misuse and Dependence - Guidelines on Clinical Management recognise that there are increased rates of psychiatric disorders among those with drug and alcohol problems. The Guidelines set out information and advice for doctors on assessing and treating such patients.The Executive's Effective Interventions Unit will evaluate models of service for treating co-existing drug misuse and mental health problems in the course of 2002.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23107.

Respiratory conditions represents one of the major disease categories requiring care by NHSScotland. Respiratory diseases are many and varied but smoking remains the greatest single cause of lung disease. We are determined to take effective action to implement measures in the White Paper Smoking Kills and a range of Scottish initiatives. In common with many other diseases and conditions, lung diseases are tackled through a range of measures at all stages of care.

As stated in The Right Medicine: A Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland published on 4 February (Parliament's Reference Centre, Bib. number 18835), we are committed to having the electronic transmission of prescriptions operational across Scotland during 2005. As a first step we aim to have the system operational between the GP practices and community pharmacies throughout Irvine, Kilwinning and Dundonald LHCC this year.

Our target for Electronic Health Records is to establish, with active co-operation of patients, pilots based on GP summary information by 2003. We are currently studying options for these pilots and will publish proposals in due course.