Chamber and committees

The timetable and terms of reference for the review of the management of waiting lists in NHSScotland is currently being discussed with the Auditor General for Scotland. Details will be announced in due course.

People with drug and alcohol problems have access to a wide range of treatment and care provided by NHSScotland. In addition, it is well established practice for NHS Boards and local authorities to refer patients to services provided by independent and voluntary organisations, on the basis of assessment of individuals' needs and circumstances.

At my request the Criminal Justice Forum has recently been considering how fines enforcement generally might be improved. Proposals under discussion include the introduction of Fines Enforcement Officers and more flexible arrangements for payment.

I announced details of the National Waiting Times Unit on 8 January 2002.The unit will be an integral part of the Scottish Executive Health Department rather than an external body, and its staff will be drawn from NHSScotland and the Health Department. Set up and running costs will be met from existing resources.

I announced details of the National Waiting Times Unit, including the appointment of John Connaghan, Chief Executive, Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust as Director, on 8 January 2002.

On 8 January 2002 I announced details of the new National Waiting Times Unit, which has been established to work with NHSScotland to reduce delays by ensuring better and more efficient use of capacity and co-ordinating a regional or national response to local bottlenecks or pressures.The unit has a wide-ranging remit and will remain in place until it has been discharged.

On 8 January 2002, I announced details of the new National Waiting Times Unit, which has been established to reduce delays for patients by ensuring better and more efficient use of capacity and by co-ordinating a regional or national response to local bottlenecks or pressures. Initially it will focus its efforts on tackling delays in the clinical priorities of cancer and heart disease, as well as working to reduce the longest waits experienced by patients.The unit will seek to ensure that the most effective use is made of Scotland's collective health resources, and its work will be of significant benefit to a substantial number of patients across the country.

Part of the solution must lie in addressing people's attitudes to mental health and to those with mental health problems. We need to tackle the stigma which many associate with mental illness. The Scottish Executive is already committed to this. I announced in October 2001 that I am establishing a National Advisory Group, consisting of a range of stakeholders from health, education, social justice, business and other areas, to be responsible for developing a national programme to promote mental health and well-being and to address stigma. The Executive will invest over £4 million over three years in this programme.Behaviour which might be described as harassment can be prosecuted as a breach of the peace (which can cover all behaviour which causes or is likely to cause, fear, alarm, upset or annoyance). The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 provides further protection to victims of harassment. Under the act victims can take action in the civil courts to obtain damages for the harassment and can also obtain a non-harassment order (NHO) to prevent further harassment. This year's criminal justice legislation will provide for the introduction of a specific power of arrest for breach of an NHO.

The National Screening Committee (NSC) recently considered the current policy for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and concluded it did not give clear guidance on how to deal with men asking for a PSA test where there are no symptoms nor family history of prostate cancer. The NSC recommended that if, after receiving full information about PSA test limitations and treatment side effects they wish to proceed, these men should have access to PSA testing facilities. Guidance is currently being issued to general practitioners and professional networks in Scotland informing them of this position.

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