Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-07573

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 31 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what quality measures will be included in the criteria used to judge the tenders for the care and treatment of prisoners in Scotland's jails.

Question reference: S1W-06184

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 31 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations have been cancelled in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 in the NHS in Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-08122

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 30 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive why deaths of males from ischaemic heart disease are three times higher than of females and what measures are being introduced to reduce this disparity.

The ratio of 3:1 deaths of men and women with ischaemic heart disease applies to those aged between 45 and 64, research evidence suggests that pre-menopausal women appear to be protected from the disease. The ratio declines with age, and by age 75 the difference is negligible. These data are reflected across the world and are in line with those reported in the rest of Europe.

In line with the White Paper Towards a Healthier Scotland, the Scottish Executive is actively seeking to address lifestyle issues and established risk factors such as diet, exercise and smoking. These measures are aimed at both men and women.

Question reference: S1W-08988

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 August 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 30 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider, in the light of experience with the current associate GP scheme, amending the NHS regulations to allow single-handed GP practices to be supported by a full-time equivalent associate GP.

Question reference: S1W-05813

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 30 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider funding a Scottish National Allergy Centre to co-ordinate one-stop treatment and research into allergic diseases.

Question reference: S1W-08907

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 30 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of the Framework of Mental Health Service in Scotland, 1997, which health boards have (a) carried out a local service review and (b) developed an implementation plan for the provision of services for sufferers of anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Question reference: S1W-08908

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 30 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were treated for (a) anorexia nervosa and (b) bulimia in the years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000, broken down by health board.

The information requested is not available centrally. People suffering from anorexia nervosa and bulimia are treated and supported through mainstream mental health and social work services, and treatment is undertaken in a variety of settings.

Information on the number of discharges from acute general hospitals, mental illness hospitals or psychiatric units involving a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or bulimia, by health board of residence, for the years 1997-98 to 1999-2000, is provided in the table.

NHS In Scotland: Number Of Discharges¹ From Acute General Hospital, Mental Illness Hospital Or Psychiatric Unit, Involving A Diagnosis Of Anorexia Nervosa Or Bulimia, By Health Board Of Treatment - Years Ending 31 March 1998-2000

Health Board	Anorexia Nervosa			Bulimia
	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000^p	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000^p
Argyll and Clyde	14	11	11	5	10	2
Ayrshire and Arran	14	10	18	4	6	6
Borders	5	2	3	3	0	0
Dumfries and Galloway	24	17	9	1	3	3
Fife	16	9	7	4	5	20
Forth Valley	7	4	10	5	4	4
Grampian	32	31	24	8	12	11
Greater Glasgow	25	49	31	26	11	16
Highland	12	10	9	1	6	1
Lanarkshire	10	10	2	4	3	1
Lothian	29	15	21	24	10	12
Orkney	1	0	0	0	0	0
Shetland	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tayside	17	17	12	7	3	6
Western Isles	0	2	0	2	1	0
Scotland	206	187	157	94	74	82

Source: ISD Scotland

p Provisional

Notes:

1. Relates to episodes of inpatient and day case care rather than individual patients.

Question reference: S1W-08872

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Angus MacKay on 30 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been placed on a Methadone programme in each of the last five years, listed by health board, and how many of these people were under 16.

Information on the number of people entering methadone programmes is not centrally available, as such details are only collated at local health board level, if their GPs have signed up to local shared care schemes.

The Scottish Drug Misuse Database provides a profile of new problem drug users seen at a broad range of services who have been prescribed methadone. Extrapolated data shows only eight young people under 15 who have been newly prescribed or reported using Methadone since 1995-96, and gives a total of 2,338 new individuals in 1999/2000 using prescribed Methadone.

As detailed in the Executive's Drug Action Plan, we are committed to reducing drug-related deaths and ensuring the provision of effective shared care schemes.

When allocating drugs treatment money to health boards, one of the priority areas stipulated by the Scottish Executive was further development of shared care services, including expansion of substitute prescribing schemes and supervised consumption.

Question reference: S1W-08860

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 30 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-1155 by Susan Deacon on 17 February 2000, when the first set of figures for hospital-acquired infections will be available, broken down by individual hospital.

Data on hospital-acquired infection are collected by Infection Control Teams based in each Trust, from whom the information can be obtained.

While Trusts need to collect data on hospital-acquired infection, there is an even greater need for practical action by Trusts. The Scottish Executive is playing its part by updating guidance, and by making available some of the additional capital resources in the health budget this year for sterilisation and related equipment.

Question reference: S1W-08709

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 July 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 25 August 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7082 by Susan Deacon on 19 June 2000, which health boards offered additional payments to GPs for flu vaccinations in 1999-2000; what criteria health boards use in deciding whether to make such payments, and what the total amount paid to GPs by each health board for flu vaccination was.

The answer is set out in the following table:

Health Board	Health Board Criteria	1999-2000 £
Argyll and Clyde	No payments	0
Ayrshire & Arran	target payment of £193.82: paid where 70% of 75+ population were vaccinated, abated where target percentage was not reached.	35,000
Borders	£25,000 for administration costs of identifying and vaccinating 75+ population and £12,000 for administration costs of vaccinating residents of nursing and residential homes and elderly people at risk in the community.	37,000
Dumfries and Galloway	to fund an influenza vaccination programme, payments in proportion to the number of 75+ on the practice list, plus more resources to recognise general winter increase in workload.	35,003
Fife	Distributed per GP. Noted that much of this work is carried out by Practice Nurses: Treatment Room Nurses and Nurse Practitioner posts are currently fully funded.	20,000
Forth Valley	to cover 65+ and at risk groups; included evaluation at £10k.	280,000
Grampian	£90,000 for a programme of clinics in Aberdeen, managed by Aberdeen Inner City LHCC; included appointment of a project manager, phased invitations to clinics. £54,706 for bulk purchase of the vaccine giving savings of 53%. £12,930 to City chemist contractors for promoting the campaign. £5,719 evaluation of Aberdeen City programme. £15,394 funding to practices outwith the City to carry out flu vaccination at practice level.	178,749
Greater Glasgow	No payments: encouraged GPs to follow the CMO guidelines.	0
Highland	£30,000 block payment to the PCT to remunerate GPs for additional efforts over winter, including flu vaccination.	30,000
Lanarkshire	No payments: activity undertaken as part of general medical services in accordance with Scottish Executive advice.	0
Lothian	£132,977 for patients 75+ and GP and nursing home staff @ around £5.50 per vaccination. Targeted payment but GPs were encouraged to vaccinate all other at risk patients.	132,977
Orkney	No payments	0
Shetland	£4,737.50 patients 75+ @ £6.25 per vaccination. Practices reminded that the other target groups should be offered vaccination. GPs agreed to do so as part of GMS.	4,737.5
Tayside	£50,000: £1.20-1.70 per vaccination for patients vaccinated according to CMO guidelines.	50,000
Western Isles	£3,163 for at risk patients as defined in the CMO Guidelines: target payment: £1 per vaccination paid where 40% of at risk patients immunised: an additional 5p on top of the £1 paid for each additional 1% vaccinated up to 80%.	3,163
TOTAL		806,629.5