- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 28 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how candidates are selected for the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland, the Health Technology Board for Scotland and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidance Network and how it ensures that the individuals sitting on these boards retain an objective and independent view.
Answer
The appointment of members to the boards of special health boards such as the Clinical Standards Board and the Health Technology Board, is made by me on behalf of Scottish Ministers. These appointments are made on merit by fair and open process and are subject to independent assessment by the Health Appointments Advisory Committee. Consideration is given to the balance of the boards and to the skills which individuals can contribute.
The Scottish Executive is committed to reviewing and modernising the system for making public appointments in Scotland and responses to a review on public appointments is currently being considered by Scottish Ministers.
The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), which was formed in 1993, is an independent network of clinicians and healthcare professionals and as such is not subject to the public appointments system. Patients and public views are represented on SIGN through the Scottish Association of Health Councils.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 28 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement in the answer to question S1O-1597 by Susan Deacon on 4 May 2000 that the Health Technology Board for Scotland will be "open and transparent", why there has been no announcement of the recent appointment of a director and when the board will have a location and address, a website and contact details.
Answer
I announced the names of the members of the Health Technology Board for Scotland on 18 May. At that time, arrangements on the appointment of the Director had still to be finalised. These have now been completed and the Director will take up post on 3 July. I will announce full details of this appointment shortly.
The board's Chairman is currently working with the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate (PACE) to secure accommodation for the board in Glasgow. From 3 July, the board will occupy temporary accommodation in the Beacon, 176 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5SG. A website will be set up when the board's permanent staff are appointed.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 28 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what safeguards are in place to ensure that the function of the Health Technology Board for Scotland is not to replicate decisions already communicated to it by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
Answer
The report of the Working Group on the Implementation of the Scottish Health Technology Centre, published on 17 November 1999, indicated that the Health Technology Board for Scotland and NICE would establish a close working relationship with reciprocal observer status at Management Board level and close links between core staff. Discussions between the two organisations have already taken place on the establishment of a system for exchanging information and avoiding duplication of work.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 28 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the precise remit of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland is and what is being done to ensure that guidelines from the Health Technology Board for Scotland and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidance Network are being implemented by health boards.
Answer
The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland is a statutory body, established as a special health board in April 1999. Its role, in line with the Scottish Executive's commitment to quality, openness and public accountability, is to promote public confidence that the services provided by the NHS are safe and that they meet nationally agreed standards.
The Health Technology Board for Scotland was established as a special health board in April 2000 to provide boards and other decision-makers with advice on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new and existing health technologies. Boards will be expected to justify any decision not to follow the advice of the new board; both in the public eye (the advice of the board will be public) and within clinical governance.
The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) has published over 40 guidelines since it was formed in 1993. We are aware that these evidence-based national recommendations published by SIGN are translated by local practitioners into protocols which reflect particular local circumstances.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 26 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers Professor David Rowley to be an impartial and objective member of the Scottish Review team in relation to the funding position in Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust, given his role as head of orthopaedics at Ninewells Hospital Dundee, non-executive member of the Tayside Health Board and chairman of Tayside Acute Services Review (phase 2).
Answer
The Scottish Executive believes that Professor Rowley has an important and valuable role to play as a member of the task force/review team and that his involvement will ensure that the work of the task force is fully informed of and builds upon the work carried out to date as part of the Tayside Acute Services Review.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 26 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit, aims and objectives of "modernisation action teams" are.
Answer
Modernisation Action Teams were announced by the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, as part of England's modernisation plans for the NHS. I have announced plans to establish a Modernisation Board to drive forward the Executive's programme for modernising and improving the NHS in Scotland.
The board will provide advice to Ministers on the modernisation programme and the priorities for new investment, will champion success by identifying best practice and ensuring that it is shared across Scotland and ensure that national policy develops in response to local aspirations for service modernisation and vice versa.
Membership of the Modernisation Board will be drawn from the professions, from NHS staff, patients and management. It is expected that the board will meet monthly with the first meeting planned for July.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 22 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many flu vaccines were administered in 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 22 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how a pass mark will be set for the Higher Still Higher maths paper given that the exam did not reflect the content of teaching.
Answer
Assessment, including the marking of examinations, is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and I understand from the authority that the exam paper did reflect the course syllabus.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidelines and resources are in place in prisons in Scotland to screen for mental disorders, monitor psychological adaptation to prison and identify symptoms resulting from use of drugs, medication, alcohol or contagious or chronic conditions.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
In 1998, the Scottish Prison Service published its Health Care Standards for Prisoners. Earlier this month, we launched Partnership and Co-ordination: SPS Action on Drugs. Both of these initiatives are supported by the necessary resources.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 22 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive why the Higher Still Higher maths examination did not reflect the work covered in schools.
Answer
Assessment, including the content of examinations, is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and I understand from the authority that the Higher Still maths exam reflected the syllabus as published in the course arrangement documents.
