Chamber and committees

The General Medical Council (GMC) is responsible for considering allegations of professional misconduct against doctors.

Doctors at present have the right and will continue to have the right of access to information regarding their own practice or performance in such cases.

Teaching NHS Trusts must account for all their expenditure, including the Additional Cost of Teaching expenditure. Each Trust produces an annual report and accounts, both of which are published.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-7457.

The UK National Screening Committee, an expert advisory body to all the UK Health Departments, is currently developing a programme of screening for diabetic retinopathy. The committee is considering actively how it might be possible to identify "at risk" groups for further targeted screening.

It is the responsibility of health boards to assess local needs for patients with hepatitis C and arrange provision of appropriate support, treatment and care services.

In 1999, The Scottish Office commissioned the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme to establish a working group to consider all aspects of hepatitis C including epidemiology, prevention, investigations and treatment and to estimate future implications for the Scottish population and for service needs.

It is expected that the report will be published in the summer, when the Executive will give its conclusions urgent consideration.

The Executive expects all NHS Trusts to achieve national targets while taking account of local circumstances. The additional resources made available by the Executive, together with local efficiency improvements, are sufficient for the NHS to meet the costs of service developments and pay and price increases.

Assessment and the content of examinations is within the remit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

I understand that Ron Tuck, Chief Executive of the Authority, is replying to all letters expressing concerns about the Higher Still maths exam. The Executive is concerned that any issues expressed by pupils, parents and others are addressed.

The level of funding provided for general practice under-graduate teaching is for negotiation between the relevant health board, NHS Trusts and University.

29 out of Scotland's 32 Maternity Hospitals participate in the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative with a further two planning to do so in the future. The initiative requires participating hospitals to implement 10 steps to successful breastfeeding. The ten steps are evidence based good practice standards and are part of a global initiative to enable mothers to breastfeed successfully. The initiative requires hospitals to have a written policy to ensure that staff receive training to enable them to implement that policy.

Six of these hospitals have received the Baby Friendly Initiative UK Award and a number of other units have been awarded the Certificate of Commitment that acknowledges the units' progress in implementing some of the steps and also commits the hospital to working towards full assessment within two years.

In addition the remit of the national breastfeeding advisor is to assist towards achieving breastfeeding targets, provide advice, training resources and support to NHS personnel and lay workers, to act as a facilitator to local Joint Breastfeeding Initiatives and to report and make recommendations to the Scottish Breastfeeding Group.

No. LHCCs are part of Primary Care Trusts. Their influence on the provision of secondary care is exercised through their involvement in the development of the health board's Health Improvement Programme which is the key health service planning document for the area.