Chamber and committees

Telehealth opportunities should be considered first when introducing and/or redesigning services in order to achieve both cost and clinical benefits. NHS 24 would recommend that boards use the information contained in Appendix 4 of the Audit Scotland Review of Telehealth in Scotland to help them determine the potential for telehealth services. NHS 24, through the Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare can provide advice and support to any board in this process. In addition, NHS 24 will continue to share good practice to NHS boards.

When NHS 24 published the SCT Strategic Framework in 2010, it made clear the commitment to move away from telehealth pilots, and to move towards delivering national services. A number of these are already demonstrating benefits as follows:

The South Network Telestroke service is currently being evaluated, however it is already demonstrating clinical effectiveness by providing thrombolysis to a number of patients who previously would not have had access to this potentially life saving treatment, thus resulting in improved clinical outcomes, and less requirement for long term rehabilitation;

Clinical evidence shows that the delivery of remote pulmonary rehabilitation is as effective as face to face;

Clinical evaluation of the Living Life service managed by NHS 24 demonstrates the effectiveness of the service; in addition, patients have improved and quicker access to appropriate specialist psychiatric therapies.

Progress has been made across all four national programmes identified in the National Telehealth Strategy. The National Telestroke Programme is live in 11 health board areas. All paediatric centres across Scotland have access to video conferencing equipment which is being used to deliver specialist paediatric services. The Long Terms Conditions programme, currently focused on patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease has established remote pulmonary rehabilitation classes to a number of boards across Scotland. In line with NHS24’s Mental Health Strategy a range of work is underway including the provision of anticipatory care and out of hours support to elderly patients in nursing homes in NHS Highland via videoconferencing.

Data on the number of alcohol-related deaths since 1979 are publicly available on the National Records of Scotland (NRS) website:

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/theme/vital-events/deaths/alcohol-related/index.html

Source: National Records of Scotland

We have received a copy of the 2010 BIPA report on the Irish Community in Britain.

Copies of four further reports, An update on cross-border co-operation between police forces; The Common Travel Area: An Update; A Common European Defence and Foreign Policy; Returning the Unemployed to Work; were sent to the First Minister on 15 March 2010.

I have written to BIPA in each instance, acknowledging receipt of these reports.

The Mental Welfare Commission published its report Not properly authorised in August this year. The report followed a series of unannounced visits to 45 hospitals where people were receiving compulsory treatment under Part 16 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. The commission’s view was that insufficient attention was being paid to providing lawful treatment under this part of the act. This view was restated again in the commission’s annual report 2010 to 2011. Not properly authorised provided a timely reminder that safeguards must be followed to ensure that compulsory treatment under the act is carried out appropriately and lawfully.

The report made a number of recommendations, three addressed to Scottish ministers and five addressed to NHS boards recommendations which are specifically for Scottish ministers are addressed in the answers to questions S4W-02534 and S4W-02535 on 15 September 2011, and I refer the member to those answers.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The specific information requested is not held centrally.

The construction of new homes is subject to planning permission and building regulations. Energy standards within building regulations set challenging targets which limit carbon dioxide emissions and energy demand in new homes. This is verified by local authorities through the building warrant process. Scottish Planning Policy states that energy efficient design of buildings will make a significant contribution to reducing emissions. Location, siting, orientation, design, materials and insulation are important factors in the energy efficiency of buildings.

The Scottish Planning Policy approach to energy efficiency is set out in response to question S4W-03584 on 4 November 2011. There is no national planning requirement that buildings granted planning permission now, must be capable of supporting renewable energy technology in the future if they do not incorporate such technology from the outset.

Scottish building regulations set minimum standards for the performance of new buildings which are verified by local authorities through the building warrant process. The energy standards within building regulations, referred to in S4W-03584, are currently reviewed on a three yearly cycle. This review considers both further improvement in energy efficiency and the role of renewable energy technologies.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

There is no mandatory requirement for new buildings to incorporate technology that generates energy from renewable sources. The successful operation of such technologies is often dependant on the location, siting and design of the development. Both planning policy and building regulations encourage such technologies, where use is appropriate.