Chamber and committees

The Childsmile School programme provides twice-yearly fluoride varnish (FV) applications as a preventive treatment for children who are identified as living in the areas of highest need. Tables 1, 2 and 3 show, by NHS board of delivery and by school year, the number of children who received at least one fluoride varnish application, expressed also as a percentage of the number of eligible children.

The Childsmile School programme is at various stages of implementation in all 14 NHS board areas. Three NHS boards; Dumfries and Galloway, Orkney and Western Isles are  implementing in school year 2010 -11; no data available currently.

Table 1: Number of Children in P1 and P2 Treated Under the Childsmile School Programme in School Year 2007-08

NHS Board of Delivery	Number of Children who Received Treatment	Proportion of Eligible Children who Received Treatment
Ayrshire and Arran	81	5.55%
Borders	187	40.67%
Fife	924	62.42%
Tayside	636	40.88%

Table 2: Number of Children in P1 and P2 Treated Under the Childsmile School Programme in School Year 2008-09

NHS Board of Delivery	Number of Children who Received Treatment	Proportion of Eligible Children who Received Treatment
Ayrshire and Arran	396	26.88%
Borders	448	99.69%
Fife	1395	93.88%
Forth Valley	500	41.40%
Highland	60	4.92%
Lothian	1353	44.87%
Shetland	77	78.09%
Tayside	2077	133.47%

Table 3: Number of Children in P1 and P2 Treated Under the Childsmile School Programme in School Year 2009-10

NHS Board of Delivery	Number of Children who Received Treatment	Proportion of Eligible Children who Received Treatment
Ayrshire and Arran	834	55.22%
Borders	495	107.75%
Fife	1549	100.77%
Forth Valley	604	48.42%
Grampian*	418	19.76%
Greater Glasgow and Clyde*	1714	38.29%
Highland	904	71.76%
Lanarkshire*	173	6.05%
Lothian	2578	83.74%
Shetland	286	279.30%
Tayside	1935	122.14%

*These NHS boards implemented Childsmile School in school year 2009-10.

Source: Childsmile Programme.

 

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36178 on 21 September 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Responding better to depression, anxiety and stress is a key priority for the Scottish Government and we are working with our partners to provide appropriate care and treatment for all those who suffer from depression, including farmers and those in remote and rural areas, in line with national clinical guidelines.

Our approach is supported by an ambitious programme to put in place integrated care pathways for depression that meet the standards established by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland; the commitment to increase access to evidence-based  psychological therapies in Scotland including the access target to be included in HEAT in 2011-12; screening for depression for those with coronary heart disease and diabetes and appropriate treatment; access to online and telephone based cognitive behavioural therapy and self-help for depression; promotion of physical activity as both a treatment for, and to reduce the risk of developing depression.

The Institute of Rural Health also recognises, and is encouraged by, the service provided by Breathing Space, the free confidential out of hours telephone advice and signposting service for people experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety, particularly for the advice it can offer to those in rural and more isolated areas.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36178 on 21 September 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36178 on 21 September 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

In response to enquiries from the Clerk of the Petitions Committee, the Scottish Government replied on 3 March 2009 to say that a feasibility study had been undertaken in spring 2009 into the operation and levels of the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA). The study revealed that there was limited primary evidence about how residents receive and make use of the PEA, and it set out options and methodologies for undertaking further research about the PEA. The letter went on to explain that any decisions about research on the PEA would feed into the wide ranging review of long-term care funding and delivery in Scotland, and that engagement with stakeholders would be a key part of the long term review.

Since the date of that letter, many programmes are underway, including our Reshaping Care for Older People Programme, both in Scotland and across the UK, looking at all aspects of the future shape and delivery of long term care for older people including how that care is funded. As this work progresses it would be unhelpful to focus attention narrowly on the value of the PEA. The financial implications of any increase in the PEA would need to be considered within the context of other pressures and priorities for the social care budget.

The PEA feasibility study took the form of desk-based research relying on evidence and research already in the public domain, and a literature search of published data and reports was undertaken and reviewed. The feasibility study can be accessed on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/CrossCuttingIssues/feasibilitypea.

and the literature search at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/care/CrossCuttingIssues/literaturepea.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36178 on 21 September 2010. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The number of care homes places available at the end of March each year, is given in the following table:

Number of Care Home Places Available, by NHS Board, at 31 March 2010

NHS Board	2007	2008	2009
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	3,007	3,187	3,176
NHS Borders	964	886	895
NHS Fife	2,742	2,786	2,906
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	9,662	9,661	10,002
NHS Highland	3,120	3,029	3,073
NHS Lanarkshire	4,560	4,684	4,738
NHS Grampian	4,816	4,900	5,103
NHS Orkney	138	137	144
NHS Lothian	5,774	5,725	5,840
NHS Tayside	3,984	4,055	4,075
NHS Forth Valley	2,156	2,215	2,234
NHS Western Isles	235	226	226
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	1,249	1,337	1,329
NHS Shetland	158	153	153
NHS Scotland	42,565	42,981	43,894

Source: Scottish Care Homes Census.

The median wait for a first assessment with an audiologist for the quarter ending 30 June 2010, by NHS board is as follows.

Information on waiting times to see an audiologist is published by ISD Scotland as data under development. The quality and accuracy of the data are continuing to be monitored and ISD Scotland is actively working with NHS boards to improve consistency, completeness and timeliness of audiology data.

The Scottish Government has included audiology services in the 18 weeks referral to treatment time target, which is due for delivery by end December 2011. This is the first time that patients requiring audiology services will be covered by a waiting time target. NHS boards are now actively working to reduce waits for this service.

Median Wait for a First Assessment with an Audiologist by NHS Board: Quarter Ending 30 June 2010

NHS Board	Median Waits (Weeks)
Ayrshire and Arran	7
Borders	6
Dumfries and Galloway	3
Fife	8
Forth Valley	*
Grampian	7
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	5
Highland	11
Lanarkshire	1
Lothian	*
Orkney	2
Shetland	4
Tayside	24
Western Isles	*

Source: ISD Scotland.

Note: *Data not available due to system issues.

The Scottish Government''s challenging target of 18 weeks from referral to treatment is not due for delivery until end December 2011. ISD Scotland has started to collect data on the 18 weeks referral to treatment time, but it is at an early stage of development. ISD is currently assessing the quality and the reliability of the data ahead of any publication. They hope to announce plans for publication of this new data in the near future.

We continue to monitor the milestone stage of treatment time standards set as part of the delivery of the 18 weeks referral to treatment time target. The latest published figure for 30 June 2010, showed that NHS Scotland effectively delivered a 12 week wait for a first outpatient consultation and nine weeks for inpatient and day case treatment “ three weeks earlier than the current waiting time standard. In addition, 99.8% of patients received one of the eight key diagnostic tests within four weeks “ two weeks earlier than the current standard. This excellent performance clearly indicates that NHS Scotland is well on track to deliver the 18 weeks referral to treatment time target.