Chamber and committees

The Chief Medical Officer and the Chairman of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) have written to NHS boards asking them to ensure that consistent and accessible patient information on the prevention and management of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is available. Boards have provided reassurance that they have reviewed, or are reviewing, their policies and procedures in line with the SIGN guidelines and that they have reviewed and are implementing their patient information leaflets.

NHS QIS will follow up progress with boards in November 2008.

We have also commissioned Lifeblood, the thrombosis charity, to develop a general information leaflet on DVT, in conjunction with the McPherson family. The leaflet includes guidance for individuals considered to be at high risk and mentions that a blood test is available which may show a genetic susceptibility to DVT. The leaflet has been distributed to every GP practice in Scotland so that it can be displayed and made available to the general public.

We have accepted the expert advice from the National Screening Committee (NSC) on the subject, which does not recommend screening for thrombophilia every woman contemplating pregnancy, on the grounds that there is not sufficient evidence to support this.

Should new evidence emerge, the NSC will consider it and advise the UK health ministers accordingly.

Whether or not women should be tested for thrombophilia prior to seeking pregnancy is a clinical decision for the woman and her medical advisors. Such investigations are included in recommendations from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for women who have experienced recurrent miscarriages.

We also expect clinicians providing maternity services to assess pregnant women for risk factors for deep vein thrombosis as part of their clinical assessment.

Scottish ministers have made a number of representations to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support on behalf of the Scottish shipbuilding industry in respect of construction of Royal Navy Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) vessels.

We understand the UK Government has now selected four companies to compete for the first class of MARS vessels (the Fleet Tankers contract). None of these companies have indicated to date that they would build the Fleet Tankers in the UK reflecting that capacity in the UK will be taken up with the recent aircraft carriers announcement. We will continue to make representations for Scottish shipbuilding in respect of future and further classes of MARS vessels.

Scottish ministers are in regular contact with their counterparts in the UK Government and work to promote and support the commercial shipbuilding industry in Scotland. Most recently this has involved extensive engagement with MoD ministers around the aircraft carriers contract signing and the military afloat reach and sustainability vessels. I have on-going engagement with leading companies in the sector and further engagement is also in hand. There have however been no recent specific ministerial discussions with the UK Government regarding the regeneration of commercial shipbuilding in Scotland.

Regular discussions take place with the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) on a range of issues, including the construction of the fishery protection vessel Hirta. The SFPA took delivery of the new vessel on 8 May 2008, and the vessel began its operational tasks on 22 May 2008.

No. The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) took delivery of the new fishery protection vessel Hirta on 8 May 2008 whereas the contracted delivery date was 31 October 2007. Substantial liquidated damages were negotiated by the SFPA, and although the vessel was late it was delivered under budget.

Scottish ministers work to promote and support the commercial shipbuilding industry in Scotland. There are no plans to place orders for public sector maritime vessels at this time. Were that position to change any new vessel commissioned would go out to tender and be subject to EU procurement rules.

It is fairly typical for higher value contracts, including public contracts for the construction of vessels, to contain liquidated damages clauses covering issues such as performance of contract and late delivery. Such clauses must relate to the consequences for the public body of failure to perform to the standards agreed in the contract.

This information is not held centrally.

In the years 2003 to 2006, the number of deaths from all forms of thrombosis (coronary, cerebral, peripheral arterial, vascular and from other conditions caused by thrombosis) is significantly higher than the number of deaths from MRSA and Clostridium difficile combined, as indicated by the figures provided by General Register Office for Scotland in the following table:

Cause of Death	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007 (Provisional)
Thrombosis	15,154	14,375	13,548	12,580	12,275
MRSA/ Clostridium Difficile	112	140	140	215	Not Available Yet