- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 May 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether thrombosis kills more people each year in Scotland than the combined totals of breast cancer, HIV/Aids and traffic accidents.
Answer
In each of the last five years, 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 breast cancer, HIV/AIDS and land transport accidents 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 |
| Breast Cancer/ HIV/AIDS/ Land Transport Accidents | 3,542 | 3,438 | 3,480 | 3,463 | 1,378 |
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 8 May 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given that proposals anent GP opening hours will include other members of practice teams, hospital technicians will be available during evenings and weekends to process blood tests carried out during GPs’ clinics.
Answer
Most laboratory tests can safely be stored overnight and processed routinely the next day. All boards have in place out of hours emergency laboratory on call services to deal with any urgent tests required on the basis of clinical need. Whether or not the sample is taken at an appointment during extended hours is irrelevant. The urgency of the test will continue to be determined by clinical need whether that is carried out during daytime or extended hours.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 30 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in proposals anent GP opening hours, consideration has been given to addressing the issue of patients who do not attend or cancel booked appointments.
Answer
The core hours arrangements for patients missing appointments will apply in extended hours.
Within the regulatory framework, it is for the practice to determine appropriate action for patients missing appointments. This may be a warning or for persistent missing of appointments, removal from the patient list of the practice.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 29 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans are in hand to award a contract for the construction of an additional fisheries protection vessel as a consequence of recent developments in the management of the fishing grounds policed by Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency patrol vessels.
Answer
The maintenance of the most effective and appropriate fleet disposition for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency is an on-going priority for the Scottish Government.
Due to a range of considerations, including discussions in the context of the forthcoming Marine Bill about the scope and nature of future enforcement activity, we do not believe that the immediate awarding of a contract for an additional fisheries protection vessel would make sense for Scotland.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposals are to hand anent the inclusion of NHS wheelchair and seating services in the waiting times initiative.
Answer
The wheelchair and seating services are currently reviewing their management of waiting times with a view to achieving the 18-week target for all patients by 2011. The project board will maintain an overview to ensure this is realised.
Investment in reducing the waiting times from referral to assessment for wheelchairs has been made and has had a positive affect on those waits. Continued investment will build on the gains made, and in further addressing waiting times from assessment to wheelchair provision.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been taken recently to implement a year-on-year increase in NHS wheelchair and seating services under the provisions of the spending review.
Answer
The 2007 Spending Review has identified a total of £16 million over the next three years for the development and modernisation of wheelchair and seating services (£4 million in 2008-09, £6 million in 2009-10 and £6 million in 2010-11). This demonstrates the Scottish Government''s real commitment to the modernisation, restructuring and provision of sustainable wheelchair and seating services.
The funding will be released following approval of business cases by the Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board to ensure that the resources are focused in areas that will be of most benefit to the greatest number of service users.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with NHS boards anent the ring-fencing of boards’ contributions to wheelchair centres.
Answer
NHS boards have a responsibility to provide adequate funding for wheelchair and seating services. The Chair of the Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board has written to NHS boards, setting out the importance attached to the wheelchair project and that their commitment is required to realise its aims.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposals are to hand anent the review of the previous administration’s decision that each NHS board should retain responsibility for wheelchair and seating services in preference to a nationally administered and financed service.
Answer
Locating health services close to communities supports the provision of faster and more effective treatment. To achieve this, there is a need for services to join up, co-locate and share resources to provide a seamless patient journey. One of the main routes to achieve this will be through the community health partnerships, which involve community partners beyond health including, most notably, local authorities.
The current location of the five rehabilitation technology centres provides a natural geographical spread of the services throughout the country. The project board will look at ways to enhance the services including local satellite centres, which will be more accessible to local communities. This is already happening with the introduction of satellite clinics in the west of Scotland and in Tayside.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many military veterans have been given manual or powered NHS wheelchairs in the last three years and whether funds were provided by the Ministry of Defence for this equipment.
Answer
This information is not held centrally. Veterans access services provided by NHSScotland, including rehabilitation technology services, in the same way as the general population.
- Asked by: Trish Godman, MSP for West Renfrewshire, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposals are to hand to modify the eligibility criteria for powered wheelchairs in order to include individuals who require attendant-controlled powered wheelchairs.
Answer
The project board and project manager will review and update the eligibility criteria for powered wheelchairs, including attendant-controlled powered wheelchairs, as part of the wheelchair and seating services project.
