Chamber and committees

The information requested isgiven in the Statistics Publication Notice Exclusions from Schools,2002-03 published by the Scottish Executive on February 17 2004. Figures forexclusions by stage are given in Tables 3a to 3c, exclusions by gender in Table4 and exclusions and removals from the register by local authority area inTables 16, 17 and 18. A copy of this statistical release is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 31223).

The following table shows the number of items and gross ingredient cost by dispensed name for Ritalin®, Equasym® and Tranquilyn® as well as the generic  formof methylphenidate hydrochloride (if a prescription is written generically it is recorded as such) in the financial years ending 31 March 2002 and 2003.The cost given is that before addition of any pharmacy fees and deduction of any discount and patient charges. Data in the table refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

Dispensed Name	No of Prescribed Items		Gross Ingredient Cost £
	2002	2003	2002	2003
Ritalin®	20,753	16,624	424,598	346,198
Equasym®	1,840	5,205	29,349	71,032
Tranquilyn®	0	99	0	1,414
Methylphenidate hydrochloride	2,247	841	23,872	8,526
Total	24,840	22,769	477,819	427,170

The information in the tablehas been provided by ISD.

The following table shows the number of prescribed items and gross ingredient cost for Concerta XL® and all other forms of methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin®, Equasym®, Tranquilyn®) for the financial years ending 31 March 2002 and2003. No changes in pack prices occurred during that period therefore it would appear that the increase in costs is attributable to greater use of the modified release preparation Concerta XL®.

 

	No of prescribed items		Gross ingredient cost £
	2002	2003	2002	2003
Concerta XL®	46	7,507	2,723	359,358
All other forms of methylphenidate hydrochloride	24,840	22,769	477,819	427,170
Total	24,886	30,276	480,542	786,528

 

The cost given is thatbefore addition of any pharmacy fees and deduction of any discount and patientcharges. Data in the table refer to prescriptions dispensed by communitypharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicinesdispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

The information in the tablehas been provided by ISD.

I understand that the surveyresults from educational psychologists, voluntary and independent sector agencies,Children’s Panel members and the police are currently being analysed by theSNAP Research Team, who have yet to decide a timescale for publication.Although this work has been funded through the National Programme for ImprovingMental Health and Wellbeing, the Scottish Executive is not responsible for itspublication.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5990 on 2 March 2004.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/webapp/search_wa.

A public exhibition will beheld later this year once the assessments of options have been completed. It istoo early in the design process to specify when a timetable for theconstruction works could be published.

Section 22 of the NationalAssistance Act 1948 requires local authorities to set the fees for localauthority care home places at an amount equivalent to the full cost to theauthority of providing them. The costs of independent sector care home placesare simply the negotiated contract rates agreed between the local authority andthe provider.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5990 on 2 March 2004.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/webapp/search_wa.

Through the Children, YoungPeople and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund, £198,117 has been allocatedto two organisations, ENABLE (£114,219) and Partners in Advocacy (£83,898), to developadvocacy services for children and young people with learning disabilities. Thenational office of ENABLE is located in Glasgow and the main office of Partners in Advocacy is in Edinburgh.

We intend to invite furtherbids for grant funding for advocacy services to children with additionalsupport needs and their families. An announcement of the bidding arrangementsand funding will be made soon.

The Scottish Executive adopts a range of processes whenselecting service user consultees and in selecting such representation onworking groups.

Regardingconsultation processes, the aim is always to ensure that we hear from as broada range of people as possible, including those in “hard to reach” groups. Ourefforts to do this include formal written consultation exercises; organisationand participation in events and road shows; and making use of existing networks,for example through NHS boards and voluntary organisations.

Regarding selectionfor representation on working groups, we normally invite known organisations tonominate service users and carers who have appropriate experience and links tocommunity networks. Consideration is always given to the support needs ofindividual service user and carer representatives, for example by ensuringreimbursement of appropriate expenses, and provision for a supporter to assistthem where needed.