Chamber and committees

There has been no such guidance issued. However, in 1998, a report prepared by a multidisciplinary Working Group of the National Medical Advisory Committee on The Management of Patients With Mental Disorders and/or Disturbed Behaviour Who Present to Accident and Emergency Departments was distributed to NHS boards throughout Scotland.A telephone advice line, aimed particularly at young men who are at risk of suicide, was launched in April 2002.

The information requested is not held centrally. The implementation of SIGN guidelines is a matter for NHS boards, in consultation with other authorities as appropriate.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:The services of psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health nurses are available within Scottish prisons for all those prisoners assessed as in need of such. Available treatments include drug therapy, group and individual work, as appropriate.

This was principally a clinical guideline. However, as well as its distribution to all primary care trusts, acute trusts and NHS boards in Scotland, copies were sent to all members of the Scottish Parliament Health and Community Care Committee and other MSPs and individuals who had registered an interest in receiving the guideline upon its publication, relevant voluntary organisations and all related member organisations of the SIGN Council, which includes the British Association of Social Workers. There was also a media campaign aimed at raising public and clinical awareness resulting in widespread TV, radio, newspaper and medical press coverage. The guideline is of course available for all interested persons to see at the SIGN website:http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/published/index.html.

The Executive has no such plans. The implementation of SIGN guidelines is a matter for NHS boards, in consultation with other authorities as appropriate.

I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:The prevalence of mental health problems within the prison population is not known with any precision. Studies have ranged from 3% to 82% of the prison population.The last major studies undertaken within Scottish prisons were, by Dr David Cooke, Psychological Disturbance amongst Prisoners and, by Dr James McManus, Mentally Disturbed Prisoners. Both were published by SPS as Occasional Papers in 1994 no's. 3 and 4 respectively.

No such measures exist. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guidelines are best practice guidelines primarily intended for use by clinicians, and are not intended to be construed or to serve as mandatory standards of medical care, as is made clear in section 1.4 of guideline 52. Their implementation is a matter for NHS boards in consultation with other appropriate authorities.

We published a care pathway document last year on the who, what, when and where of joined up services and support for mentally disordered offenders. The care and the custody agencies are working together and with others to organise the necessary care, support and accommodation that addresses the range of needs presented by this important group.The guidance is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 12345).

Cancer, heart and stroke are Scottish Executive health research priorities. Over the last three financial years, the Scottish Executive has spent the following on: (a) Cancer Research.

	1999-2000(£ million)	2000-01(£ million)	2001-02(£ million)
1. Direct funding - research projects	1.2	1.4	1.6
2. Indirect funding - to support research in NHS Scotland	6.2*	7.1	7.7
3. Total	7.4	8.5	9.3

*Estimate; data for cancer and heart and stroke research not recorded separately in 1999-2000. In addition, the Scottish Executive has spent £0.4 million per annum over the last three years on the Scottish Cancer Therapy Network. The network does not itself undertake research but provides data management support for clinical audit and clinical trials. (b) Heart and Stroke Research.

	1999-2000(£ million)	2000-01(£ million)	2001-02(£ million
1. Direct funding - research projects	1.2	1.9	1.5
2. Indirect funding - to support research in NHS Scotland	4.1*	4.7	5.3
3. Total	5.3	6.6	6.8

Note:*Estimate; data for cancer and heart and stroke research not recorded separately in 1999-2000. Details on individual projects are available from the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17404).

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-28420.