Chamber and committees

NHSBoards should ensure that drugs or treatments recommended by the Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) are made available to meet clinical need. Any non-adherence to this advice would be dealt with through normal performance management arrangements.In addition, the advice of the clinical effectiveness organisations, like the HTBS and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network are, wherever appropriate, included within the standards developed by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS). Reports of visits carried out by the CSBS to assess compliance with its standards are published and inform the Performance Assessment Framework and the national accountability review process.

Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change requires NHS boards, working with their planning partners, to prepare and implement plans for ensuring independent advocacy is available to all who need it, from 1 January this year. This generic requirement would cover advocacy for deaf and hard of hearing people where these are required locally.The Partners in Change support team has also been asked to work with deaf and hard of hearing people to establish how we can overcome any barriers to their accessing mainstream NHS services.

Heriot Watt University offers training in interpretation between British Sign Language (BSL) and English. Eight places are available annually at a cost of £1,600 per place.Further education colleges also offer a number of BSL courses at levels 1 and 2. Information on the number of places available and cost of training is not held centrally.

The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland has published their review of schizophrenia services and associated audit tool. Combined they provide an effective national framework for service improvement in this very important area of care. The response by NHSScotland will be set against these benchmark documents and the high standards they promote. The self assessment component for the service providers, the Health Department Performance Assessment arrangements and the on-going reviews by the visiting Mental Health and Well Being Support Group will all play their part in delivering change and improvement in line with the published standards.

The Clinical Standards Board overview and published audit tool provide a national framework for service improvement in this very important area of care. The responsibility for improving current provision rests primarily with NHSScotland, supported as necessary by national action on training, information and other organisational and quality compliance issues. The in-year Health Department Performance Assessment arrangements and the on-going reviews by the visiting Mental Health and Well Being Support Group will play their part.

There are no immediate plans for a national training programme for multi-disciplinary teams. Reliance is placed upon the agencies to work together to ensure that the training required and given reflects care and quality of need and the multi-agency and professional dimensions.In respect of psychological interventions, the best practice guidance published in October 2001 also placed proper emphasis on the need for joint agencies to set in place recruitment, retention and training policies as part of the local joint commissioning process. Further, NHS Education for Scotland will promote a multi-disciplinary approach to the training and education of healthcare staff and co-ordinate and oversee educational support. The aim is to deliver a more strategic approach to the development of multidisciplinary skills by making the necessary links between different professional groups and help underpin new models of working which are crucial to the modernisation of NHSScotland.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25312 on 7 May 2002. My view remains that the remit, membership and approach of the Mental Health and Well Being Support Group is fit for purpose. However, as part of our commitment to on-going review a Short Life Working Group has been established with representative interests including users of services, support group members, the Mental Welfare Commission, the Scottish Association for Mental Health and the agencies. The group is to review current and alternative approaches for delivering improved and extended mental health care, services and support. The group expects to conclude their considerations this autumn.

There is no definition of "specialist eating disorder units" within the NHS. Information is not held centrally on services provided outside the NHS. An eating disorder service was provided by a consultant psychiatrist based at the Murray Royal Hospital in Perth. The service was discontinued in December 2001. We understand that Tayside NHS Board is discussing with neighbouring boards what future services might be provided for those with eating disorders. At present, such patients continue to be seen by general psychiatrists.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26181.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26181.