- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the future funding formula for allocation of blood borne virus funding to NHS boards will be amended to take account of the variable level of development needed in each board area to implement the prevention, treatment, testing, care and education initiatives for phase II of the Hepatitis C Action Plan and to maintain these thereafter.
Answer
The allocations tohealth boards for blood borne virus funding are calculated using a formula thatuses the population aged 15-44 in each board area, along with the Board’s levelsof incidence and prevalence of both hepatitis C and HIV. Each health board alsoreceives £20,000 to cover their fixed costs. Allocations have been calculated, anddistributed, up to 2007-08 and the formula will be re-run next year on latest informationto calculate allocations from 2008-09 onwards.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has achieved actions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 on substance misuse services as described in section 2 of Hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland - Phase 1: September 2006 - August 2008.
Answer
Action 3 has beenachieved. The National QualityStandards for Substance Misuse Services were published in September 2006.
Action 4 has beenachieved. The Scottish Government has developed a work plan to take forward itsconsideration of the recommendations addressed to Executive in the 2006 NationalNeedle Exchange Survey.
Action 5. The researchon the outcomes and risks associated with the use of injecting paraphernalia suchas filters, cookers and tourniquets has been completed and the final report willbe published in September 2007 following independent peer review.
Action 6 has beenachieved. The Scottish Executive Justice Analytical Services Division completeda synthesis into the work of the Hepatitis C prevention working group in April 2007.
Action 7. ScottishPrison Services have involved all stakeholders in proposed arrangements for thepilot-in-prison needle exchange in HM Prison Aberdeen. As a result it is likely this initiative will now start next year.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the findings of its review of the nature and impact of HIV and hepatitis C public awareness-raising campaigns in other countries.
Answer
This review is currentlybeing undertaken and its findings will inform the development of public awarenessraising campaigns for the proposals for Phase II of the Action Plan. It is plannedto make the report available in the autumn.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an assurance that there will be no break in funding between the first and second phases of the Hepatitis C Action Plan.
Answer
Funding of Phase IIwill, in common with funding across portfolios, be subject to decisions to be takenand announced as part of the Spending Review process. I am not therefore in a positionto offer any assurances on funding at this stage.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned a study to assess the nature and level of the need for hepatitis C treatment-related funding in each NHS board area.
Answer
A Needs Assessmentrelating to testing, treatment, care and support has been undertaken. The findingsare being analysed and will inform proposed actions for Phase II of the Action Plan.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients diagnosed with hepatitis C have received treatment in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
Information on thenumber of patients with hepatitis C who received treatment by each health boardis not available. The National Clinical Database is being developed to provide accurateScotland-wide treatment data. The database is expected to be operational in 2008.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish a training strategy for substance misuse services in Scotland.
Answer
The Alcohol and DrugsWorkforce Development Strategy Steering Group, chaired by NHS Health Scotland, was set up last year by the Scottish Executive to developa co-ordinated national drugs and alcohol workforce development strategy and effectiveimplementation plan for the strategy. It is intended that the strategy will be developedby late 2008 with an implementation plan in place by spring 2009.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been undertaken to identify testing and laboratory services for hepatitis C and to assess where new resources are needed to expand or improve existing facilities, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
As part of the NeedsAssessment for Hepatitis C Services in Scotland, a survey of all HCV Testing Laboratories in the country has been undertaken.The results of this survey are being analysed and will inform the proposals forPhase II actions which will include any need to expand or improve existing facilities.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the interim findings are of the statistical modelling exercise being undertaken by Health Protection Scotland into the cost-effectiveness of different hepatitis C screening approaches.
Answer
It is anticipatedthat a report on this and other related studies will be publicly available earlyin 2008. Preliminary findingsfrom the study will be disseminated at a Hepatitis C Action Plan conference at theRoyal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) on 12 October 2007.
The findings willbe used to inform the approach to proposals for hepatitis C screening.
- Asked by: Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of spending of funding received under the Hepatitis C Action Plan in 2006-07 by NHS board.
Answer
A table showing thebreakdown of spending of funding received under the Hepatitis C Action Plan in 2006-07by NHS board is available in Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib.number 43406). Details for Tayside are not yet available and there is no breakdownof spend for the state hospital.
