Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-10045

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been provided to Grampian Police to operate mobile cameras at dangerous spots on the A90.

Question reference: S2W-10043

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a temporary 50mph speed limit at Laurencekirk on the A90 until a graded junction can be built.

Question reference: S2W-10040

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 13 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have stated that they are underfunded for the setting up of out-of-hours treatment systems.

NHS boards are currently developing their plans for out-of-hours service re-provision and most are not yet in a position to provide final figures. However, this is a key priority for NHS systems and any potential additional financial pressure should be placed within the context of a record uplift in general allocations to boards across Scotland of £370 million in 2004-05. In addition, the introduction of the new General Medical Services contract is supported by 33% increased investment in primary care over its first three years.

Question reference: S2W-10039

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 13 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have established a system of out-of-hours treatment.

Question reference: S2W-10035

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 13 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of bed blocking is at Borders General Hospital.

The number of patients whose discharge from Borders General Hospital was delayed, according to the quarterly census, is shown in the following table:

Quarterly Census	Total[1]	Outwith Six Week Discharge Planning Period2
January 2002	8	7
April 2002	12	7
July 2002	8	6
October 2002	8	-
January 2003	12	4
April 2003	12	8
July 2003	10	6
October 2003	13	5
January 2004	7	3
April 2004	6	3

Notes:

1. Total number of patients ready for discharge, in all specialties, reported from January 2002 to April 2004 quarterly censuses.

2. Number of patients ready for discharge with a duration of over six weeks (43 days or more), i.e. the common period for discharge planning agreement timescale across Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-09562

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12417 by Susan Deacon on 30 March 2001, what the current waiting times are for all forms of cancer, broken down by NHS board.

Treatment for cancer can take place in either an out-patient or inpatient setting. Information is not held centrally on waiting times for treatment which starts in an out-patient setting.

Information on the time between a patient being placed on the in-patient and day case waiting list and their admission to hospital for cancer treatment is available centrally. The median waiting time for in-patient and day case cancer treatment, by NHS board area of residence, for the year ending 31 March 2004, is given in the table.

NHSSCOTLAND: Median Waiting Times for Hospital In-Patient and Day Case Admission for Treatment on Cancer¹ by NHS Board of Residence for the Year Ending 31 March 2004^P

NHS Board	Median Wait (Days)
Argyll and Clyde	9
Ayrshire and Arran	11
Borders	11
Dumfries and Galloway	12
Fife	13
Forth Valley	13
Grampian	6
Greater Glasgow	10
Highland	11
Lanarkshire	9
Lothian	15
Orkney	7
Shetland	6
Tayside	15
Western Isles	12

Scotland	10

Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

^pProvisional.

Note: 1. Cancer is defined as ICD10 C00 – C97 as main diagnosis.

Question reference: S2W-09248

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 27 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the median waiting time has been in each year since 1997 for (a) cataract removal, (b) hip replacement surgery, (c) knee replacement surgery and (d) treatment for a slipped disc in each NHS board area.

The median waiting times for Cataract Removal, Hip Replacement Surgery, Knee Replacement Surgery and Slipped Disc Treatment in each NHS board area of residence during each year since 1997-98,are given in the tables.

On 1 April 2003, the deferred waiting list was abolished. This list consisted mainly of patients who, due to another medical condition, were medically unfit to undergo treatment; and patients who did not attend for their booked treatment. Prior to 1 April 2003 these patients were excluded from the calculation of median waiting times. Since that date, these patients’ overall waits are included in the median. This is likely to have contributed to the increase in median waits recorded in 2003-04.

The Scottish Executive does not set targets for median waits. The Executive is committed to reducing waiting times across Scotland, with priority being given to treating those patients who have waited longest. The NHS has achieved the target of ensuring that no-one with a guarantee waits longer than nine months for in-patient and day-case treatment, and this target reduces to six months at the end of 2005.

NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for Cataract Removal¹, Total Hip Replacement², Total Knee Replacement³ and Slipped Disc Treatment⁴, by NHS Board Area of Residence. Years Ended 31 March 1998 to 2004^PInclusive.

Area of Residence	Year Ended 31 March 1998 (Excludes Patients From The Deferred Waiting List)
Area of Residence	Cataract Removal¹	Total Hip Replacement²	Total Knee Replacement³	“Slipped Disc” Treatment⁴
Median Wait (days)
Argyll and Clyde	144	117	181	45*
Ayrshire and Arran	90	101	102	41
Borders	66	80	84*	24*
Dumfries and Galloway	171	111	179	39*
Fife	104	110	130	26
Forth Valley	98	187	254	39
Grampian	110	65	87	29
Greater Glasgow	67	163	206	46
Highland	138	151	163	31
Lanarkshire	185	83	104	46
Lothian	138	119	133	27
Orkney Islands	121*	48*	x	53*
Shetland Islands	92*	x	109*	x
Tayside	70	108	135	23
Western Isles	260	40*	40*	x
NHSScotland	97	106	132	33

Area of Residence	Year Ended 31 March 1999 (Excludes Patients From The Deferred Waiting List)
Area of Residence	Cataract Removal¹	Total Hip Replacement²	Total Knee Replacement³	“Slipped Disc” Treatment⁴
Median Wait (days)
Argyll and Clyde	115	125	152	26*
Ayrshire and Arran	89	103	111	43
Borders	72	112	95*	23*
Dumfries and Galloway	134	139	148	29*
Fife	121	133	154	20
Forth Valley	82	187	223	26
Grampian	100	81	102	32
Greater Glasgow	91	196	193	63
Highland	116	195	207	26
Lanarkshire	174	74	95	33
Lothian	102	126	184	21
Orkney Islands	73	49*	x	46*
Shetland Islands	98	132*	x	24*
Tayside	63	105	128	21
Western Isles	214	46*	19*	x
NHSScotland	97	120	142	28

Area of Residence	Year Ended 31 March 2000 (Excludes Patients From The Deferred Waiting List)
Area of Residence	Cataract Removal¹	Total Hip Replacement²	Total Knee Replacement³	“Slipped Disc” Treatment⁴
Median Wait (days)
Argyll and Clyde	89	143	175	36
Ayrshire and Arran	78	99	101	42
Borders	38	147	159*	23*
Dumfries and Galloway	107	161	148	35*
Fife	118	152	159	26
Forth Valley	82	188	221	23*
Grampian	112	85	98	27
Greater Glasgow	106	189	222	84
Highland	85	183	202	27
Lanarkshire	222	89	89	38
Lothian	99	150	162	20
Orkney Islands	180*	49*	x	x
Shetland Islands	83	104*	x	x
Tayside	64	80	113	25
Western Isles	213	31*	x	42*
NHSScotland	92	122	138	32

Area of Residence	Year Ended 31 March 2001 (Excludes Patients From The Deferred Waiting List)
Area of Residence	Cataract Removal¹	Total Hip Replacement²	Total Knee Replacement³	“Slipped Disc” Treatment⁴
Median Wait (days)
Argyll and Clyde	112	164	179	74
Ayrshire and Arran	169	132	145	39
Borders	54	164	171	x
Dumfries and Galloway	92	219	220	56*
Fife	128	187	175	26
Forth Valley	104	232	270	20*
Grampian	179	99	115	34
Greater Glasgow	110	225	227	119
Highland	78	124	139	33
Lanarkshire	262	112	130	65
Lothian	103	211	212	23
Orkney Islands	207	48*	x	x
Shetland Islands	130	104*	x	x
Tayside	76	119	143	32
Western Isles	168	38*	x	x
NHSScotland	105	151	168	34

Area of Residence	Year Ended 31 March 2002 (Excludes Patients From The Deferred Waiting List)
Area of Residence	Cataract Removal¹	Total Hip Replacement²	Total Knee Replacement³	“Slipped Disc” Treatment⁴
Median Wait (days)
Argyll and Clyde	123	204	241	50
Ayrshire and Arran	186	159	181	56*
Borders	59	166	208	35*
Dumfries and Galloway	125	273	335	x
Fife	121	171	172	28
Forth Valley	106	209	262	51
Grampian	131	94	107	28
Greater Glasgow	93	200	238	69
Highland	76	128	135	41
Lanarkshire	133	141	147	65
Lothian	66	210	231	34
Orkney Islands	117	47*	x	x
Shetland Islands	99	168*	x	x
Tayside	88	124	129	27
Western Isles	105	67*	x	x
NHSScotland	104	156	179	38

Area of Residence	Year Ended 31 March 2003 (Excludes Patients From The Deferred Waiting List)
Area of Residence	Cataract Removal¹	Total Hip Replacement²	Total Knee Replacement³	“Slipped Disc” Treatment⁴
Median Wait (days)
Argyll and Clyde	144	229	269	61
Ayrshire and Arran	193	152	164	42*
Borders	63	152	201	40*
Dumfries and Galloway	152	245	272	40*
Fife	96	168	184	29
Forth Valley	151	233	283	41*
Grampian	73	108	120	34
Greater Glasgow	54	257	272	75
Highland	78	155	188	34
Lanarkshire	90	152	193	66
Lothian	46	270	292	34
Orkney Islands	105	61*	72*	x
Shetland Islands	167*	259*	x	x
Tayside	83	143	145	28
Western Isles	104	96*	x	x
NHSScotland	93	183	213	39

Area of Residence	Year Ended 31 March 2004 (New Single Waiting List)
Area of Residence	Cataract Removal¹	Total Hip Replacement²	Total Knee Replacement³	“Slipped Disc” Treatment⁴
Median Wait (days)
Argyll and Clyde	168	189	195	73
Ayrshire and Arran	214	168	166	23*
Borders	73	172	184	63*
Dumfries and Galloway	188	184	173	54*
Fife	98	193	210	36
Forth Valley	144	194	213	46
Grampian	122	166	174	38
Greater Glasgow	73	245	239	110
Highland	194	190	201	36*
Lanarkshire	160	166	187	57*
Lothian	56	217	255	45
Orkney Islands	130	82*	104*	x
Shetland Islands	174	217*	226*	x
Tayside	107	168	191	25
Western Isles	160	106	x	x
NHSScotland	127	184	201	45

Source: ISDScotland, SMR01.

X not shown due to small numbers, less than 15 discharges.

*Figures to be viewed with caution as derived from small numbers (more than 14 but less than 50 discharges).

^PProvisional.

Notes:

¹ Cataract removal defined as OPCS4 C71-C75 as main procedure with ICD10, H25, H26, H280, H281 or H282 in any diagnostic position.

² Total hip replacement defined as OPCS4 W37-W39 as main procedure.

³ Total knee replacement defined as OPCS4 W40-W42 as main procedure.

⁴Slipped Disc treatment (cervica and linvertebral disc disorders) defined as ICD10, M500-M502 or M5100-M512 as main diagnosis.

Question reference: S2W-09247

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 27 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the longest waiting time has been in each year since 1997 for (a) cataract removal, (b) hip replacement surgery, (c) knee replacement surgery and (d) treatment for a slipped disc in each NHS board area.

The partnership agreement A Partnership for a Better Scotland includes a commitment that, by 31 December 2003, no patient with a guarantee would wait more than nine months for inpatient/day case treatment and that this will reduce to six months by end of December 2005. Prior to 31 December 2003 the national maximum wait for inpatient/day case treatment was 12 months.

Information on the number of patients with a guarantee who waited longer than the national maximum wait for cataract removal, hip replacement surgery and knee replacement surgery, by NHS board area of residence on 31 March in each year since 1997-98 is given in the table. Information on longest waits for slipped disc treatment is not centrally available.

Some patients are excepted from the waiting times guarantee where for example they are unavailable for treatment for medical or social reasons. These patients may wait longer than the national maximum waiting times.

NHSScotland: Number of Patients with a Guarantee who Waited Longer than the National Maximum Waiting Time for Cataract Removal¹, Hip Replacement Surgery² and Knee Replacement Surgery, by NHS Board Area of Residence, On 31 March 1998 to 2004 Inclusive.

On 31 March 1998	No patient with a guarantee waited longer than the 12-month national maximum wait.
On 31 March 1999	One patient with a guarantee in NHS Argyll and Clyde waited more than 12 months for hip replacement surgery.
On 31 March 2000	One patient with a guarantee in NHS Fife and two with a guarantee in NHS Forth Valley waited more than 12 months for hip replacement surgery. Two patients with a guarantee in NHS Forth Valley waited more than 12 months for knee replacement surgery.
On 31 March 2001	No patient with a guarantee waited longer than the 12-month national maximum wait.
On 31 March 2002	No patient with a guarantee waited longer than the 12-month national maximum wait.
On 31 March 2003	No patient with a guarantee waited longer than the 12-month national maximum wait.
On 31 March 2004	One patient with a guarantee in NHS Western Isles waited longer than nine-month national maximum for cataract removal.

Source: ISD Scotland, SMR 3.

Notes:

1. Cataract removal defined as OPCS4 C71-C75 as main procedure with ICD10, H25, H26, H280, H281 or H282 in any diagnostic position.

2. Total hip replacement defined as OPCS4 W37-W39 as main procedure.

3. Total knee replacement defined as OPCS4 W40-W42 as main procedure.

Question reference: S2W-09733

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Colin Boyd on 17 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it can give that fatal accident inquiries involving people with learning disabilities are dealt with in a fair manner that is consistent with the approach to other fatal accident inquiries.

Question reference: S2W-09564

Asked by: Mr David Davidson, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 July 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on health as a percentage of GDP in Scotland in each year since 1990.

Table 1 – Level of Public Health Expenditure as a % of GDP, 1990 to 2002

Year	Level of Public Health Expenditure as a % of GDP
1990	6.2
1991	6.6
1992	6.9
1993	6.8
1994	6.6
1995	6.5
1996	6.5
1997	6.3
1998	6.4
1999	6.7
2000	7.0
2001*	8.0
2002	8.2

*Level of public health expenditure as % of GDP from 2001 onwards cannot be directly compared to % levels in previous years. This is due to the change from cash to resource accounting.

(a) The table shows only the levels of public health expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Scotland since 1990. The level of total health expenditure is unknown because the level of private health expenditure is not quantifiable.

Chamber and committees