Chamber and committees

The number of consultant clinical and medical oncologists employed at each of the trusts that contain the five Scottish specialist centres, is shown in table 1. These figures do not include the impact of the additional posts I announced on 28 June 2000, which includes four new WTE consultants in the oncology specialties. Oncology services are delivered by teams, and in addition to this increase in the consultant workforce, the number of Specialist Registrars in oncology is increasing substantially.It is not possible to identify the number of patients seen per consultant from the data collected centrally. Information is collected on the number of patient episodes occurring at each centre, and figures for the year ending 30 September 2000 are shown in table 2. The number of patient episodes is not the same as the number of patients seen, as the number of visits by an individual patient varies according to the type and stage of the disease. These figures do not include outreach patients seen outwith the centre, nor do they indicate the contribution made by other members of the oncology team. For these reasons, and as consultant levels at 30 September may not represent staffing present throughout the year, this data cannot be used to provide a robust indicator of the total workload per consultant.

Table 1

Consultant Medical and Clinical OncologistsWhole time equivalent as at 30 September 2000

	Medical Oncology	Clinical Oncology
Scotland	10.5	35.5
Totals (5 centres)	10.4	33.9
Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust	2.6	4.0
Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust	0.6	3.6
Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	-	2.0
Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust	3.8	8.2
North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust	3.3	16.0

Notes:1.Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.2. Data at 30 September 2000 is provisional.3. It is assumed that the medical and clinical oncologists are working at the specialist centres within the trust.4. The difference in the totals for Scotland and the totals for the five trusts is due to some consultants working part-time outside the main cancer centres.5. The two oncologists at Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust give both radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Table 2

Patient Episodes and AttendancesYear ending 30 September 2000

	Medical Oncology	Clinical Oncology
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary	8 577	7 042
Ninewells Hospital	4 616	8 598
Raigmore Hospital	-	5 346
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh	13 866	20 861
Western Infirmary, Glasgow	15 645	24 362

Notes:1. Source: ISD Scotland [Form ISD(s)1].2. Data for year ending 30 September 2000 is provisional.3. Figures comprise inpatient episodes, day case episodes and outpatient attendances. Inpatient episodes include discharges from NHS care, transfers to another NHS hospital and transfers to another specialty or significant facility. Figures exclude transfers to another consultant where there was no change of hospital, specialty or significant facility.4. Medical oncology data for Raigmore is recorded under clinical oncology.

The costs of publishing The Scottish Budget: Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive detail document are set out below:

	£
Design	8,159
Printing	2,959
Internet connection of text	1,355

Costs for photocopying and distribution were met within normal Scottish Executive running costs. There were no launch costs.This document is required by Parliament under the written agreement on the Budget process. Its format and content are in line with the recommendations of the Finance Committee's 11th report, 2000.

The Scottish Executive is currently consulting on a national Plan for Action on alcohol misuse which is to be published by the end of this year. The expert seminar Women and Alcohol was funded by the Scottish Executive and we have noted the recommendations emerging from it. We will take these into account in developing the Plan for Action.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14675.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14675.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14675.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14675.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14675.

The Executive's consideration of the potential cost to Scottish public authorities arising from freedom of information is set out in Freedom of Information - Consultation on Draft Legislation, published on 1 March 2001. Many Scottish public authorities already handle requests for information, whether or not under a formal regime, and will have existing structures in place able to support the provision of information under the freedom of information legislation. It is envisaged that the implementation of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill will be in stages, and that the cost to the Scottish public sector will be absorbed within planned resources.

As independent corporate bodies, it is for individual local authorities to determine the terms and conditions of employment of their employees and to consider what, if any, action is required to address absenteeism.