Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-18242

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 18 known deaths due to or associated with Clostridium difficile at the Vale of Leven Hospital between December 2007 and May 2008 were (a) type 027, (b) other types of Clostridium difficile and (c) not identified by type.

The information sought forms part of the Outbreak Control Team''s report which has been provided to the Area Procurator Fiscal for Argyll and Clyde by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to assist in his on-going investigations and the parallel investigations that are being undertaken by Strathclyde Police and the Health and Safety Executive. I am advised that the release of part or all of this report at this time may have a prejudicial effect on any action that may follow the investigation. I therefore cannot provide the member with the data he requests until the investigation by the Area Procurator Fiscal is complete.

Question reference: S3W-18244

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3M-15208 by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 August 2008 indicating that a number of hospital cleaning and catering services contracts is subject to review, whether this position contradicts the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s letter to NHS boards on 20 October 2008 advising them that there will be no further privatisation of hospital cleaning and catering services anywhere in Scotland.

The announcement I made on 18 October, 2008 is in line with the answer to S3W-15208 and the guidance issued to NHS Chief Executives on 20 October 2008 which indicates that existing contracts for the provision of such services are not affected.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Question reference: S3W-18256

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether hospital pharmacists have access to patients’ emergency care summaries as part of efforts to improve patient safety.

Question reference: S3W-18261

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, or is taking, to ensure that all GP software systems to be used in Scotland are compatible with (a) all other clinical systems and (b) data collection systems being used by ISD Scotland.

There are accredited GP systems in Scotland. All of these systems are compatible with the Scottish Care Information (SCI) gateway store, SCI gateway, SCI-DC, the emergency care summary and ePharmacy. At present there is no requirement for GP systems to be compatible with all other clinical systems in use in Scotland. ISD''s National Clinical Dataset Development Programme has developed a range of clinical data standards. ISD will work with the eHealth Programme and NISG to ensure that new accredited GP systems meet ISD Scotland''s requirements.

Question reference: S3W-18251

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is appropriate for NHS boards to avoid providing cover for staff on maternity leave as part of efficiency savings.

Only schemes that comply with the definition of an efficiency saving would be accepted. The definition of a cash‘releasing efficiency saving is where the organisation delivers the same service at a reduced cost, demonstrated by delivering the same outcome(s) or output(s) for a reduced input or delivering a reduced unit cost allowing an increased volume of service for the same cost.

Potential efficiencies are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Question reference: S3W-18250

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

Details of in-year savings achieved in 2007-08 and the proposed savings for 2008-09 and 2009-10 for each NHS board are as follows:

NHS Board	2007-08 Savings Achieved (£000)	2008-09 Forecast Savings (£000)	2009-10 Forecast Savings (£000)
Ayrshire and Arran	5,516	10,934	11,284
Borders	1,704	5,661	4,700
Dumfries and Galloway	2,176	5,091	4,707
Fife	4,746	10,201	9,902
Forth Valley	4,323	11,741	12,185
Grampian	5,398	12,926	32,489
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	16,385	46,200	35,000
Highland	5,971	15,985	17,430
Lanarkshire	5,823	14,804	19,905
Lothian	10,016	19,737	20,000
Orkney	93	927	855
Shetland	408	710	1,165
Tayside	8671	19,039	19,512
Western Isles	601	2,177	1,898
National Waiting Times Centre	1,382	800	824
NHS 24	2,579	4,696	1,868
NHS Education for Scotland	1,468	724	747
NHS Health Scotland	0	336	358
NHS National Services Scotland	2,554	5,617	5,102
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland	79	332	338
Scottish Ambulance Service	1,792	5,338	3,918
The State Hospitals Board for Scotland	917	974	1,347
Total	82,602	194,850	205,534

Question reference: S3W-18253

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has undertaken a review of the costs of (a) construction or (b) staffing following the announcement that future, new or significantly refurbished hospitals will have only single rooms.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had already considered the application of 100% single rooms in the New Southern Hospital prior to submission of the outline business case in March 2008.

Following the issue of CEL (48) 2008 all NHS boards will have to take into account construction and staff issues within their proposals. These issues will be assessed as part of the review of business cases undertaken by both NHS boards and the Scottish Government Health Directorates.

The Single Room Steering Group considered a number of factors including construction and staffing. Details are contained within the steering group''s report which will be available from the HAI Task Force website www.scotland.gov.uk/haitaskforce.

Question reference: S3W-18249

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the efficiency savings made or being made by NHS boards in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10, broken down into recurrent and non-recurrent savings.

Details of recurrent and non-recurrent savings by NHS boards are as follows:

NHS Board	2007-08 Recurrent Savings Achieved (£000)	2007-08 Non-Recurrent Savings Achieved (£000)	2008-09 Forecast Recurrent Savings (£000)	2008-09 Forecast Non-Recurrent Savings (£000)	2009-10 Forecast Recurrent Savings (£000)	2009-10 Forecast Non-Recurrent Savings (£000)
Ayrshire and Arran	5,516	0	10,934	0	11,284	0
Borders	1,704	0	3,343	2,318	3,400	1,300
Dumfries and Galloway	2,176	0	4,641	450	4,707	0
Fife	4,746	0	10,201	0	9,902	0
Forth Valley	4,323	0	7,511	4,230	7,751	4,434
Grampian	5,398	0	10,377	2,549	7,797	24,692
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	16,385	0	42,200	4,000	35,000	0
Highland	5,971	0	7,674	8,311	8,715	8,715
Lanarkshire	5,823	0	11,002	3,802	4,500	16,405
Lothian	10,016	0	13,682	6,055	20,000	0
Orkney	93	0	812	115	1,023	0
Shetland	408	0	520	190	1,165	0
Tayside	8671	0	9,630	9,409	12,625	6,887
Western Isles	601	0	1,527	650	1,000	898
National Waiting Times Centre	1,382	0	800	0	824	0
NHS 24	2,579	0	4,696	0	1,868	0
NHS Education for Scotland	1,468	0	724	0	747	0
NHS Health Scotland	0	0	319	17	358	0
NHS National Services Scotland	2,554	0	5,617	0	5,102	0
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland	79	0	332	0	171	167
Scottish Ambulance Service	1,792	0	4,783	555	3,918	0
The State Hospitals Board for Scotland	917	0	974	0	1,122	225
Total	82,602	0	152,299	42,651	142,979	63,723

Question reference: S3W-18255

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote public and patient awareness of the new roles of community pharmacists.

The Scottish Government has produced promotional and patient awareness materials for the Minor Ailments Service and Acute Medication Service. These materials were made available in pharmacies and GP surgeries. In addition, the Minor Ailments Service has been promoted through the use of posters in pharmacies'' windows. Further patient awareness campaigns are planned for other services to be introduced in the new pharmacy contract.

Question reference: S3W-18248

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 December 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that delaying filling vacancies is an appropriate way of achieving efficiency savings.