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-16227

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reach a decision on the Minor Ailments Service in advance of the abolition of prescription charges.

Question reference: S3W-16223

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what detailed guidelines it has provided since May 2007 in order to achieve the objectives, stated in Better Health Better Care: Action Plan of planning and commissioning the majority of health care services as an integral part of the community planning programme.

Responsibility for the implementation of Community Planning sits with partnerships at community level.

The Joint Improvement Team based in the Primary and Community Care Directorate of the Scottish Government supports joint working at a local level between NHS boards, local authorities and a range of other stakeholders. In July 2008 it published a National Outcomes Framework for Community Care which supports Partnerships in assessing the progress made in improving health, well-being, social inclusion, independence and responsibility. In June 2007, the Joint Improvement Team published Capacity to Change “ Commissioning Effective Services for Older People a work book designed to assist local authority and health partners in capacity planning and inform local commissioning plans. A second work book, Capacity to Change “ Commissioning Service Changes for People with Learning Disabilities was produced in May 2008.

A range of practical material to assist health, housing and social care partnerships is available on the JIT website http://www.jitscotland.org.uk.

Question reference: S3W-16221

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what savings it expects to make in replacing paper prescriptions by Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions and where any such savings will be made.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16220 on 22 September 2008 which explains, paper cannot be eliminated completely from the prescriptions process in Scotland at this stage. While the electronic transmission of prescriptions brings a range of benefits we do not expect, overall, to see a substantial financial saving.

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/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S3W-16220

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how and when it will eliminate paper prescriptions following universal introduction of Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions.

There are no current plans to eliminate paper prescriptions. The paper prescription services a number of purposes in addition to acting as an order for medicines, and it is the paper prescription that triggers the electronic transmission of the prescription information to the pharmacy. Only when these other functions are available through an electronic medium could paper prescriptions be eliminated.

Question reference: S3W-16229

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional costs are predicted on the basis of an increase in demand for prescriptions.

The estimated cost of the phased abolition of prescription charges over the next three years is £17 million, £24 million and £32 million, respectively, which allows for an expected increase in demand for prescriptions consistent with our policy intentions. Additional headroom over and above these estimates has been included in the Scottish budget for the current spending review period and arrangements are in place to monitor a range of factors including the volume of prescriptions dispensed.

Question reference: S3W-16232

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what annual funding will be available to each NHS board in areas where there are one or more prisons, or legalised police cells, on the assumption that responsibility for non-specialist medical services will be transferred from the Scottish Prison Service.

The funding arrangements for NHS boards regarding the proposed transfer of primary health care services from Scottish Prison Services (SPS) to the NHS is still to be determined.

In recognition of the significant scope of the work involved in the transfer of these services, a National Programme Board for Prisoners'' Healthcare is currently being set up. A key focus of the National Programme Board will be to oversee preparatory work in the area of finance and funding.

Current estimates are that this work and the necessary legislation will take approximately three years prior to any transfer of services taking place.

Question reference: S3W-16222

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many days Wishaw, Hairmyres and Monklands hospitals were closed to emergencies in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007.

Question reference: S3W-16216

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list premises sold by the NHS since 2004, also showing whether they have been demolished, fully cleared or developed and their current status.

The list of premises sold by NHS Scotland since 1 April 2004 for which information is available is contained in the following table. Data for 2007-08 is currently being collated and is not yet available.

When premises have been disposed off, no further information about the purpose to which the property is put is maintained by the NHS board.

Premises Disposals “ 2004-05 to 2006-07

2006-07
NHS Borders	Site of former Hawick Cottage Hospital Former Day Hospital, West Port, Hawick 1-6 Dingleton Cottages, Melrose
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	Land at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary Lockerbie Clinic Castle Douglas Health Centre and Sub-Office Surplus Land at Lochmaben Hospital LHCC Office, Lochmaben
NHS Forth Valley	Bellsdyke Land, Larbert 106 Bellsdyke Road, Larbert 71 Main Street, Bonnybridge 2 South Church Street
NHS Grampian	Spynie Nursing Home Tor-na-Dee Bilbohall Glen O''Dee Holburn Clinic Ladysbridge Hospital
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	Lennox Castle Part Stobhill Hospital Part Pollok Health Centre Woodilee Hospital
NHS Highland	Former GP Surgery, Isla Former GP House and Surgery, Dalmally 7 Aros Cottages, Blarbuie Road, Lochgilphead
NHS Lanarkshire	Land at Stonehouse Hospital
NHS Lothian	38 and 39 West Preston Street, Newington, Edinburgh 137, 139, 141, 145, 145a and 147 Grange Loan, Edinburgh 2 and 3 Morningside Terrace, Edinburgh 21 Torphichen Street, Edinburgh 40 Colinton Road, Edinburgh 1-3 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh
NHS Orkney	Old Surgery Dounby Garden House, Kirkwall - leased back to NHS board Graham House, Kirkwall - leased back to NHS board
NHS Tayside	Hillside Hospital, Perth Forfar Royal Infirmary Carnoustie Health Centre Area C land at Ashludie Hospital Ravenswood Clinic, Forfar
NHS Western Isles	Nurse Cottage, Barvas 43 McQueen Street Nurse Cottage, Lochmaddy 11 St Barr''s Crescent, North Bay GP House, Northton
Scottish Ambulance Service	Edinburgh South Ambulance Station, Greenbank Drive, Edinburgh Stranraer Ambulance Station
2005-2006
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	Sale of 57 Hannahston Avenue, Drongan Bellsbank Clinic
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	1-6 Ladyfield Villas,
NHS Forth Valley	Princes Street Day Hospital, Stirling
NHS Grampian	Woodlands Hospital, Aberdeen Westhill Health Clinic Bilbohall Hospital Farm, Near Elgin 1-2 Upperboat Road, Inverurie Pitsmedden Clinic
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	Former Estate Road, Roadside Services Site, Robroyston (Site 2 and 3) Plot 16, Mearnskirk Hospital, Newton Mearns Belvidere Hospital, London Road, Glasgow Accord Hospice, Hawkhead Road, Paisley
NHS Highland	1-4 and 8 Aros Cottages, Lochgilphead 9-11 and 8-25 Blarbuie Road, Lochgilphead Land to Allow Medicentre, Inverness
NHS Lothian	Land at Chalmers Street, Edinburgh
NHS Tayside	Butterburn Clinic, Dundee Royal Dundee Liff Hospital, Dundee Strathmartine Hospital Community Nurses Home, Little Dunkeld 44 Rose Crescent, Perth 52 Jeanfield Road, Perth 2 Burghmuir Road, Perth Former Nurses Home, Hillside, Montrose 1B Western Avenue, Perth 1A Western Road, Perth
Scottish Ambulance Service	Chirnside Ambulance Station
2004-2005
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	Former Clinic, Hopes Avenue, Dalmellington
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	St Michael''s Cottage, Dumfries Kerrara, Annan
NHS Fife	East Wemyss Clinic 1, 2 and 3 Stratheden Court, Cupar
NHS Grampian	Ladysbridge Hospital, near Banff Land at Former Kingseat Hospital, Newmachar
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	Clock Tower, Glasgow Royal Infirmary
NHS Highland	GP House and Surgery, Glenelg Nurses House, Carbost Former Health Centre, Ullapool
NHS Lanarkshire	Land at Central Health Centre, Cumbernauld 28 Merlin Road, Bellshill 10 Airdrie Road, Carluke
NHS Lothian	Rosefield Clinic
NHS Orkney	Nurse House, Toab
NHS Tayside	Land at Kinclaven Crescent, Murthly, Perth Kinnaber Reservoir, Sunnyside, Angus The Firs, Linefield Road, Carnoustie, Angus

Question reference: S3W-16224

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Joint Futures agenda will play in achieving its objectives in Better Health Better Care: Action Plan.

Question reference: S3W-16225

Asked by: Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 September 2008
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 September 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current and future programmes are for Joint Futures; how many people are employed in this unit, and for what role they are employed.

Joint Future is the lead policy on joint working between local authorities and the NHS on community care. The current programme, and that for the immediate future, includes: the development and delivery of the Community Care Outcomes Framework; promoting the development and use of single shared assessment through the implementation of the National Minimum Information Standards for Assessment and Care Planning for All Adults, and the development of the integrated financial framework, all of which support the Scottish Government''s wider agenda on delivering better outcomes for service delivery and shifting the balance of care.

The unit employs six civil servants, who are responsible for developing and implementing policy and guidance to support joint working. The unit also includes five secondees from the NHS and local government who support local authority and NHS partnerships in delivering better outcomes for community care.