Chamber and committees

There is no planned reduction in NHS FY01 or FY02 posts. However, a fundamental part of the Reshaping the Medical Workforce Project, is consideration of the number of specialty trainee posts available each year. This consideration has, over the last four years, resulted in a reduction of over 200 places on the training establishment in Scotland aimed at helping Scotland’s move from a service delivered by trainee doctors to a service delivered predominantly by trained doctors.

In relation to the provision of information to medical school students, the Scottish Medical Training website is the official website for the application and recruitment process for foundation and specialty training in Scotland and is maintained by NHS Education for Scotland, the body responsible for the commissioning, delivery and quality management of postgraduate medical education in Scotland. The website contains a wealth of information for those interested in undertaking post-graduate medical training in Scotland, including information about the training posts available. Vacancy information in respect of next year’s specialty training is available at:

http://www.scotmt.scot.nhs.uk/applying-to-specialty-training-(hospital).aspx .

As stated in my answer to question S4W-10963, medicine safety issues are subject matters of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 and are currently reserved issues. The Scottish Patient Safety Programme has no plans to examine any adverse effects of the (a) off licence and (b) unlicensed use of prescription medicines by the NHS.

This information is not held centrally.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11611 on 13 December 2012. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

This information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government supports the third sector to play a full role in meeting the Scottish Government’s purpose and also to make an important contribution to public service reform.

A variety of funding approaches are taken and although the three year funding approach is most common, short term funding also has an important role to play in terms of encouraging innovation. All funding, however, is time limited and subject to the ongoing achievement of outcomes.

The environment is fast changing and there needs to be flexibility to focus funding appropriately. Wherever possible, the Scottish Government will notify the outcome of funding applications well in advance of the start of the funding year, preferably giving at least three months notice.

This is a matter for individual Health boards. The information is not held centrally.

We will always endeavour to give as much notice as is practicable, but there are no plans to extend notice of cessation of funding to six months in every case.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11611 on 13 December 2012. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Glasgow Caledonian, Dundee and Stirling Universities have advised that there have been no posts lost as a result of them no longer accepting students onto their pre-registration midwifery programmes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11615 on 13 December 2012. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Health Research Authority (HRA) is a NHS organisation established as a Special Health Authority to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public in health research in England.

Scotland has a very efficient NHS research approval systems, and the Scottish Government's Chief Scientist Office is a member of the HRA Collaboration and Development Steering Group, that was established to lead on projects for improvement in the research journey.

The SMC published a policy statement which clarified how it uses a tool called the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) as part of its decision-making as to whether or not a medicine is value for money for the NHS in Scotland.

The QALY is not the only criteria for decision-making. QALYs are an important tool in assessing the benefits of a medicine but the decision on whether to accept a medicine for use is a wider judgment on its clinical and cost-effectiveness. A link to the statement on the SMC website is attached:

http://www.scottishmedicines.org.uk/About_SMC/Policy_Statements/A_Guide_to_Quality_Adjusted_Life_Years.