Chamber and committees

47% of orthopaedic and 56% of ophthalmology patients were treated within three months of being placed on the waiting list within the Greater Glasgow Health Board area.

The information is as follows:-

Year Ending 31 December Percentage rate of eligible children vaccinated

1994 93.5

1995 94.1

1996 94.6

1997 94.4

1998 94.0

1999X 92.4

Xthis figure relates to the 12 months to 31 March 1999, the latest date for which

information is available.

The Scottish Executive welcomes the NAO report on the Scottish Ambulance Service. We do not want to pre-empt the Parliament's consideration of it. We are, however, committed to working to ensure that the people of Scotland get the high quality and rapid ambulance response in emergencies that they rightly expect from a modern and improved Health Service. We will look carefully at the recommendations addressed to us and the Scottish Ambulance Service and at what action is necessary.

999 services are already equipped to receive text phone messages through Typetalk, the national phone relay service. I would urge any deaf person wanting this service to contact their local authority social work department who can provide assistance in obtaining such phones.

Section 21 of the Disability Discrimination Act requires that people with disabilities are given reasonable access to goods and services and this includes all NHS services.

A good practice guide to support the implementation of section 21 within the NHS in Scotland was issued to all Health Boards and NHS Trusts by the Deputy Minister for Communities under cover of a Management Executive Letter of 10 September 1999.

This provides essential background and guidance for senior NHS managers with specific responsibility for advising on access for disabled patients to services and includes a section on deaf and hard of hearing people.A copy of the guide entitled Equality for disabled people in the NHS in Scotland and a training video about the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people using hospital services, which also issued with the guide, have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

The Scottish Executive welcomes the NAO report on the Scottish Ambulance Service. We do not want to pre-empt the Parliament's consideration of it. We are, however, committed to working to ensure that the people of Scotland get the high quality and rapid ambulance response in emergencies that they rightly expect from a modern and improved Health Service. We will look carefully at the recommendations addressed to us and the Scottish Ambulance Service and at what action is necessary.

The information requested is given in the following table:Consultant Neurologists employed by NHS TrustsDistribution by Health Board area: as at 30 September 1998

	IN POST		VACANCIES
	wte	headcount	numbers
Scotland	31.3	33	2
Ayrshire and Arran	0.2	1	-
Dumfries and Galloway	0.2	1	-
Fife	0.3	2	-
Forth Valley	0.4	1	-
Grampian	4.3	4	-
Greater Glasgow	14.2	16	-
Lanarkshire	0.5	2	-
Lothian	7.6	9	2
Tayside	3.6	4	-

Source: Medical and Dental Census

ISD Scotland*latest firm data is for September 1998

When I gave evidence to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee I said "We need a comprehensive and principled approach to the problems of civil justice. Our policy should not be piecemeal. I am, therefore, considering how our policy can be more co-ordinated and responsive. To do so, I will have discussions with all the key interests about developing a strategy for civil justice."These discussions will be able to cover issues such as a civil justice forum.

The information requested is not available centrally. Paediatric Neurology is not identified as a separate specialty in Scotland.

The employment of specialist nurses is a matter for the providers of health care and details of such posts are not held centrally.The Scottish Executive understands, however, that there are nurses in all of the major neurological and paediatric units in Scotland and in some General Practices who have a specific remit in caring for people with epilepsy.