Chamber and committees

The figures in the following table represent the number of employees who have withdrawn from the NHS Pension Schemes between 1 April 2016 and 31 December 2018. The figures include some former scheme members who have left NHS employment entirely, excluding those who have retired or transferred benefits.

* Includes figures for NHS 24 and NHS Health Scotland

Source: Figures provided by SPPA

Information on how many people have been referred to a lipid clinic is not held centrally.

The percentages of people with Type 1 diabetes using insulin pump therapy by age group and NHS Board is reported annually in the Scottish Diabetes Survey. Data for 2016 and 2017 can be found at http://www.diabetesinscotland.org.uk/Publications.aspx?catId=3

Data for 2018 will be published in due course.

Aviation safety and security and control of airspace are reserved to Westminster.

Scottish Government officials discussed the potential impact of misuse of drones at Scottish airports with the Department for Transport on 9 January 2019, seeking an update on the UK Government’s position on this matter.

The Scottish Government routinely works closely with the UK Government on a wide range of security related issues, and officials are in regular contact directly with Scottish airports regarding resilience matters.

The Scottish Government’s Heart Disease Improvement Plan has been the cornerstone of the work of the National Advisory Committee on Heart Disease. Huge progress has been made, and continues to be made in all the priority areas.

We will take advice from our Specialty Advisor on Heart Disease over the coming weeks and will discuss this issue at the February meeting of the National Committee on Heart Disease. They will advise whether an updated plan is required.

Cholesterol levels among the adult population are available in chapter 8 of the Scottish Health Survey 2011 main report at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2011-volume-1-adults/pages/70/ .

The estimates of cholesterol levels come from analysis of blood samples taken as part of the Scottish Health Survey until 2011. The survey does not provide estimates of cholesterol at health board or local authority level and has not included a blood sample since 2011. Emerging methods of collecting blood samples are being considered for possible inclusion in the Scottish Health Survey going forward.

The five year evaluation programme is being led by NHS Health Scotland and involves a portfolio of studies. One of the themes covered is the economic impact minimum unit pricing has had on the alcohol market. This involves analysing routine data, case studies and interviewing key stakeholders.

The Scottish Parliament agreed that a five year period was a reasonable time period to robustly evaluate the impacts of minimum unit pricing taking into account when the necessary data are available.

Further information on the themes and associated studies is available on the evaluation website at http://www.healthscotland.scot/health-topics/alcohol/evaluation-of-minimum-unit-pricing/mup-evaluation-overview .

The Heart Disease Improvement Plan is overseen by, and has been the cornerstone of the work of, the National Advisory Committee on Heart Disease, Progress has been achieved in all the priority areas. In addition, the Scottish Health Survey monitors health in Scotland and is an important tool in measuring progress of the Plan. There has been a steady reduction in mortality rates of over 40% over the last ten years and these figures show that our strategy for tackling heart disease is delivering real improvements for patients.

The move to be part of the UK National Cardiac Audit Programme (NCAP) will allow Scottish data on performance in secondary and tertiary cardiac care to be audited and benchmarked to support a quality improvement approach to data collection. A draft application has been put forward to the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care with a view to obtaining permission for the patient identifiable data to be collected, and we anticipate being able to move forward with this as soon as this has been granted.

Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease is a national clinical priority for Scotland, as outlined in the Better Heart Disease and Stroke Care Action Plan, published in 2009 and subsequently in the Heart Disease Improvement Plan of 2014, which has been the cornerstone of the work of the National Advisory Committee on Heart Disease. Progress has been achieved in all the priority areas.

Some of the key achievements in the six identified priority areas of the Plan are as follows:

i. Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

Work completed with NHS Inform for public education and work is continuing to improve management of Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Scotland. The committee has contributed to the Cross Party Group on High Blood Pressure with a view to improving identification and treatment.

ii. Mental Health for Heart Disease

Training modules have been devised to allow Advance Nurse Practitioners and Heart Failure Nurses to develop skills necessary for psychological support in heart disease.

iii. Secondary and Tertiary Care Cardiology

Scotland has now formally contracted to be part of the UK National Cardiac Audit Programme supporting a quality improvement approach to data collection. This will allow Dcottish data on performance in secondary and tertiary care to be audited and benchmarked.

iv. Heart Disease Management and Rehabilitation

The appointment of a Clinical Champion for Cardiac Rehabilitation saw major improvements in working towards a vision of cardiac rehabilitation involving tailored care for a range of cardiac conditions.

v. Heart Failure

The introduction of a blood test to exclude heart failure has now been introduced in almost all Boards in Scotland, which has led to more efficient pathways for the diagnosis of patients with heart failure. Education about and access to Palliative Care for patients with heart failure has now been provided to Boards across Scotland.

vi. Arrhythmias

The NACHD has piloted the use of smartphones in detection of Atrial Fibrillation, one of the most common heart rhythm problems and has contributed to and promoted national guidance of anticolagulent therapy in Boards to improve uptake but also to potentially make savings in prescribing budgets.

The number of new cases of coronary heart disease has decreased by 27% between 2007 and 2017. The mortality rate has also decreased by 40% in the last 10 years.

Information Services Division (ISD) routinely publish statistics on the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme. This information can be found at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/index.asp?#2095