Chamber and committees

Life expectancy at birth in the West Scotland Scottish Parliamentary Region is

74.8 years for men

80.0 years for women

In the Region’s 15 per cent most deprived data zones, life expectancy at birth is

67.5 years for men

75.5 years for women

In the Region’s 85 per cent least deprived data zones, life expectancy at birth is

76.1 years for men

80.8 years for women

Source: National Records of Scotland.

The NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula recommends different need for funding based on the geographic composition of the territorial NHS Boards. Currently, NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s NRAC target funding allocation is influenced by the fact that Arran is classed as an ‘Island - very remote rural area’.

The Remote and Rural Subgroup of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA) is currently reviewing the treatment of islands entitled to Distant Islands Allowance. Although Arran does not fall into this category, as the formula makes relative assessments to inform the allocation of a fixed budget, it is possible that NHS Ayrshire & Arran could be affected by this change.

The Remote and Rural Subgroup will conclude its work plan and report to TAGRA by the end of 2011-12.

Scotland’s Information Services Division collects data on overall staff numbers joining and leaving the service. This can be found at the following web address -

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2011-06-28/Turnover%20-%20June%202011.xls. Any information on specific reasons for leaving the health service, however, would need to be sought direct from the NHS Board concerned.

The general revenue allocations to the NHS territorial boards are informed by the use of the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) funding formula. The formula has four stages, assessing need for funding on the basis of a board’s:

Population

Age and sex profile

Morbidity and life circumstances, such as social deprivation; and

Geography and its potential to unavoidably affect cost of providing healthcare services.

A number of indicators are used to adjust for morbidity and life circumstances. These are measured at the local level, to provide an assessment of high and low areas of need within the NHS Boards when calculating the overall need, rather than simply using an average for an NHS Board. Indicators used include:

Standardised mortality rate – the degree to which deaths are higher than expected in the under 75 population;

The rate of limiting long term illnesses in the population;

The proportion of the population aged 16 and over claiming severe disablement allowance;

The proportion of the population living in one-person households; and

The proportion of the population living in socially rented housing.

These indicators were selected as the best performing indicators in explaining need for healthcare. Unemployment was not selected as an indicator, although it was considered. Full details of the process of selecting the final indicators is reported on the NRAC website at: http://www.nrac.scot.nhs.uk/.

Scotland’s Information Services Division collects data on overall staff numbers joining and leaving the service. This can be found at the following web address -

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2011-06-28/Turnover%20-%20June%202011.xls. Any information on specific reasons for leaving the health service, however, would need to be sought direct from the NHS Board concerned.

The Scottish Government’s Health Works strategy, published in 2009, recognises the very important links between employment and health and wellbeing.

We are working with NHS boards across Scotland to support improved partnership working with employability service providers to support people with health conditions return to work following periods of unemployment.

We are also working to improve the understanding by healthcare professionals of the relationship between work and health.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives have provided resources to GP practices on how to make best use of the new fit note and how to give patients advice on returning to work.

The Scottish Government has worked with NHS Education for Scotland and other partners to develop a range of resources including an employability training for healthcare professionals pack which is being rolled out widely across NHSScotland and a simple aide memoire aimed at helping health workers to ask basic questions about a patient’s work status.

Realising Potential: An Action Plan for Allied Health Professionals in Mental Health, published in 2010, recommended that allied health professionals working in mental health should recognise the importance of work in promoting recovery and provide ongoing signposting or support to increase patients’ potential for work.

Local networking arrangements have been established across Scotland between mental health services and Jobcentre Plus’ mental health co-ordinators to improve cross-referral between services. This enables individuals to receive both healthcare and employability advice in a coherent and coordinated manner.

The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies, including NHS boards and local authorities, to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing and evaluating national policy are the responsibility of relevant local agencies.

Skills Development Scotland works with a number of partners, including local community planning partnerships to support the effective development and delivery of skills provision to meet the needs of local employers.

Starting in 2010-11, Skills Development Scotland has aligned its pre-employment programmes (Get Ready for Work and Training for Work) with local labour markets, including those in North Ayrshire, through a co-commissioning process with community planning partnerships. This approach is designed to ensure our employability programmes respond effectively to local labour market needs.

A wide range of support and services is available in North Ayrshire to support job creation. The primary driver for economic growth and job creation in North Ayrshire is the Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company (URC). Grant funding of £4 million has been provided by the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise for 2011-12 to support a range of projects including infrastructure and development works associated with the Ardrossan North Shore Joint Venture and the development and build of a new business centre in Stevenston. Over the course of its business plan the URC anticipates that nearly 3,000 jobs will be created as a result of its activity.

The Scottish Government’s Employability and Tackling Poverty Team works closely with North Ayrshire Employability Group which draws together key community planning partners such as Jobcentreplus, Health, North Ayrshire Council, Skills Development Scotland, Third Sector and the local college. The group focuses on employability support for individuals needing assistance to move into work. The Scottish Government has an employability learning network which North Ayrshire accesses to assist them with tools to improve employability services in their area. The Scottish Government is involved in discussions, initiated at the ministerial visit by Jim Mather and Alex Neil, to participate in a jobs task force for the area led by the council.

The Business Gateway (BG) delivered through local authorities provides support and advice for start up and existing businesses. In 2010-11 BG assisted 761 business start ups across Ayrshire.

Scottish Enterprise (SE) are currently working with 38 account managed companies in North Ayrshire providing intensive support to assist these companies in areas such as strategy development, business efficiency, organisational development and international activity ensuring growth potential is maximised. SE is also involved in a number of projects in the area including the development of Hunterston as a test site for off-shore wind turbines. Scottish Development International has also been proactive in the area.

In 2010-11 regional selective assistance offers were made to 10 North Ayrshire companies totalling £4,784,500. These offers relate to projects with planned investment of over £37.6 million aimed at the planned creation of 222 jobs and safeguarding a further 257.

The Scottish Government has not had discussions, correspondence or meetings with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills regarding the location of GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) proposed new plant. However, when the criteria for the site selection process is released by GSK, in early July 2011, the Scottish Government’s trade and investment arm, Scottish Development International, will work with key stakeholders, as appropriate, to develop the Scottish proposition.

The Scottish Government has not had discussions, correspondence or meetings with the Scotland Office regarding the location of GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) proposed new plant. However, when the criteria for the site selection process is released by GSK, in early July 2011, the Scottish Government’s trade and investment arm, Scottish Development International, will work with key stakeholders, as appropriate, to develop the Scottish proposition.