Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-05450

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 22 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that some people with diabetes are unable to access continuous glucose monitoring through the NHS.

Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Diabetes Group, our national advisory group, to oversee and drive implementation of our Diabetes Improvement Plan (2014) to improve care and treatment for people living with diabetes in Scotland. The Plan includes a range of actions that aim to support improvements in glycaemic control, including the development of a national approach to the provision of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM).

Our national approach has been developed taking account of the clinical evidence which recommends the use of CGM devices for a small number of people with diabetes as an aid to improve glycaemic control, but does not recommend CGM for routine use. Clinicians are best placed to provide specific advice and support to individuals, based on their circumstances, which can include the provision of CGM where a clinical need for one is identified. The national approach will support clinicians in the provision of this technology and ensure that those who would clinically benefit from it can receive it.

To support this, we are investing over £10m over the term of the Parliament, to increase the provision of insulin pump therapy and CGM.

Question reference: S5W-05449

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 22 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost benefits of using continuous glucose monitoring, and how much it estimates this technology saves the NHS by preventing, for example, eye disease, amputations and other health problems that can result from diabetes.

Diabetes accounts for around 10% of the health budget and it is estimated that 80% of these costs are for treating complications associated with diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, foot ulcers (which can lead to amputation) and renal failure. Attaining good glycaemic control significantly reduces the risk of developing complications.

The Scottish Diabetes Group’s national approach to CGM has been developed taking account of clinical evidence and all the costs associated with the treatment and management of diabetes. It is estimated that for those who would clinically benefit from CGM, the technology can support a reduction in cost to NHS Scotland of around £3,000 per person in relation to short term complications and will contribute towards reducing the costs in relation to longer term complications.

Question reference: S5W-05448

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 22 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that continuous glucose monitoring is provided to all people with diabetes who need it.

Scottish Government works closely with the Scottish Diabetes Group, our national advisory group, to oversee and drive implementation of our Diabetes Improvement Plan (2014) to improve care and treatment for people living with diabetes in Scotland. The Plan includes a range of actions that aim to support improvements in glycaemic control, including the development of a national approach to the provision of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM).

Our national approach has been developed taking account of the clinical evidence which recommends the use of CGM devices for a small number of people with diabetes as an aid to improve glycaemic control, but does not recommend CGM for routine use. Clinicians are best placed to provide specific advice and support to individuals, based on their circumstances, which can include the provision of CGM where a clinical need for one is identified. The national approach will support clinicians in the provision of this technology and ensure that those who would clinically benefit from it can receive it.

To support this, we are investing over £10m over the term of the Parliament, to increase the provision of insulin pump therapy and CGM.

Question reference: S5W-05355

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been convicted of (a) dangerous and (b) careless driving in each year since 1999, broken down by area.

Question reference: S5W-05563

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-05158

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that insulin pumps are available for people in all age groups with Type 1 diabetes.

In February 2012, the Chief Executive Letter (CEL 04 (2012)) required Health boards to increase insulin pump therapy in line with national clinical guidance.

The commitment to provide insulin pump therapy to 25% of under 18s and for people of all ages with type one diabetes to more than 2,000 was met by 1 April 2015 supported by £7.5 million of Scottish Government funding.

Since the CEL, the number of people with insulin pumps has increased to over 3,200.

Over the course of this Parliament, the Scottish Government will invest almost £10 million to further increase the provision of life changing technology including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors to all those who would clinically benefit from them.

Question reference: S5W-05356

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that too many drivers who may have caused death or serious injury are being convicted of careless driving rather than dangerous driving.

Question reference: S5W-05357

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that drivers who are convicted of careless and dangerous driving receive sentences that are appropriate to the severity of the crimes committed.

In any given case, sentencing is a matter for the court within the overall legal framework.

The law in relation to careless driving and dangerous driving is not devolved to Scotland and the UK Government has recently published a consultation seeking views on enhancing the powers of the court when sentencing for serious driving offences.

The Scottish Sentencing Council has included within its recently published business plan their intention to consider dangerous driving. The Council's business plan period runs until October 2018.

Question reference: S5W-05354

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the number of people being convicted of death by careless driving is reportedly increasing as the number being convicted of death by dangerous driving is decreasing.

Question reference: S5W-05310

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04885 by Aileen Campbell on 1 December 2016, when it will publish the remit and membership of the new National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain; how it will report to the Parliament, and whether the length of waiting times at NHS chronic pain clinics will be a priority for it.

The membership and remit of the planned National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain are not yet finalised.

The Ministerial Steering Group on Chronic Pain continues to monitor chronic pain waiting times data published quarterly by NHS National Services Scotland’s Information Services Division. These Non-Official Statistics remain developmental, as noted in the information accompanying each release.

Chamber and committees