Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-15028

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 5 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the effectiveness of the General Medical Services contract in relation to welfare reform.

Question reference: S4W-15026

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 5 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that requests for information in support of a work capability assessment by (a) the Department of Work and Pensions, (b) ATOS and (c) Salus are responded to timeously and without charge in accordance with the General Medical Services contract.

Provision of information to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) by a GP in relation to Work Capability Assessments (WCA) is not covered by the General Medical Services (GMS) contract but through separate contractual arrangements.

The GMS contract is not the primary contractual route for the provision of information to the DWP, or its contractors, by GPs in respect of welfare benefits. Where it is, GPs are not permitted to charge patients.

Contractual arrangements between the DWP and GPs in respect of welfare benefits are issues reserved to the UK Government.

Question reference: S4W-15029

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 5 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the Department of Work and Pensions, (b) ATOS, (c) Salus, (d) NHS boards, (e) BMA Scotland, (f) representatives of disabled people and (g) GPs at the Deep End regarding the effectiveness of the General Medical Services contract in relation to welfare reform.

Question reference: S4O-02204

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 5 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will maintain the number of police stations in Glasgow and their opening hours at current levels.

Question reference: S4T-00383

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to secure jobs and conditions at the O2 Skypark facility in Glasgow following the announcement by Telefónica that 3,000 jobs are to be outsourced to Capita.

Question reference: S4W-15021

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with, or is aware of between, (a) the Department of Work and Pensions, (b) ATOS, (c) SALUS, (d) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, (e) other NHS boards, (f) BMA Scotland, (g) representatives of disabled people and (h) GPs at the Deep End regarding Glasgow Local Medical Committee's recommendation that GPs working under contract to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde do not provide letters of support for patients making benefit applications when requested by the patient.

The Scottish Government has not had discussions, and is not aware of discussions between other organisations, in respect of the Glasgow Local Medical Committee’s recommendation that GPs working under contract to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde do not provide letters of support for patients making benefit applications.

GPs, through the UK negotiated General Medical Services (GMS) contract, are statutorily required to provide certain medical certificates which include certificates such as the Med 3. Provision to DWP of supporting clinical information by GPs in support of benefit applications such as Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance are usually paid for by a private arrangement with DWP under legislation reserved to the UK Government. Provision of further information or letters of support requested by patients or their representatives in support of a benefit application is not covered by current contractual arrangements.

Question reference: S4W-15022

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs are represented by Glasgow Local Medical Committee and how many patients are registered with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde GPs.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Local Medical Committees represent NHS GPs in their localities and membership is a local matter for each Committee.

The Information Services Division (ISD) of NHS National Services Scotland provides a range of health information and statistical services to support the NHS. ISD’s latest figures on General Practice patient populations were published on 18 December 2012 and can be accessed on its website at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/Publications/2012-12-18/2012-12-18-GP-Workforce-Report.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-15019

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with, or is aware of between, (a) the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), (b) ATOS, (c) SALUS, (d) NHS boards, (e) BMA Scotland, (f) representatives of disabled people and (g) GPs at the Deep End regarding the provision of information by GPs in support of a benefit application when the request for information comes from (i) DWP or ATOS and (ii) a patient.

Scottish Government officials met with the Chair of the Scottish General Practitioner Committee of the BMA on 13 March 2013 to discuss provision of medical information to patients in support of appeals in respect of DWP’s Work Capability Assessments.

On 20 April 2013 the Deputy First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions expressing concern about the apparent weaknesses of DWP’s processes for obtaining medical evidence for people subject to work capability assessments and the strain being put upon primary care practices as a result of requests for medical evidence to support appeals.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions replied on 8 May 2013 informing the Deputy First Minister that he believed that DWP’s processes were effective and are subject to on-going review in order to improve effectiveness.

The Chief Medical Adviser to the DWP met with Deep End GPs on 29 January 2013 to discuss the Work Capability Assessment and the introduction of Personal Independence Payments. The appeals process and the involvement of GPs in providing supporting evidence was included in the discussion.

The Scottish Government has not had discussions with ATOS, SALUS, NHS boards, representatives of disabled people or GPs at the Deep End and is not aware of any other discussions between any of these bodies in respect of provision of information by GPs in support of benefit applications.

Question reference: S4W-15025

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) Minister for Housing and Welfare or (b) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has had meetings with (i) the Department of Work and Pensions, (ii) ATOS, (iii) SALUS, (iv) NHS boards, (v) BMA Scotland, (vi) representatives of disabled people or (vii) GPs at the Deep End regarding the (A) provision by GPs of information in support of a benefit application and (B) decision of Glasgow Local Medical Committee to recommend that letters in support of a benefit application requested by a patient are not provided.

Neither the Minister for Housing and Welfare or the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing have had meetings with any party with regard to the provision by GPs of information in support of a benefit application, or with regard to the decision by the Glasgow Local Medical Committee to recommend that letters of support are not provided.

GPs, through the UK negotiated General Medical Services (GMS) contract, are statutorily required to provide certain medical certificates which include certificates such as the Med 3. Provision to DWP of supporting clinical information by GPs in support of benefit applications such as Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance are usually paid for by a private arrangement with DWP under legislation reserved to the UK Government. Provision of further information or letters of support requested by patients or their representatives in support of a benefit application is not covered by current contractual arrangements.

Question reference: S4W-15024

Asked by: Drew Smith, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in relation to GPs refusing to provide patients with letters of support or evidence in relation to benefit applications.

Chamber and committees