Chamber and committees

Information on the levels of funding for each NHS board chronic pain service is not held centrally. Scottish Ministers have made it clear that we expect chronic pain services to be the delivered through existing funding provided to boards in their annual allocations. The detailed planning and delivery of services is a matter for individual NHS boards taking account of their resident populations and assessment of needs.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenge of providing specialist chronic pain services for children and young people. All of the Service Improvement Groups/Managed Clinical Networks were asked to consider the needs of children and young people when establishing their local groups and where services are not available locally how they link to those provided in the larger centres. A dedicated sub-group of the National Chronic Pain Steering Group has been established to consider the needs of children and young people.

The Healthcare Improvement Scotland ‘Chronic pain Services in Scotland: Where are we now?’ report provides boards with a range of information to assist in the planning and delivery of services including information on the demographics of those accessing chronic pain services.

The musculoskeletal model and associated quality improvement work being rolled out nationally is designed to help people access early self-management support or appropriate intervention to facilitate early recovery and return to work. There is an evidence base that this early intervention prevents loss of function and will help to reduce the number of those suffering from chronic pain.

The retention of police officers is a matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority.

Police Scotland has set out in its recently published Corporate Strategy, plans to diversify its workforce through the promotion of attractive, inclusive and responsible practices. Police Scotland also set out in its 2013 Equality and Diversity Report, that Police Scotland will continue its commitment to the principles of positive action in respect to recruitment, retention, progression and development in order to achieve an equitable work environment.

The recruitment of police officers is a matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority.

Police Scotland has set out in its recently published Corporate Strategy, plans to diversify its workforce through the promotion of attractive, inclusive and responsible practices including exploring alternative, flexible recruitment options to build a more diverse workforce. Police Scotland also set out in its 2013 Equality and Diversity Report, that Police Scotland will continue its commitment to the principles of positive action in respect to recruitment, retention, progression and development in order to achieve an equitable work environment.

The recruitment and promotion of police officers is an operational matter for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority.

Police Scotland has set out in its recently published Corporate Strategy, plans to diversify its workforce through the promotion of attractive, inclusive and responsible practices including exploring alternative, flexible recruitment options to build a more diverse workforce. Police Scotland also set out in its 2013 Equality and Diversity Report, that Police Scotland will continue its commitment to the principles of positive action in respect to recruitment, retention, progression and development in order to achieve an equitable work environment.

One of the recommendations of the Sensory Impairment Strategy is that local partnerships should audit service patterns on sensory impairment.

This information is not currently held at local authority level.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20941 on 8 May 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

An additional £2 million has been made available over two years for the implementation of the Sensory Impairment Strategy which was launched on 24 April 2014.

Implementation will be led by local partnerships and driven by local partnership leads with support from Scottish Government officials.

Outcome measures will be agreed to allow measurement and reporting of improvement.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20941 on 8 May 2014. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.