Chamber and committees

A total of over £16 million was allocated to NHS boards from 2007 to 2012 to support improvements in wheelchair services. The Wheelchair and Seating Services (WSS) modernisation project allocations from 2007 to 2012 are provided in the following table

WSS Modernisation Project – Allocations to NHS Boards 2007-12

Notes:

1.Funding provided to NHS boards prior to start-up of the modernisation project

2.Funding provided to NHS boards for the modernisation project totalling £16 million

3.The modernisation project covered the three years from 2008-09 to 2010-11. As the full £16 million committed had not been spent at the end of this period, the remaining funding was allocated in
2011-12.

In addition, since the end of the project and following on from the Strategic Spending Review, NHS boards have now been allocated additional recurring baseline funding to support continuous improvement as set out in the Wheelchair and Seating Quality Improvement Framework, which was issued to NHS boards in May 2012. Allocations to each NHS board for 2012-13 are set out in the following table:

NHS Board annual allocation for wheelchair and seating services 2012-13

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland published the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Standards in 2005 and these can be found at: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org.

In addition there is guidance and alerts circulated via the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Publications/Safetyguidance/DeviceBulletins/index.htm.

This information is not held centrally.

There is no nationally or internationally agreed definition of adverse event, Healthcare Improvement Scotland has been asked to develop a national approach to the management of adverse events and this will include an agreed definition.

NHS boards are responsible for ensuring the quality, safety and effectiveness of the services they provide and as such, there are a range of mechanisms in place for the recording and management of adverse events across the NHS in Scotland.

NHS Boards are responsible for the local management of adverse events and the expectation is that all staff involved in such incidents, are made aware of any learning resulting from them.

This expectation is set out in the Scottish Government’s Staff Governance Standard, under the Managing Health at Work PIN Guideline (2003), and the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Standard that were published in 2005 by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. It is the responsibility of NHS Boards to ensure this guidance is reflected in local policy and practice.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. It is a matter for each local authority to decide how they will spend their transformation funding.

Charges for support to carers will be waived when the Regulations under the Self-directed Support (Scotland) Act 2013 come into force on 1 April 2014. This means that from that date any existing charges being made now for support provided to carers by local authorities will cease.

The vast majority of local authorities do not currently seek a contribution from carers for direct support provided to carers. In most cases, carers benefit from services put in place for the cared-for person. The regulations will prevent the introduction of charges from 1 April 2014. As part of the consultation on the regulations we will be seeking further information on costs to supplement the information we have.

The transformation funding, provided on a short term basis, has been allocated over a three year period between 2012-2015. The higher level of funding in the year 2013-2014 was intended to take into account the likely commencement of the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013.

The national strategy for Self Directed Support was launched on 23 November 2010. It sets out a 10 year vision which aims to give people more choice and control over their health and social care and support.

The publication of local self-directed support implementation plans is a local authority matter and is a decision to be made at a local level. Information regarding local implementation plans has been provided to the Scottish Government via the local authority Self-directed Support “stock take” questionnaire.

The SDS Programme Board has made a recommendation of 01 April 2014 as the target commencement date for the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. I have approved this as the target commencement date for the Act.

Local authorities have a duty under section 12A of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess a person’s social care needs. Following the commencement of the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 local authorities will be required to offer the four self-directed support options to anyone assessed as eligible for social care.