Chamber and committees

The GRIPS report (2007) published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and revised in 2008, set out six priority actions aimed at improving service provision. The previous Cabinet Secretary addressed the first priority action by recognising chronic pain as a condition in its own right in May 2008.

Following the publication of the GRIPs report the Scottish Government appointed a Lead Clinician for Chronic Pain and established the National Chronic Pain Steering Group. The Scottish Government has proactively promoted the need to develop chronic pain services and implementation of the GRIPs actions will be achieved through the implementation of the Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain in addition to the range of work being progressed by the National Steering Group.

In addition to funding the lead clinician the Scottish Government has also provided funding for three part time facilitator posts. The facilitators are employed by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and support the Lead Clinician to co-ordinate the various work streams within the National Chronic Pain Steering Group’s work plan for 2012-13.

The Scottish Government continues to advocate the role of managed clinical networks in improving the provision of services, including those for chronic pain. We are encouraging NHS boards who have not already done so to establish these.

It is for each Partnership to decide how to disburse Early Years and Reshaping Care Change Fund resources locally.

The Scottish Government is providing £900k over the period 2012-2015 to support the third sector to play a key role in the Reshaping care Change Fund programme. The Joint Improvement Team (JIT) has undertaken a mid-year review of 2012-13 Reshaping Care Change Plans, and will report its findings to the Delivery Group on Health and Community Care in due course.

The third sector is also a key partner in the Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund - providing £272m over the period of the spending review. They are members of the Early Years Taskforce and partners in the Early Years Collaborative, launched on the 1 October, a multi-agency, local, quality improvement programme at a national scale.

Whilst all allocations of Early Years Change Fund resources will have some impact on the third sector, £15m for PlayTalkRead, Bookbug, Play and Communities and Families Fund between 2012-2015 will be allocated solely to the third sector.

The recently published benchmarking report on chronic pain services recognised there are gaps in the provision of children’s services for chronic pain. The Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain applies to everyone living with chronic pain.

The National Chronic Pain Steering Group will continue to work with Boards to take forward implementation of the Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain ensuring that plans reflect the needs of both adults and children. It is anticipated that any service improvement groups/Managed Clinical Networks established for Chronic Pain will work to improve services for all regardless of age.

Information on how many pain consultants there are in multidisciplinary chronic pain teams in each NHS board area for (a) adult and (b) children services, is not held centrally. However, I would like to refer the member to the Benchmarking Report published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland on 26 October 2012:

http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/programmes/long_term_conditions/chronic_pain/chronic_pain_update_report.aspx.

The audit has identified the current resources available in relation to NHS Board populations and provides up to date information on the provision of pain management services in each NHS Board area. This information will assist NHS Boards to identify any gaps and variation in local services and provides recommendations to inform planning and assist in the implementation of the Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain.

The National Chronic Pain Steering Group continues to work closely with NHS Boards to seek updates on the progress in implementing the Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain. NHS Boards that have or are establishing service improvement groups/Managed Clinical Networks for Chronic Pain will report regularly to the National Steering Group on their progress.

However, it is also for NHS Boards to ensure that the work of these groups/networks do deliver improvements and that their work feeds into local reporting and governance arrangements.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05615 on 9 March 2012. 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.

The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, which established the Care Inspectorate, came into force on 1 April 2011.

The Care Inspectorate has expedited powers, to apply to the sheriff, under s65 of the 2010 Act for cancellation of the registration of a care service (including care homes) on the basis that unless the order is made “there will be a serious risk to the life, health or wellbeing of persons”. An order to cancel a service would have the effect of closing the service.

The sheriff has the power to make an interim order, which may include an order suspending registration pending a full hearing. If necessary, the Care Inspectorate can also impose an emergency condition of registration, which becomes effective immediately and remains in place until removed or successfully challenged on appeal.

The Care Inspectorate has made one application to the sheriff under section 65. In this case interim suspension was sought by the Care Inspectorate but this was refused. A date for a full hearing was fixed by the court, however by the time the case called, the action was no longer necessary as the service had improved and the action was therefore dismissed.

Waiting time information is not available centrally for access to chronic pain clinics, as data is collected at specialty level.

The 18 weeks referral to treatment time target was due for delivery from
31 December 2011 and has a compliance rate of 90%. Since 31 December 2011 NHSScotland has delivered this target.

Information on how many pain consultants there are in multidisciplinary chronic pain teams in each NHS board area for (a) adult and (b) children services, is not held centrally. However, I would like to refer the member to the Benchmarking Report published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland on 26 October 2012:

http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/programmes/long_term_conditions/chronic_pain/chronic_pain_update_report.aspx.

The audit has identified the current resources available in relation to NHS Board populations and provides up to date information on the provision of pain management services in each NHS Board area. This information will assist NHS Boards to identify any gaps and variation in local services and provides recommendations to inform planning and assist in the implementation of the Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain.

<>Information on how many pain consultants there are in multidisciplinary chronic pain teams in each NHS board area for (a) adult and (b) children services, is not held centrally. However, I would like to refer the member to the Benchmarking Report published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland on 26 October2012. http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/programmes/long_term_conditions/chronic_pain/chronic_pain_update_report.aspx.

The audit has identified the current resources available in relation to NHS Board populations and provides up to date information on the provision of pain management services in each NHS Board area. This information will assist NHS Boards to identify any gaps and variation in local services and provides recommendations to inform planning and assist in the implementation of the Scottish Service Model for Chronic Pain.