Chamber and committees

The Scottish Funding Council was informed on 10 December 2010 that the number of student nurses and midwives entering degree programmes in 2011-12 will be 2,700.

Clinicians will discuss with their patients all aspects of their care including information and advice on treatment options where the evidence base is strongest and which will achieve the best possible outcomes.

Those assessed as requiring evidence based psychological therapies will have those arranged and delivered in line with national clinical guidelines and on the basis of a thorough needs assessment. In this respect, we are committed to increasing access to evidence based psychological therapies for all. We are including a specific access target in HEAT in 2011-12.

Otherwise, the question of access generally to the internet by patients who are subject to detention in hospital under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 is a matter for the hospital concerned in terms of individual patient care and applying the principles of the act.

I have no current plans to reduce foundation training programme places in Scotland.

Further to the answer to question S3W-37687, the number of new entrants to the foundation training programme in Scotland for 2011-12 will remain at 804.

The cost of sending patients with chronic pain to pain management centres outside Scotland was:

(a) 2008-09 - £229,559

(b) 2009-10 - £184,937

(c) 2010-11 - £206,685 for the first six months.

These costs are shared across all NHS boards as part of the national risk share arrangements administered by National Services Division. A board''s contribution is calculated on its percentage share of the baseline allocation.

There has been an increase in the referrals of patients being treated in 2010-11 in comparison to previous years. This is due to outreach clinics now being held in Scotland where the consultant can see a greater number of patients for assessment which has led to an increase in patients being referred outside of Scotland.

It is for individual health boards to determine how they will achieve the target having regard to the guidance to boards that has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52181).

The criteria that will apply in determining which posts will go in the proposed 25% reduction in senior managers in the NHS is set out in the guidance issued to boards which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52181).

We are taking action on a number of fronts. The Carers Strategy, published in July, contains a number of different actions to help promote the development of flexible, personalised short breaks services. I announced £1 million for short breaks in 2010-11, which we have rolled forward, resulting in £5 million in total for short breaks between 2010 and 2015. This is being allocated to the National Carers Organisations, who have now announced a Short Breaks Fund to help support and sustain carers and young carers. Subject to parliamentary approval of the draft budget, there will also be £2 million in 2011-12 for short breaks for families with severely disabled children and £5 million to support carers and young carers through the Carer Information Strategies.

As part of the concordat commitment to deliver an extra 10,000 respite weeks, we provided local authorities with £2.82 million in 2010-11. This £2.82 million, reduced by the 2.6% applying to total local authority spending, will be in the overall local government settlement to councils. Councils will be required to agree to deliver certain commitments, including continuing to work with the Scottish Government towards implementation of the Carers and Young Carers Strategy at local level, including the maintenance of an extra 10,000 weeks respite care.

Local authorities'' net revenue expenditure on support for carers, including respite care, was £134.74 million in 2008-09.

There are provisions in the draft Self-directed Support Bill for support to carers, which might include respite. Our proposals will be subject to consultation that will take place before the end of 2010.

In recognition of the pressures on the health and social care system in a challenging fiscal climate, the Scottish Government has allocated £70 million in 2011-12 within the NHS budget to a Change Fund for NHS boards and partner local authorities to redesign services to support the delivery of new approaches to improved quality and outcomes. By ensuring that older people remain independent in their own homes, health boards and local authorities will be able to focus on reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and speeding discharge after a crisis. This will result in better outcomes for older people and ease the pressure on acute hospital provision. Given the vital role performed by carers, we expect local partnerships to invest an appropriate proportion of their change fund allocation in provision that specifically supports carers.

The announcement of £400 million for short breaks in England over four years does not mean that Scotland will fall behind in short breaks provision. Our own plans, with investment, are robust.

The £400 million announced for short breaks in England between 2011 and 2015 follows the overall UK Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) decisions. We understand that the funding, which will not be ring-fenced, will be allocated to primary care trusts.

The Scottish Government received consequentials from the UK CSR in the normal way, which were reflected in Scotland''s draft budget. The £400 million is not new money over and above the decisions made during the CSR.

In Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland: Policy and Action Plan 2009-2011 we made a commitment to fund NUS Scotland to deliver a three-year project aimed at long-term gains in mental health improvement practices. As part of that project NUS conducted a piece of research: Silently Stressed: a survey into student mental wellbeing published in October 2010. This will inform priorities for the remainder of the project and for any future work.