Chamber and committees

Employment matters within NHSScotland are the responsibility of health boards and the Scottish Government is not party to agreements reached between boards and their employees. (Boards are however required to notify the Scottish Government of any termination payments to employees which exceed their basic contractual entitlement. I can confirm that no such notification was received from the Scottish Ambulance Service.)

The following table shows the percentage change of defined daily dose (DDD) per capita of antidepressants using the HEAT target measure. This measure tracks change on the basis of a rolling twelve month period and has always been, and continues to be, the method set and agreed for tracking progress against the target.

Year Ending	Scotland % change
30-06-2006	0.21%
30-09-2006	0.89%
31-12-2006	1.58%
31-03-2007	1.64%
30-06-2007	0.96%
30-09-2007	1.77%
31-12-2007	1.54%
31-03-2008	1.12%
30-06-2008	0.29%
30-09-2008	1.17%
31-12-2008	1.43%
31-03-2009	1.19%
30-06-2009	1.33%

 

A small proportion of the funding to support the Scottish budget is non-recurring, for example, end-year flexibility moneys and income from asset sales.

NHS boards are required to implement suicide prevention training to meet the target for training of frontline staff. Support in relation to this training is available to boards from the Scottish Government''s Mental Health Delivery Team and from NHS Health Scotland. As part of this, the Scottish Government (SG) is preparing, with NHS Health Scotland, guidance outlining the responsibilities of SG, NHS Health Scotland and NHS boards with respect to delivering this target. This guidance, to issue shortly, will detail the support which can be made available to boards to help them reach the target.

Data on boards'' progress is monitored regularly by the Scottish Government. The most recent data was published on 29 September 2009 at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/SuicidePreventionStats.

On the basis of developments indicated by boards during recent Scottish Government Mental Health Implementation Review meetings, we expect to meet this target.

This HEAT target is measured by the number of people with a diagnosis of a dementia on the GP Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) dementia register and NHS boards are working towards a target of 39,582 which equates to approximately 61% of the expected number of people in Scotland with Dementia as predicted by the European Community Concerted Action on the Epidemiology and Prevention of Dementia Group (Eurodem). Latest available data for March 2009 shows that the overall Scotland position requires a 13% increase.

The Mental Health Collaborative has been supporting NHS boards to develop and put in place new systems and approaches to increase the number of people diagnosed. We expect the numbers to increase at a faster pace as these are fully implemented.

The Scottish Government is aware that a number of local authorities in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK have established framework agreements for the procurement of social care services. However, we do not hold a central record of framework agreements established by local authorities. We are seeking further examples of good practice in relation to the establishment of framework agreements in this context to accompany the forthcoming guidance on social care procurement.

Prior to May 2007, there were no waiting time targets for mental health. We have in place clear mental health delivery targets which continue to drive improvements across all mental health services to improve access. Most adults accessing mental health services for the first time do so within unplanned or crisis care, and this happens quickly.

We are addressing those areas where delays occur in planned access to services. For the first time, we have established a referral to treatment waiting time target for access to specialist child and adolescent mental health services that means that by March 2013 no one will wait longer than 26 weeks. We are also working to establish an access target for psychological therapies.

The Mental Health Collaborative is working closely with the NHS boards to ensure implementation of this target. This includes the development of good systems and processes needed to increase the number of people with a diagnosis as well as measures around the quality of the support offered.

Support with this agenda is also offered in the twice yearly performance management reviews with NHS boards and partners by the Scottish Government''s Mental Health Delivery and Services Unit.

Government officials have met with representatives of the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) on several occasions to ensure their input to the development of the Commonwealth Games 2014 legacy plan. Since the launch of the plan, officials have been working closely with SAMH to ensure integration of their plans for 12 pilot projects to support delivery of the Get Active campaign, with the current roll out of the Community Sports Hubs network legacy project.

In addition the Scottish Government has a long history of providing support and significant funding to SAMH in recognition of the valuable contribution they make to promoting, campaigning and delivering services for those with a mental health problem, their carers and families.

The forthcoming guidance on social care procurement will provide information on the establishment of framework agreements and the award of call-off contracts under a framework agreement.