- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 3 August 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what the source was of the legal advice it received in support of the policy of minimum pricing of alcohol.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not disclose the source of any legal advice.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 31 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to develop the indicators of relative need for older people for other service user groups such as people with learning disabilities.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the potential contribution that an information tool like the indicator of relative need (IoRN) can make in the planning and delivery of health and social care services in the community. This contribution may be at the level of the individual person assessed as requiring care or support for health and social care needs, and also at the organisational level through summary information for monitoring and for future planning. The version of the IoRN that is currently in use has been designed to support provision of services to older people. Further research and development will be required before its use can be extended to, for example, people with learning disabilities. Early consideration is being given to how best to engage with key stakeholders on whether such a development would be welcomed.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 28 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what encouragement is being given to local authorities, NHS boards and other social care providers to move towards self-directed support.
Answer
The Scottish Government is funding a project hosted by NHS Lothian that is investigating the use of health monies in self-directed support (SDS) packages, the learning from this will be shared across all health boards.
CoSLA is represented on the SDS reference group that I have established. Officials have contacted all local authorities and a number of organisations, including service providers, requesting to meet to discuss local obstacles to uptake, the national strategy and possible legislation.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 28 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take if local authorities fail to deliver on the timescales set out in the draft national standard eligibility criteria and waiting times guidance and whether consideration will be given to legislative change.
Answer
The draft guidance has been jointly agreed by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA). Local authorities will be asked to confirm by 1 December 2009 that their local arrangements for access to social care services and timescales for access to personal and nursing care services are compatible with the national definitions and standards set out in the finalised guidance. Joint arrangements will be established for the ongoing monitoring of the operation of the eligibility criteria, and waiting times, as monitoring information becomes available.
The Scottish Government will continue to work in partnership with CoSLA to ensure a transparent and consistent approach across Scotland for older people to access appropriate services.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 28 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it views the relationship between the draft national standard eligibility criteria and waiting times guidance and the move towards self-directed support.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to all individuals with an assessed social care need accessing a direct payment, if the individual chooses. The eligibility criteria does not impact on this.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 28 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what role direct payments have in the development of self-directed support in the provision of social care.
Answer
Direct payments will continue to be a choice for individuals eligible for social support and the Scottish Government is working to increase the uptake nationally.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 28 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how it views the relationship between direct payments and self-directed support in the provision of social care services.
Answer
Direct payments from local authority budgets usually form the main component of an individual''s complete self-directed support package. Self-directed support encompasses direct payments as well as the other funding streams that an individual may be eligible for, such as disability living allowance or the independent living fund.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 28 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to evaluate the impact of direct payments on the lives of people with learning disabilities and others who access social care services.
Answer
The evaluation of the Scottish Government self-directed support test sites will investigate the impact of direct payments on the lives of all client groups. Some of the test sites have a particular focus of people with learning disabilities.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason minimum waiting times for all community care services have not been included in the draft national standard eligibility criteria and waiting times guidance and whether there is a timescale for this to be reviewed.
Answer
The draft guidance proposes that there should be a national standard maximum waiting time for people assessed as being at critical or substantial risk of six weeks from confirmation of need to delivery of assessed personal and/or nursing care services. Where there are major risks to an individual''s independent living or health and well-being, services will be provided immediately or within approximately one to two weeks of their care needs assessment. Applying the six week target to personal and nursing care services only is intended to allow flexibility for other community care services. For example, major adaptations or specialist equipment may take longer than the six week timescale to deliver.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the importance of preventative measures to avoid service users or carers reaching crisis point are properly emphasised in the draft national standard eligibility criteria and waiting times guidance.
Answer
The draft guidance states that councils and their partners should consider whether the provision of services or equipment or other interventions might help prevent or reduce the risk of an individual''s needs becoming more intensive. It also asks councils to ensure that they have in place clear arrangements for meeting, managing or reviewing the need of individuals who are not assessed as being at critical or substantial risk, including provision of preventative or other support services appropriate to the clients'' needs.
