- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 21 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided for the children’s hearing system for each year from 2003-04 to the end of the current spending review period.
Answer
The level of funding provided to support the children''s hearings system is as follows:
| | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| | £000 | £000 | £000 | £000 |
| SCRA Grant in Aid | 20,945 | 22,570 | 24,556 | 25,307 |
| Support for Hearings and Committees | 288 | 803 | 564 | 173 |
| Training (e.g. Running costs for the Four Children''s Hearings Training Units) | 641 | 683 | 846 | 613 |
| Legal Representation | 97 | 135 | 152 | 126 |
| Direct Funding to Local Authorities1 | 2,480 | 2,289 | 2,505 | 2,669 |
| Total | =SUM(ABOVE) 24,451 | =SUM(ABOVE) 26,480 | =SUM(ABOVE) 28,623 | =SUM(ABOVE) 28,888 |
| | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| | £000 | £000 | £000 | £000 |
| SCRA Grant in Aid | 24,966 | 25,995 | 30,733 | 28,155 |
| Support for Hearings and Committees | 328 | 770 | 770 | 770 |
| Training (e.g. Running Costs for the Four Children''s Hearings Training Units) | 1,076 | 900 | 900 | 900 |
| Legal Representation | 153 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
| Direct Funding to Local Authorities | 2,272 | 2,4482 | Not Available3 | Not Available |
| Total | =SUM(ABOVE) 28,795 | =SUM(ABOVE) 31,923 | =SUM(above) 32,703 | =SUM(ABOVE) 30,125 |
Source: Provisional Outturn Budget Estimate (POBE 2008) returns.
Notes:
1. To meet accommodation and staff costs in support of children''s panels and Children''s Panel Advisory Committees; also the cost of local training events and expenses relating to attendance at hearings and training. Source: Local Government financial statistics.
2. These figures are not currently available, as finance return estimates are only available one year in advance. Future direct funding to local authorities in respect of the children''s hearings system will be allocated at the discretion of each local authority, in line with its local priorities and its single outcome agreement with the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government is investing record levels of funding in local government. Over the 2008-11 period, £34.9 billion will be invested; this is a 13.1% increase in funding.
2008-09: £11.2 billion
2009-10: £11.6 billion
2010-11: £12.0 billion.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report on the national concessionary travel scheme.
Answer
The steering group set up to review the scheme will report to ministers towards the end of this year. We expect to report to the Parliament in 2009.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use double testing in suspected cases of Clostridium difficile, as recommended by a recent independent study, to ensure accurate diagnoses.
Answer
NHS laboratories test for Clostridium difficile. The study referred to by the member has only just been published. Its recommendations are being considered by Health Protection Scotland, alongside other evidence on appropriate testing methods. Subject to this consideration, a view will then be taken on whether the current guidance requires to be revised.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a staff uniform policy in relations to the prevention of healthcare-acquired infections and, if so, how this is monitored.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17673 on 20 November 2008. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 20 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that disposals arrived at by children’s panels are properly resourced.
Answer
The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 requires local authorities to give effect to a supervision requirement made by a children''s panel. The act also places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in need by providing a range and level of services appropriate to their needs.
Resources have been allocated to local authorities and under the single outcome agreement, it is for the local authorities to agree their strategic priorities for the local area and express those priorities as outcomes to be delivered by the partners.
Under the Getting It Right For Every Child programme, agencies involved in a child''s care are being encouraged to come together at an early juncture to agree the child''s intervention plan, its resourcing and implementation, using a common language and approach. This approach will be strengthened under the new Early Years Framework, jointly developed with COSLA, where the importance of early identification of need and providing timely and appropriate support is recognised.
The Scottish Government can set the direction of policy and is giving local authorities and community planning partners the room they need to deliver services that meet varying local needs.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Adam Ingram on 20 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider legislation to entitle children’s panel members to have paid time off to participate in hearings.
Answer
There are no plans to introduce legislation of this type.
Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, states that an employer shall, with certain exceptions, permit an employee who is a member of a children''s panel to take reasonable time off for the purpose of attending hearings. For many panel members this is already paid time off. Employers recognise that the skills and experience gained through being a panel member can be of benefit within the workplace. They also see this as a way of putting something back into the community.
It is one of the strengths of Scotland''s unique system of children''s hearings that the panel comprises of volunteers recruited from the local community. The contribution that those members make is valued very highly. The reform of the children''s hearings system is an opportunity to provide a more improved and consistent level of support.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a staff uniform policy in relation to the prevention of healthcare-acquired infections and, if so, what the main principles are.
Answer
The Scottish Government''s Health and Wellbeing Directorates are in the process of finalising a national uniform and dress code for NHSScotland.
The most appropriate measures to prevent the spread of infection is rapid diagnosis of patients, the use of personal protective equipment including disposable aprons and gloves, environmental cleaning and rigorous hand hygiene procedures.
All boards have infection prevention and control policy manuals which are based on Health Protection Scotland model policies. These policies include guidance on the use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene. Compliance with these policies is monitored through the Infection Prevention and Control Annual Audit Programme.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that incidence of and mortality from Clostridium difficile are reported on a hospital-by-hospital basis.
Answer
Yes. The Scottish Government will be issuing a reporting template for all boards to use from January 2009.
This template will enable boards to undertake a critical review of all cases of Clostridium difficile associated disease in hospital and those which result in death, identify whether the patient''s clinical care was optimal and what can be improved to reduce the risk of future patients developing CDAD.
I will make it clear to NHS boards that the outcome of the analysis of all cases must be reported at bi-monthly board meetings and that the data must be published.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what outcomes for people with learning disabilities were set out in single outcome agreements, broken down by local authority.
Answer
Learning disability is mentioned in the single outcome agreements in the context of the provision of care and support services, accommodation, employability, independent living, children and young people, obesity, personal life plans and pregnancy services.
In relation to community care, 10 local authorities have included Indicator 29 in their single outcome agreements, which is to increase the proportion of people needing care or support who are able to sustain an independent quality of life as part of the community, through effective joint working.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 October 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 November 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, following publication of the report of the recent investigation by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, Wrong place, Wrong time, whether it will urgently review the operation of adolescent mental health services across Scotland to ensure a consistent approach to the care and treatment of 16 and 17-year-olds.
Answer
I welcome the commission''s continued attention to child and young people''s mental health services and share the ambition for consistency of approach.
Working with NHS boards and other partners we continue to address and progress the recommendations made in The Mental Health of Children and Young People Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care (Bib. number 38415). Full delivery will ensure equity of access across Scotland to services designed to meet the particular prevention, care, transition and recovery needs of children and adolescents.
