Chamber and committees

The Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that the final overtime budget in 2007-08 was £2.615 million. The current planned overtime budget for 2008-09 is £3.247 million though this figure is subject to revision over the course of the year.

The service operates a range of vehicle types deployed according to the clinical condition of the patient. Rapid Response Vehicles tend to be single responders, accident and emergency units should be double crewed, as should mid tier and urgent tier units.

The statement to Parliament on 4 June by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing made clear the position of the Scottish Government on these matters.

The Scottish Ambulance Service has advised that crews are rostered to achieve at least one paramedic on each double crewed shift, as well as to provide the paramedic cover required for the shifts operated by the rapid response vehicle operating out of the Vale of Leven.

The Scottish Government takes very seriously all claims of bullying and harassment.

However, it is important that such claims are dealt with thoroughly and appropriately by the board of the Scottish Ambulance Service as the employer, ensuring that due process is followed and that rights under employment law and NHSScotland’s staff governance framework are respected.

The statement to Parliament on 4 June by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing made clear the position of the Scottish Government on these matters.

The Scottish Ambulance Service has provided the following table.

Station	Resource	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
Vale of Leven	Day shift double crew Ambulance	3	3	3	3	3	2	2
	Night shift double crew Ambulance	3	3	3	3	3	3	2
	Day shift FRV Single crew paramedic 7-3 Mon-Fri & Sat/Sun 9am to 9pm	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
	Back shift FRV Single crew paramedic up to 11pm Mon-Fri	1	1	1	1	1	0	0
Helensburgh	Day shift double crew Ambulance	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
	Night shift double crew Ambulance	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Arrochar	Day shift double crew Ambulance	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
	Night shift double crew Ambulance	o/c	o/c	o/c	o/c	o/c	o/c	o/c

Notes:

o/c = on call from home address.

FRV = Fast Response Vehicle paramedic car.

Excludes Patient Transport Ambulances.

We have accepted the advice of the UK National Screening Committee (NSC) that there is no evidence to support screening for thrombophilia in asymptomatic women prior to prescription of oral contraception or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The NSC goes on to recommend that a woman with a personal history of venous thrombosis should be advised to avoid oral contraception and HRT if acceptable alternatives are available, and should be counselled regarding the level of risk faced.

In primary care, the risks and benefits of any prescribed medication are discussed during consultation between the patient and their GP. This would include the risks of thrombosis associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the contraceptive pill, which are well-known.

Pharmacists will discuss the indications, contra-indications, drug interactions and side effects with the patient before dispensing medication. There is also a legal requirement for each prescription for HRT and the oral contraceptive pill to contain an information leaflet which describes product characteristics, including the risk of thrombosis.

We would also expect clinicians providing maternity services to assess pregnant women for risk factors for DVT as part of their clinical assessment, and to provide further management in line with the current clinical guidelines produced by SIGN and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

In addition, we have commissioned Lifeblood, the thrombosis charity, to develop a general information leaflet on DVT. The leaflet includes guidance for individuals considered to be at high risk, including those on HRT and the oral contraceptive pill, and mentions that a simple blood test is available which may show a genetic susceptibility to DVT. The leaflet has been distributed to every GP practice in Scotland so that it can be on display and available to the general public.

A list of the organisations represented at the National Conversation event in Brussels on 23 April 2008 is provided below:

European Commission

European Parliament

Council of the EU

Committee of the Regions

Flemish Permanent Representative to the EU

Belgian National Committee for SMEs

Delegation du pays basque

NASC (West Ireland Liaison Office)

Flemish Permanent Representation to the EU

Catalonia representation to the EU

North Westphalia Representation to the EU

Flemish Department for Foreign Affairs

British Council Brussels

Scotland Europa

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Scottish Government

Scottish Parliament

Welsh Assembly Government

Northern Ireland Executive

Law societies Joint Brussels office

Sun Microsystem

European Policy Centre

Callanish Health

Cabinet Stewart

Hill & Knowlton

Chaps Law

White & Case

The Times

 

The Scottish Government definition, used in the application of the moderating criteria, that racism “can be indirect, direct or institutional, and that racism is unacceptable in any context no matter who it is perpetrated by or against”, is consistent with the Race Relations Act 1976 as amended in 2000.

Ian Hudghton MEP attended the event personally, and several other MEPs were represented by their assistants.