Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-22840

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to establish a women’s health task force.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling gender inequality in all areas of Scottish life and has continued to invest in women’s health including work on decreasing stillbirth rates, neonatal care and the establishment of endometriosis centres.

The First Minister's National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (the Advisory Council) was formed to address gender inequality and published their first report in January 2019. As part of recent digital engagement a Spotlight on Women and Girl's Health was undertaken, inviting feedback on health related questions. This feedback is currently being analysed and a summary is expected to be published on the Advisory Council's website in June. The responses will provide awareness of current issues and help to inform future reports to the First Minister.

At that point, consideration will be given on how to coordinate activity further on this issue.

Question reference: S5T-01640

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will agree to a public inquiry into issues relating to the collection of clinical waste and its impact on the NHS.

Question reference: S5O-03212

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Lanarkshire Council and the integrated joint board regarding residential care homes.

Question reference: S5W-22649

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what training (a) looked after children's nurses, (b) school nurses, (c) paediatricians and (d) health visitors receive on the impact of trauma on children and young people.

The Scottish Government is committed to developing an adversity and trauma-informed workforce across Scotland. To support this, we are investing £1.35 million over three years to create a national training programme, to support over 5000 frontline workers across all sectors of the Scottish workforce who are responding to psychological trauma. The programme of work will be led by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and informed by people with lived experience, to create and deliver quality training resources. The impact of trauma on children and young people is integral within Health Visiting and School Nursing education; including both theory and practice-based learning. With regard to Looked After Children’s (LAC) Nurses, some LAC nurses undertake relevant standalone modules on, for example, Childhood Development, Child Protection and Safeguarding, and Vulnerability. As part of their eight year training programme, paediatricians learn to diagnose, treat and safeguard children and young people, including the potential impact of abuse and neglect. In addition, trainee paediatricians should complete regular safeguard training courses. The NES Psychology Trauma Team have also recently provided a workshop and presentation to paediatricians on trauma-informed working.

Question reference: S5W-22601

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has with governments in the rest of the UK regarding the control and prevention of healthcare associated infections.

The advisory committee on Antimicrobial Prescribing, Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (APRHAI) meets quarterly to share information and progress; providing practical and scientific advice to the UK Government on minimising the risk of healthcare associated infections. Scotland is represented on this group which also includes representatives from The Department for Health and Social Care, Public Health England, Public Health Wales and The Institute of Public Health in Ireland and the 4 UK nations are in regular contact with each other and are working collaboratively.

Question reference: S5W-22430

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the rate of hospital re-admissions within 28-days is for each NHS board in each quarter of the last five financial years.

The proportion of hospital admissions that were followed by a readmission within 28 days, for each NHS Board of Treatment in each quarter from 2013-14 to 2017-18, is presented in an Excel file, paper c opies of which are available from SPICe Bib. number 60608. Readmissions are based on emergency readmissions within 28 days from previous discharge date to subsequent admission date. The proportion (percentage) of admissions which were followed by a readmission within 28 days is calculated by dividing the count of readmissions within 28 days by the count of all admissions for each NHS Board of Treatment in each quarter then multiplying by 100 to get the percentage. SMR01 completeness varies across health boards. See link below for further information on SMR data completeness: http://www.isdscotland.org/products-and-Services/Data-Support-and-Monitoring/SMR-Completeness/ .

Question reference: S5W-22603

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 29 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring it undertakes of new and rare fungal and antibiotic resistant infections.

The Scottish Government commission Health Protection Scotland (HPS) to horizon scan for emerging threats associated with new and unusual fungal infections as well as antimicrobial resistance. They collect accurate and timely data, which underpins all of their activities in protecting the nation’s health.

Information is provided to HPS through an extensive surveillance network, which includes NHS boards, hospitals and laboratories. HPS also capture lab results via the Electronic Communication of Surveillance in Scotland tool that is used to monitor organisms, infections and microbial intoxications that are of clinical or public health importance.

Finally, the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual also provides health boards with a nationally agreed list of alert organisms, which may require further investigation if detected as part of their mandatory surveillance.

Question reference: S5W-22413

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kezia Dugdale on 24 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the processed meats used by its catering services is nitrite-free and, if not, whether it will consider introducing such a policy.

Catering services within the Scottish Parliament do use processed meats that include nitrites. Nitrites are additives used to protect the meats from harmful bacteria as well as improve the appearance and taste of the meat. Strict legislation ensures nitrite additives are kept at their lowest possible level to carry out their function. We regularly review our food policy and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety. While we offer a small amount of processed meats, around 1.2% of all perishable foods, we recommend that all our customers enjoy a balanced and healthy diet, that is limited in processed meats.

Question reference: S5W-22431

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many failed discharges there have been from each hospital in each quarter of the last five financial years.

Question reference: S5W-22590

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what additional training requirements there will be for the midwifery staff who will implement the new models of maternity and neonatal care outlined in the Best Start plan.

As part of the programme of implementation for The Best Start, the Scottish Government has established a Workforce and Education Group to consider a suite of recommendations relating to the training requirements to support the new models of care recommended in the Best Start. The work of the group has focused mainly on working with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and our Early Adopter Boards to understand the training required to introduce the new continuity of carer model of care. NES has designed a training package to support this and is rolling this out across Scotland, with many courses already available and others coming on stream through the first half of 2019.