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Section 64 of theAdult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 amends the Social Work (Scotland)Act 1968 (the 1968 act) to make explicit that where a local authority has, followingan assessment of an adult’s needs, concluded that the adult requires any communitycare service, but is not capable of making decisions about the service, it may takeany steps which it considers necessary to help the adult benefit from the service.

A local authority has a duty under the Adultswith Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 to apply for a court order where that is necessaryfor the protection of the property, financial affairs or personal welfare of theadult.

Guidance to supportlocal authorities in the use of their powers was issued on 30 March 2007 and is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/Civil/awi/latest-news/ccd5-2007.The Scottish Government has no plans to review section 64 itself, but will monitorlocal authorities’ use of their powers and duties under the 1968 and 2000 acts.

I have asked MikeEwart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

The SPS will considerparticipation in conferences or other forums in the UKor elsewhere where we have something to contribute, something to learn or both.

The Neuroscience ImplementationGroup is taking forward detailed work on planning the service model set out in Buildinga Health Service Fit for the Future. The group will submit its proposals tothe Scottish Government by the end of December 2007.

NHS Lothian hascritical care capability on all three acute hospital sites - Royal Infirmary ofEdinburgh, Western General Hospital and St John’s - to ensure safe, high-qualitycare for patients receiving acute care on these sites. I understand from the boardthat this capability will continue to be required.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3797 on 18 September 2007. Allanswers 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/webapp/wa.search.

Service changeproposals are a matter for NHS Lothian. I am not aware of any such plans. Anyproposal for major service changes would have to be subject to fullconsultation with the public and would require ministerial approval.

NHS Lothian providesservices to patients from three acute hospital sites - the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh,St John’s at Livingston and the Western General Hospital. NHS Lothian has publicly committed to retaining these three sites as acutehospitals and has assured me that there are no plans to change this.

There is no precise definitionor definitive description of an acute district general hospital. Acute hospitalsprovide a wide range of specialist care and treatment for patients. These serviceswill vary depending on geographical location, proximity to other acute hospitalsand specialists centres, and the skills and experience of clinical staff. Servicesat a district general hospital could include: consultation with specialist clinicians(consultant medical staff, nurses, dieticians, physiotherapists and a wide rangeof other professionals); emergency treatment following accidents; routine and complexsurgery; specialist diagnostic procedures, and close observation and short-termcare of patients with worrying health symptoms.

Current plansapproved by NHS Lothian Board include the relocation of colorectal surgery fromthe Western General Hospital to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to concentrateall general surgery on one site and to ensure compliance with the EuropeanWorking Times Directive.