- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what weighting will be given to social inclusion criteria in deciding whether or not there should be a stop at Stow on the Borders railway.
Answer
The specification for the proposedBorders Railway – including the location of stations along its route – is the responsibilityof the Waverley Railway Partnership. The Scottish Executive requires that our ScottishTransport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) is applied to all significant transport schemes.The STAG assessment process gives fair consideration to a scheme’s potential toimprove: the environment; safety; the economy; integration; accessibility, and socialinclusion.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive with reference to the article Screening Saves Lives in the May edition of Health Quarterly, Holyrood Policy Journal, what plans are in place to implement (a) a national colorectal screening programme following the successful pilot schemes in Grampian, Tayside and Fife and (b) a concerted drive to raise awareness of the disease and to encourage participation, given that there are approximately 3,500 cases and almost 2,000 deaths from colorectal cancer each year.
Answer
Following the positive evaluationof the UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot the Executive has re-affirmed the commitmentgiven in Cancer in Scotland to introduce a national bowel cancer screeningprogramme. The planning process, which will take around five years, has begun andthe key components are outlined in the Bowel Cancer Framework for Scotland whichwas published in April 2004. A copy of the Framework is available in the Parliament’sReference Centre (Bib. number 32698). The role of public awareness campaigns, whichis primarily for NHS boards, is covered in the Framework.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has with regard to the impact of sleep disorders on accidents at work and on roads.
Answer
We do nothold any specific data on the contribution made by sleep disorders to accidentsin Scotland. However, it is well known thattiredness, whether induced by sleep disorders or other causes, can be asignificant factor in accidents.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to secure the delivery of textile courses at Heriot-Watt University's Borders Campus.
Answer
Ministers areprecluded by legislation from becoming involved in decisions which highereducation institutions make concerning course provision, and by extension from decisionsabout where courses are taught. I am fully aware, however, of concernssurrounding Heriot-Watt University and the future of the School of Textiles and Design in the Borders. From mymeeting last week on this issue with the Chief Executive of the Further andHigher Education Funding Councils, I am satisfied that the process is now inplace to ensure that all relevant concerns are being taken on board byHeriot-Watt in the run-up to any final decision on their part.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 2 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of research published in the British Medical Journal concerning the widespread prevalence of prescribing errors caused by computer systems in use at GP surgeries, what steps will be taken to (a) identify which GP practices are affected by prescription errors due to the use of these types of computer systems, (b) ensure that any faults are identified and rectified as expeditiously as possible and (c) ensure that GPs are instructed in the interim not to issue prescriptions, including automatic repeat prescriptions, without first checking in relation to errors and patient risk.
Answer
The clinical responsibility toprescribe appropriately lies with individual GPs but the IT system support availableto them must underpin safe and efficient prescribing behaviour.
Whilst the British MedicalJournal report referred to focused on GP IT systems used in England, and whichaccount for less than 20% of those used in Scotland, the issues identified willbe reviewed by the clinical information sub-group of the department’s eHealth programmeboard. A commentary in the report makes clear, however, that computers already helpmore effective prescribing and have reduced medication errors by as much as 60%simply by ensuring that prescriptions are legible, complete and in a standard format.
The department is already workingwith all GP IT system suppliers active in Scotland on a programme of functionality enhancements, which hasbeen agreed with GP representative bodies, to meet the ongoing needs of NHS Scotland,and which is supplementary to the existing accreditation standards. As part of thisprocess, we will be reviewing the prescribing support arrangements in individualsystems and requiring any improvements, which the clinical information sub-groupdeems to be necessary, to be put in hand.
At present, as part of the dispensingprocess, community pharmacists are professionally responsible for checking prescriptionsfor accuracy, accurate dosage and any potential significant drug interactions beforethey are dispensed. Additionally, and as part of the migration path towards a newcommunity pharmacy contract, new arrangements are being phased in to give communitypharmacists an enhanced role to work with GPs in the management of patients withchronic but stable conditions. These arrangements are intended to improve the effectivenessof current repeat prescription arrangements.
Once the clinical informationsub-group has considered the report, the Chief Medical Officer will write to allGPs to make them aware of the report’s findings and any action required by the Scottish Executive Health Department. In addition, GPs will be encouraged to review their existingprescribing practice on an ongoing basis so that they make best and safest use oftheir IT system. NHS board prescribing and IT advisers are already in place to helpGPs do this.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 2 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-1605 by Ms Margaret Curran on 18 March 2004, what action is being taken to increase access to funding and training in British Sign Language for health care providers.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is taking forward initiatives to improve the accessibility of healthcare provision for British Sign Language users.
The health department iscurrently developing an Equality and Diversity Strategy for the NHS and hasentered into a partnership with the Disability Rights Commission Scotland tolook at the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act on the NHS. Thispartnership will support and advise NHS boards in developing a disability strategywhich will highlight accessibility issues as part of the approach to deliveringpatient-centred and responsive services.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that the NHS becomes fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in respect of the requirements of deaf and hard of hearing people, given the report by RNID, A Simple Cure - A national report into deaf and hard of hearing people's experiences of the National Health Service, which states that the cost to the NHS of missed appointments because of poor communication could be #20 million a year.
Answer
I refer you to my answers toparliamentary questions S2W-6895 on 29 March 2004, S2W-7379, S2W-7380 andS2W-7381 on 28 April 2004, S2W-8279, S2W-8280 and S2W-8281 on 26 April 2004. Allanswer to written answer to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to investigate the introduction of communication support resources, such as video telephones, loop systems for hearing aid users, visual displays and trained lip readers in GP surgeries and other health care facilities in light of the report by RNID, A Simple Cure - A national report into deaf and hard of hearing people's experiences of the National Health Service.
Answer
NHS boards and independent contractorshave been advised to conduct audits of their premises to ensure that they have consideredwhat reasonable adjustments may be appropriate to the way they deliver servicesfor disabled people. This may involve the provision of communication support resourcesappropriate to particular locations.
the Scottish Executive Health Department has made available £1.5 million tohelp raise awareness amongst primary care contractors of the needs of disabled people.Such training has been shown elsewhere to be effective in improving services andto be valued by patients with particular needs.
Please also refer to my answersto parliamentary questions S2W-6895 on 29 March 2004,S2W-7379, S2W-7380 and S2W-7381 on 28 April 2004.All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’swebsite facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to implement the recommendation in the report by RNID, A Simple Cure - A national report into deaf and hard of hearing people's experiences of the National Health Service, that an update of the NHS Disability Access Audit which includes the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people should be undertaken.
Answer
The Health Department carriedout a survey to monitor the progress of NHSScotland bodies with disability accessaudits early in 2003. The survey results were published with
NHS HDL(2003)31
(
http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2003_31.pdf),issued on 8 July 2003. The Health Department intend to update this informationshortly.
The audit looks at access relatedto premises and property and may not impact directly on the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearingpeople. However, the good practice guidance on access to services Equality fordisabled people in the NHS in Scotland (Bib. number 7233) provides support and guidance forstaff in meeting the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. This guidance isbeing updated in partnership with NHS Health Scotland to ensure that the supportmechanisms are available for staff to apply the guidance.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to implement the recommendations in the report by RNID, A Simple Cure - A national report into deaf and hard of hearing people's experiences of the National Health Service, that all front-line staff undertake deaf and disability awareness training and that deaf awareness training becomes a part of all nursing and medical undergraduate courses.
Answer
NHS Education Scotland is workingwith the Scottish Council on Deafness and a number of other organisations representingthe deaf community in Scotland, to produce deaf awareness training. Representativesfrom the deaf community have provided essential information and guidance on thedevelopment of the training materials.
Thetraining will be available for use by all NHS providers by the end of 2004, andis suitable for use in standard induction training for all clinical and non-clinicalstaff. The training can include a short practical assessment to ensure traineeshave reached a level of competency in using appropriate strategies when communicatingwith deaf people.
Please also refer to my answersto parliamentary questions S2W-6895 on 29 March 2004,S2W-7379, S2W-7380 and S2W-7381 on 28 April 2004.All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website facility’sfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.