- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 16 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what safety requirements for children are placed on primary schools once the school day ends from when they are waiting for school transport until delivery to agreed pick-up point.
Answer
Education authorities have a legal duty to take reasonable care of the safety of pupils when under their charge. Scottish Executive guidance to authorities on school transport matters includes a focus on the safety of pupils.
- 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 Cathy Jamieson on 10 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-1882 by Mr Jack McConnell on 9 May 2002, how often guidance to police forces is updated on (a) any innovations in detection and identification of date rape drugs and (b) best practice in dealing with victims of drug rape in order to maximise the ability to secure convictions.
Answer
In 2002 the Association of ChiefPolice Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) issued Drug Assisted Sexual Assault - Guidefor Investigators to Scottish Police Forces. The guide is subject to annual review.In addition, advice on new and emerging trends concerning Drug Assisted Sexual Assault(DASA) is disseminated to forces as and when required by the Scottish Drug EnforcementAgency.
Apresentation on DASA was also delivered a recent ACPOS Drugs Conference in March2004, where delegates heard expert testimony on this subject.
ACPOS recognise the need to standardisethe way forces collect forensic evidence during investigations of DASA and, afterextensive consultation, new forensic evidence sampling kits specifically designedand developed for use in the investigation of such assault are in the final stagesof development.
- 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 Patricia Ferguson on 9 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, regarding the 2930 parliamentary questions to date that received the answer that the information requested was not held centrally, in how many cases the information requested is now available and what measures are being put in place to hold information sought by MSPs centrally.
Answer
When replying to parliamentaryquestions, the Executive strives to provide the member with as much informationas is available at the time. On some occasions the information sought will not beheld centrally and this will be reflected in the answer.
It would be an extensive taskto review each of these questions to assess if the information requested then isnow available. In cases where information is not available centrally but is availableelsewhere, we advise where it can be obtained or we direct to published sources.
- 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 Patricia Ferguson on 9 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, of the 337 parliamentary questions that have been answered to date where the question addressed a health issue and the answer stated that the information requested was not held centrally, in how many cases the information is now available centrally.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer I gave to S2W-8363 on 9 June 2004. All answers to 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, 24 May 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 9 June 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7076 by Nicol Stephen on 2 April 2004, when the consultation paper on concessionary travel, due to be published in April, will be published.
Answer
The consultation paper on concessionarytravel will be issued soon.
- 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: 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: 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, 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, 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.
