- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 4 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to instruct NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to undertake research into treatments for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome with a view to providing guidelines into the most effective forms of treatment and care, in light of the report by the 25% ME Group, Severely Affected ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) Analysis Report on Questionnaire Issued January 2004 - Analysis Report, published on 1 March 2004.
Answer
I refer the member to the answergiven to S2W-7584 on 4 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament's website, 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, 19 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 4 May 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to improve access to allowances and assistance for carers of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, in light of the report by the 25% ME Group, Severely Affected ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) Analysis Report on Questionnaire Issued January 2004 - Analysis Report, published on 1 March 2004.
Answer
The Community Care and Health(Scotland) Act 2002 gives significant new rights for carers, including an assessment,at any time, of their own support needs, independent of the needs of the personfor whom they are caring. NHS boards and local authorities are required to informcarers of their right to assessment and to provide this to all carers, irrespectiveof the condition affecting the person cared for. The act also places duties on theNHS to provide information to carers on their rights of support, including financialsupport. This will help carers to access services and support earlier.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 23 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations, registered with the Care Commission, failed to comply with one or more national care standards in each year since the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 came into force, detailing the standards involved in each case.
Answer
This is an operational matterfor the Care Commission. The commission are currently setting up an advisory workinggroup to develop a system which will report to both the public and ministers onthe quality of regulated care services. Details can be found at:
http://www.carecommission.com/.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 April 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Borders Railway to be operational.
Answer
Subject to the successful passage of the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill, the promoters of the Borders Railway estimate that it could be operational by 2008.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the US Food and Drug Administration requesting the label of 10 anti-depressant drugs to include a statement that recommends close observation of the patients for worsening depression or the warning signs of suicide and the fact that nine of these drugs are prescribed in Scotland, what steps will be taken to instruct NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to introduce a monitoring structure in respect of the use and effect of these drugs.
Answer
The regulation and safety ofmedicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcareproducts Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The safetyof the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has been closely monitoredby the MHRA and the UK independentexpert advisory committee, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM).
The CSMhas considered the question of suicidal behaviour in association with the SSRIson a number of occasions and carefully assessed any new data. The CSM has advisedthat it is general clinical experience that patients taking any anti-depressantmay develop an increase in suicidal behaviour in the first few weeks of treatment.SSRI product information has been amended to include warnings that suicidal behaviourmay increase in the early stages of treatment with any anti-depressant and thatpatients should be carefully monitored during this period. The CSM advice is availableon www.mhra.gov.uk.
The CSM'sExpert Working Group on the safety of SSRIs is currently reviewing the availableevidence relating to the safety of these medicines, with particular reference tobehavioural disorders, including suicidality, to ensure that the advice in the productinformation is optimal for safe use of these products.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 20 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6836 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 March 2004, what resources, financial and otherwise, have been used by the Care Commission in publicising the national care standards in each year since its inception.
Answer
Scottish ministers are responsiblefor the development and publication of the National Care Standards, which the CareCommission must take into account when carrying out its business. The Scottish Executiveworks closely with the Care Commission in publicising the standards. Decisions onhow its budget is allocated are an operational matter for the Care Commission.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 20 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6836 by Mr Tom McCabe on 23 March 2004, how much the Care Commission charges for attendance at its meetings and conferences.
Answer
To date, the Care Commissionhas not charged for attendance at its meetings and conferences. Decisions on chargingfor attendance at such events are an operational matter for the Care Commissionitself.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has secured a commitment from the Strategic Rail Authority to the contribution of #4 million towards the Borders railway.
Answer
As promoters of the BordersRailway project, it is the responsibility of the Waverley Railway Partnershipto assemble and deliver the funding package.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 13 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the report on the Miss X case by the Chief Inspector of Social Work Services and, if so, when the report will be published.
Answer
The Executive has receivedthe Social Work Services Inspectorate report into the Borders case, and expectsto publish it in the near future.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 April 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4161 by Nicol Stephen on 1 December 2003, on what date the proposed formal consultation on the concessionary fares commitment outlined in A Partnership for a Better Scotland and announced as commencing shortly will be launched and whether proposals for a nationally-recognised bus pass will be included in that consultation.
Answer
The consultation paper onconcessionary travel is currently being finalised and we intend to publish thedocument in April. The introduction of a nationally recognised bus pass will beconsidered as part of the consultation.
