Seòmar agus comataidhean

This information is in thepublic domain, available from the Department of Work and Pensions at: www.pensioncreditinfo.gov.uk/communication.asp.

As of 31st January 2004,around 229,000 individuals in Scotland were receiving pension credit, with an average awardof £42 per week.

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues,including pension credit, and issupporting the implementation in Scotland by disseminating information andencouraging applications by a variety of means, including: benefitshealthchecks through our central heating programme; publishing agenda newsletterfor older people; and advising the pension service on the content anddistribution of the Scottish version of the pensioners' guide.

This is in addition to the UKgovernment’s current uptake campaign and application advisory services.Applicants are recommended to apply through, and get advice from, the pension creditapplication helpline on freephone 080099 1234. The Minister for Finance and Public Services welcomed the latest uptake campaign on 1 March 2004. Acopy of his statement can be read at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2004/03/SENW1047.aspx

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6151 on 17 March 2004 All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the parliament website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6151 on 17 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliamentwebsite, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6151 on 17 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliamentwebsite, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Executive has not set atarget in respect of the time it should take to conduct an assessment of acarers’ support needs. I refer the member to the answer given to questionS2W-6151 on 17 March 2004 which sets out the Executive’s position on monitoringcarers’ assessments.

All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Community Care andHealth (Scotland) Act 2002 places a duty on local authorities to notify carerswho appear to them to be eligible to have an assessment of their support needsas a carer, that they may be entitled to have such an assessment. The act alsoprovides powers to require health boards to draw up NHS Carer InformationStrategies that will set out how NHS staff will similarly inform carers oftheir right to an assessment. Executive guidance to the NHS on the format andcontent of NHS Carer Information Strategies will be available later this year.Authorities and boards must be able to demonstrate compliance with any legislativeduties placed on them. The Executive is committed to monitoring the impact ofits Carers Strategy, including the new legislative measures to support carers. From2004-05 the Executive will be collecting data from local authorities on thenumbers of carers’ assessments being carried out. Other performance indicatorsand outcome measures will be developed in due course. These are expected tolook at the time intervals between an assessment being requested, theassessment being carried out and the provision of services.

We recognise the problems atlocal level which are identified and highlighted in the report. To addressthese issues we will consider therecommendations on management information carefully and discuss with NHS boardshow improvements can be made. Thestrategic planning of medical equipment requirements is one of a number ofcomponents integral to the planning of sustainable clinical services. Arequirement for NHS boards to identify capital investment on medical equipmentas part of the financial information to support local health plans is beingintroduced from 1 April 2004 and as a follow up to the Audit Scotland reportall NHS boards will be asked to respond to the recommendations made and detailwhat action they propose to take to comply with the recommendations.

Following the publication of the report of the HIV Health Promotion Strategy Review Group in January 2001,the Executive increased the resources available to NHS boards by £2 million annually,to assist their work to prevent the spread of HIV and other bloodborne viruses.The allocation in 2003-04 is £8.12 million. Boards use these resources to fundmeasures to address a range of issues relating to HIV in their areas.

Expenditure on treatment andcare services for those suffering from HIV is a matter for individual boards todetermine within their general funding allocations, which increased by aminimum of 7.4% across boards in 2003-04.

Local authorities also havea key role in supporting those suffering from HIV. Substantial additionalresources for community care have been allocated in the local governmentfinance settlement to 2005-06.

The Executive also providessome £500,000 to a range of voluntary organisations responding to thechallenges posed by bloodborne viruses, particularly HIV and hepatitis C.

The National Overview identified the availability of such services, which are a key element in allowing people to return home when they are ready for discharge, as an issue for NHS boards to consider. NHS boards should aim to achieve thestandards of care set by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Any significantshortfall should be identified through local clinical audit and governancearrangements. Where necessary NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will carry outfollow up visits. Any major issues can be addressed through the annualaccountability review process.