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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S2W-02911

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the Waiting Times Co-ordination Unit is in respect of the length of waiting time for a first appointment for a hearing test, and other audiology tests, before referral to a consultant.

I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-2908 today. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

We are determined to tackle waitingtimes for first out-patient appointments, including waits for audiology. The Executivehas included a commitment in the white paper Partnership for Care and thePartnership Agreement Partnership for a Better Scotland, that no patientwill wait longer than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment following GPreferral, by 2005.

The National Waiting Times Unithas agreed plans with each NHS board which include local out-patient waiting timestargets which demonstrate the progress they are expected to make towards deliveryof the 26-week target. In addition, I launched the Out-patient Action Plan on 13 June 2003 and theCentre for Change and Innovation will drive forward its implementation through aco-ordinated programme of service redesign and the promotion and dissemination ofgood practice across NHSScotland.

The Executive is committed tothe modernisation of audiology services and £8 million is being made available between2003-04 and 2006-07. On 1 October 2003, we announced the issue of £9 million over the nextthree years to meet the Partnership Agreement commitment to allow the routine issueof digital hearing aids and support where they are the most clinically effectiveoption.

Question reference: S2W-02909

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2315 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2003, whether the median waiting times given in that answer include the waiting period for a hearing test following a GP referral but prior to referral to a consultant and, if not, what the total median waiting time period has been including that waiting time in each of the last four years, broken down by NHS board area.

Question reference: S2W-02920

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2315 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2003 where the provisional median time for an audiology appointment in the Borders NHS Board area is given as 34 days in 2003, why Dr Peter Symms of Brotherstone, near Melrose, has been advised that the waiting time for such an appointment is 90 weeks and what action it will take to address this issue.

The figures provided in the answerto question S2W-2315 on 11 September 2003, were the median waiting times for a firstout-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic in the specialty of ear,nose and throat . Information on waiting times for an audiology appointment is notavailable as data is collected centrally at specialty level only.

I understand from NHS Bordersthat the waiting time for an audiology appointment quoted to Dr Symms was incorrect.They have now written to Dr Symms to advise that the anticipated wait is 48 weeks.

The board is currently developingan audiology modernisation plan and finalising its bid for funding from the AudiologyModernisation Funds which were announced earlier this year. It is also in the processof reallocating some work to increase the time available for trained audiologiststo undertake hearing aid assessments and expects these actions to lead to reductionsin waiting times early in the New Year.

Question reference: S2W-02903

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 8 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1687 by Euan Robson on 18 August 2003, when it was anticipated that the report by the Chief Inspector of Social Work would be available and when that report is to be published.

Question reference: S2W-02908

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2315 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 September 2003, what the average waiting time has been from referral by a GP for an appointment with ear, nose and throat departments for a hearing test, and other audiology tests, prior to referral to a consultant in each of the last four years, broken down by NHS board area.

Information on waiting timesfor a hearing test or other audiology test is not available. Data onout-patient waiting times are collected centrally at specialty level only.

Audiology services are in thespecialty of ear, nose and throat, hearing and other tests will normally be conductedat a first out-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic in this specialty,following referral by a general medical practitioner.

Question reference: S2W-02726

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Curran on 7 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-24700 and S1W-26383 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 May and 11 June 2002 respectively, whether an evaluation of the Renfrewshire and Paisley neighbourhood warden pilot projects has been made and, if so, where it can be accessed.

Question reference: S2W-02854

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 7 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to ensure that places on nursing diploma programmes match demand, as referred to in table 2.5 of the report by the Royal College of Nursing More Nurses, working differently: A review of the UK nursing labour market in 2002.

Pre-registration nursing diplomaeducation is provided by seven higher education institutions (HEIs) in Scotland, undercontract with the Scottish Executive Health Department. An annual student nurse intake planningexercise, based on the future workforce requirements of NHSScotland, influencesthe number of students that the Scottish Executive Health Department funds throughthese contracts.

Competition for student placesremains buoyant but, as with any higher education course, not all applicants meetthe necessary requirements. The nature of nursing means that applicants must beassessed on the basis of their health and fitness in addition to academic requirements.Selecting the right students is one way of addressing attrition from these courses.HEIs have overall responsibility for the selection process.

In 2003-04 the student intakewill increase by an additional 525 students, through traditional and other routes,in accordance with the student nurse intake planning recommendations.

Question reference: S2W-02855

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to promote applications to train in learning disability, children's nursing, mental health and midwifery, as referred to in table 2.5 in the report by the Royal College of Nursing, More Nurses, working differently: A review of the UK nursing labour market in 2002.

The report More Nurses, workingdifferently: A review of the UK nursing labour market in 2002 was published on Friday 19 September 2003 by the Royal College of Nursing. With reference to table2.5 in the report, the recruitment to the children and midwifery categories of pre-registrationnursing and midwifery education remains buoyant and applications per place exceeddemand. There are fewer applications per place for the mental health and learningdisabilities categories. The number of student places is determined by the needsof the NHSScotland through the Student Nurse Intake Planning process.

The Scottish Executive is currentlyestablishing a Mental Health Workforce Group to address the workforce implicationsof the major changes anticipated in mental health. This work will be key in determiningfuture student numbers in this area and will be backed by appropriate recruitmentactivity.

As a result of service redesign,closure of long-stay hospitals and the development of shared care involving socialservices and the voluntary sector, perceptions about the learning disability categoryof nursing may have been affected. The Scottish Executive, together with NHS Education forScotland and the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, has been working tomodernise the education and practice programmes in order to encourage recruitmentto this branch of nursing.

Additional help in areas of recruitmentwill be provided by Careers for Health which was launched at the NHSScotland HumanResources Conference on 16 May 2003.

The aims of Careers for Healthare to:

raise the profile of careersin the NHS;

act as a source of expertiseon all issues relating to careers guidance and support;

promote recruitment from a widerbase enabling health boards to gain access to the widest possible range of applicants,and

link health board personnel tokey stakeholders such as Careers Scotland and Job Centre Plus.

The Head of Learning and Careersfor Health was recruited over the summer and a work programme is currently beendevised. It is envisaged that a range of projects will be delivered to help addressthe issue of attracting individuals to careers in NHSScotland. Projects will includeconsideration of incentives, recruitment campaigns and retention initiatives.

Question reference: S2W-02853

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to reverse the increase in the number of student nurses discontinuing their course, as referred to in the report by the Royal College of Nursing, More Nurses, working differently: A review of the UK nursing labour market in 2002.

There are a number of reasonswhy student nurses leave their course, including deciding that nursing is not forthem. The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) is working with highereducation institutions to reduce the drop-out rate to an agreed level and to strengthenstudent support systems. As a result, institutions are reporting improved attritionrates for each of the three-year nurse education programmes.

We have also taken steps to addressattrition by improving the financial support available to students and the Nursingand Midwifery Student Bursary has increased by 21% since 1998. In addition, theSEHD and higher education institutions are also developing proposals for distancelearning and flexible access to courses to make sure that as many of our committedstudents as possible complete their training and go on to work in NHSScotland.

Question reference: S2W-02842

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 6 October 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to promote the Pass Plus scheme for novice drivers.