- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 4 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive why it reduced the national performance targets for the Scottish Ambulance Service for category A calls from 75% for each NHS board area to 75% across Scotland and whether it is concerned that rural areas will experience reduced response times.
Answer
It is important to ensure that performance targets are challenging but deliverable. On that basis, the national performance target for responding to category A calls was revised to be achieved across mainland Scotland by March 2009, rather than within each individual NHS board area.
We recognise that achievement at a Scotland-wide level will mean that there may be some communities where this target is not routinely being met. That is why the Scottish Government is looking for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to demonstrate that across all parts of Scotland it is working to secure continuous improvement, particularly in remote and rural areas.
The Scottish Government and the SAS are committed to ensuring safe, efficient and effective health services across all parts of Scotland, including remote and rural areas. The SAS will continue to work with local partners to achieve this.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 4 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Ambulance Service plans to increase the staffing establishment at Arrochar station to better meet national targets for (a) category A, (b) category B and (c) urgent calls.
Answer
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) have advised that they intend to take forward the recruitment of an additional member of staff for the Arrochar station. In addition, this additional crew member will support the elimination of single-rostered crewing in this area.
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the SAS continues to provide sage, efficient and effective services to patients across Scotland, including those in remote and rural area. It is also important that patients have confidence in the SAS''s ability to respond to emergencies.
While this presents particular challenges in remote and rural locations, the service seeks to improve performance for all patients and remains keen to seek local solutions that meet the needs of those communities. In addition, the SAS has appointed a first responder co-ordinator in this area to develop and support first responder schemes.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how much capital funding is allocated directly by (a) NHS Scotland and (b) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for the development of the Southern General Hospital.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12770 on 15 May 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people from the catchment area for the Vale of Leven Hospital contacted (a) the 999 service for an ambulance and (b) NHS24 in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) the first quarter of 2008-09.
Answer
The Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS 24 have provided the following tables of information. It is not possible to give an absolute definition of the catchment area for the Vale of Leven Hospital as it relates to these organisations so the tables set out the postcode sectors that have been used to capture the information.
(a) Emergency Incidents Attended by the Scottish Ambulance Service
| Postcode Sector | Area | 2007-08 | Quarter 1 2008-09 |
| G60-5 | Bowling | 307 | 77 |
| G82-1 | Dumbarton | 498 | 126 |
| G82-2 | Dumbarton | 455 | 104 |
| G82-3 | Dumbarton | 478 | 114 |
| G82-4 | Dumbarton | 573 | 136 |
| G82-5 | Cardross | 499 | 98 |
| G83-0 | Alexandria | 1,210 | 276 |
| G83-7 | Arrochar | 131 | 42 |
| G83-8 | Luss | 611 | 181 |
| G83-9 | Arrochar | 509 | 133 |
| G84-0 | Roseneath | 276 | 72 |
| G84-7 | Helensburgh | 512 | 120 |
| G84-8 | Helensburgh | 602 | 166 |
| G84-9 | Helensburgh | 171 | 46 |
| PA248 | Lochgoilhead | 42 | 13 |
| PA258 | St Catherine''s | 4 | 1 |
| PA268 | Cairndow | 17 | 2 |
| PA328 | Inverary | 135 | 30 |
| Total | | 7,030 | 1,737 |
(b) Calls to NHS 24
| Postcode Sector | Area | 2007-08 | Quarter 1 2008-09 |
| G60-5 | Bowling | 1,401 | 311 |
| G82-1 | Dumbarton | 1,021 | 191 |
| G82-2 | Dumbarton | 1,573 | 314 |
| G82-3 | Dumbarton | 1,391 | 309 |
| G82-4 | Dumbarton | 1,569 | 408 |
| G82-5 | Cardross | 1,358 | 341 |
| G83-0 | Alexandria | 2,111 | 530 |
| G83-7 | Arrochar | 193 | 47 |
| G83-8 | Luss | 1,727 | 443 |
| G83-9 | Arrochar | 2,387 | 574 |
| G84-0 | Roseneath | 819 | 185 |
| G84-7 | Helensburgh | 1,314 | 319 |
| G84-8 | Helensburgh | 1,250 | 312 |
| G84-9 | Helensburgh | 1,083 | 259 |
| PA248 | Lochgoilhead | 103 | 39 |
| PA258 | St Catherine''s | 4 | 3 |
| PA268 | Cairndow | 15 | 0 |
| PA328 | Inverary | 63 | 27 |
| Total | | 19,382 | 4,612 |
Notes:
*Cowal Peninsula has not been included as it is assumed to be within the catchment for Inverclyde Royal.
**Areas north of Tarbert (on the Loch Lomond side) are not included as these are assumed to go to Glasgow or Stirling.
***Ambulance Service systems report incidents attended rather than numbers of calls. This is, for example, because there can be duplicate calls for one incident.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has in place for the conclusion of the Scottish Gas contract for the central heating programme.
Answer
Tendering for the central heating programme was undertaken in 2006. The contract was for two years, with the option of a further two extensions of up to 12 months each. The first extension is currently being used from April 2008 to March 2009.
The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum is currently considering the long-term future of the programme and is expected to report back in early autumn. Once the forum has provided its recommendations the necessary decisions on the programme''s future will be taken.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14339 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 July 2008, on what dates from December 2007 terminal cleans occured at the Vale of Leven Hospital; in which wards, and for what reason.
Answer
The 18 full ward terminal cleans were carried out as follows:
| Date | Ward | Reason |
| 21 December 2007 | Ward 6 | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 28 December 2007 | Ward F | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 7 January 2008 | Ward 15 | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 10 January 2008 | Ward 14 | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 16 January 2008 | Ward 14 | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 24 January 2008 | Ward 15 | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 11 February 2008 | Ward 15 | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 25 February 2008 | Ward F | Norovirus Outbreak |
| 25 April 2008 | Ward F | No subsequent confirmed diagnosis |
| 14 May 2008 | Ward 6 | Preventative measure as part of management linked 027 C.diff cases at VOL and RAH |
| 15 May 2008 | Ward 3 | Preventative measure as part of management linked 027 C.diff cases at VOL and RAH |
| 26 May 2008 | Ward 15 | Preventative measure as part of management linked 027 C.diff cases at VOL and RAH |
| 28 May 2008 | Ward 14 | Preventative measure as part of management linked 027 C.diff cases at VOL and RAH |
| 16 June 2008 | Ward 5 | Preventative measure as part of management linked 027 C.diff cases at VOL and RAH |
| 17 June 2008 | Ward 3 | Preventative measure as part of response to retrospective outbreak |
| 20 June 2008 | Ward F | Preventative measure as part of response to retrospective outbreak |
| 24 June 2008 | Ward 14 | Preventative measure as part of response to retrospective outbreak |
| 25 June 2008 | Ward 15 | Preventative measure as part of response to retrospective outbreak |
In addition, within the period, there were 283 terminal cleans of single, four and six bedded areas within the hospital. These cleans would be requested for individual suspected or actual infection issues in line with best practice.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14801 by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 July 2008, what specific statutory requirements are placed on NHS boards.
Answer
The specific statutory requirements which relate to NHS boards are available via the Office of Public Sector Information website,
www.opsi.gov.uk.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether they will expand the central heating programme to include children (a) with physical disabilities and (b) living in poverty.
Answer
The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum is currently considering the long-term future of the programme and is expected to report back in early autumn. Once the forum has provided its recommendations the necessary decisions on the programme''s future will be taken.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve the performance of the ambulance service in Arrochar to better meet national targets for (a) category A, (b) category B and (c) urgent calls.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) continues to provide safe, efficient and effective services to patients across Scotland, including those in remote and rural areas. It is also important that patients have confidence in the ambulance service''s ability to respond to emergencies.
While this presents particular challenges in remote and rural locations, the service seeks to improve performance for all patients and remains keen to seek local solutions that meet the needs of those communities. In addition, the Scottish Ambulance Service has appointed a first responder co-ordinator in this area to develop and support first responder schemes.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 September 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14337 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 July 2008, whether the identification of deaths from Clostridium difficile was entirely based on information from death certificates.
Answer
Yes.
