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Information on patients awaiting discharge due to community care reasons (including assessment and arrangements) and who have been delayed for over six weeks in each census from October 2006 to October 2009 is shown in the following table.

Number of NHS delayed discharges delayed for over six weeks for community care related reasons by NHS board from the October 2006 census to the October 2009 census.

	2006	2007				2008				2009
	Oct	Jan	Apr	Jul	Oct	Jan	Apr	Jul	Oct	Jan	Apr	Jul	Oct
Scotland	537	495	185	338	335	282	-	38	74	63	-	41	80
Ayrshire and Arran	49	43	14	28	33	14	-	-	12	11	-	10	-
Borders	5	8	8	7	4	9	-	-	4	1	-	1	1
Dumfries and Galloway	3	2	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Fife	25	21	12	30	51	45	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Forth Valley	50	43	26	19	11	15	-	5	9	-	-	-	1
Grampian	80	89	32	41	46	60	-	1	-	-	-	1	3
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	90	79	51	70	53	54	-	9	15	14	-	19	39
Highland	42	36	9	20	9	18	-	1	4	7	-	3	18
Lanarkshire	31	12	4	31	24	19	-	-	-	-	-	-	7
Lothian	98	104	12	35	52	27	-	12	22	23	-	6	8
Orkney	2	3	3	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Shetland	-	2	2	6	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Tayside	59	45	9	41	45	16	-	10	8	6	-	-	2
Western Isles	3	8	3	4	5	4	-	-	-	1	-	1	1

Source: ISD Scotland, Delayed Discharges Census.

Historically, delayed discharges rise in July and October. The fact is that the level of delayed discharges heading into winter has never been as low as the last two years. This year there are 94 patients delayed over six weeks, last year there were 91. In 2006, under the previous administration there were 679.

We are working with COSLA to jointly address any issues that arise that can impact on delayed discharge. The Joint Improvement Team is also available to help partnerships understand the causes of delayed discharge and to help redesign services as required.

Information on the average (mean and median) delay for patients awaiting discharge at the October 2009 is shown in the following table.

Median and Mean Duration for all Delays as at the October 2009 Census by NHS Board

NHS Board Area of Treatment	Median Duration (Days)	Mean Duration (Days)
Scotland	22	27
Ayrshire and Arran	21	22
Borders	17	20
Fife	22	21
Forth Valley	21	23
Grampian	17	21
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	21	30
Highland	29	42
Lanarkshire	27	27
Lothian	22	29
Tayside	17	22

Source: ISD Scotland, Delayed Discharges Census.

The mean and median duration for Dumfries and Galloway, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles are not show because the total number of patients delayed is very small.

The Scottish Government, COSLA, NHS boards and individual local authorities are all committed to making sure that people are not delayed unnecessarily in hospital once treatment is complete. There were no patients delayed for longer than the agreed six weeks discharge period at both April 2008 and April 2009, the only times this has ever been achieved in Scotland since recording began in September 2000. There have always been seasonal fluctuations and the latest census, which showed 94 patients had been delayed for more than six weeks, compares with the census in October 2006, under the previous administration, when there were 679 patients delayed over six weeks.

My officials continue to work closely with partnerships to reduce the level of delayed discharges. In addition, the Joint Improvement Team is working with individual partnerships that have requested assistance. Various support tools have also been made available for partnerships to adopt.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29294 on 1 December 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

We expect local authorities and the NHS to work together and within their combined resources to ensure patients are not unnecessarily delayed in hospitals when treatment is complete.

The Scottish Government''s aim is to enable people to stay in their own homes, or in a homely setting, with maximum independence, for as long as possible.

We are undertaking a major review of care of older people, including care home provision and the financial implications. We are engaging with Parliament, the professions, providers and society to agree a way forward that is sufficiently radical to meet the changing needs of Scotland''s population.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28939 on 26 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the strategic vision for assessment published on 24 September:

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/assessmentandachievement/index.asp.

More detailed guidance for practitioners will be provided in the assessment framework, to be published early in the New Year.

Yes. Within Curriculum for Excellence progression up to the end of S3 will be through curriculum levels early, first, second, third and fourth, paving the way for work towards qualifications in the senior phase at the SCQF level appropriate to the needs and achievements of each young person. Learning will be assessed against the standards and expectations set out in the curriculum guidance and in line with the strategic vision for assessment published on 23 September. The levels are spaced in a way which will allow teachers to plan for greater depth, enrichment and consolidation of learning, ensuring well planned progression based on secure, well established learning. The expectations of learning at each level described within the curriculum guidance were signed off by the Curriculum for Excellence management board, which includes representatives from the Educational Institute of Scotland, School Leaders Scotland, Scottish Secondary Teachers'' Association, Association of Scotland''s Colleges and the Association of Heads and Deputes in Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28939 on 26 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.