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Availability Status Codes (ASCs) are not mandatory data items on the in-patient and day case discharge record. For this reason the in-patient/day case table in the answer to S2W-4807 includes all cases, and does not exclude cases with an ASC.

On the out-patient record, Availability Status Codes (ASCs) can be identified. The table provides information on the median and mean waiting times for new out-patients without an ASC and new outpatients with an ASC. The mean and median wait data for new outpatients without an ASC was previously included in the answer to S2W-4807.

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	Difference in Median Wait and Mean Wait (days) for New Outpatient Appointments
Quarter Ended	Excludes ASCs				Only ASCs
	Median	Mean	Difference		Median	Mean	Difference
30-Jun-1997	41	54.9	-13.9		81	105.3	-24.3
30-Sep-1997	45	60.5	-15.5		83	101.1	-18.1
31-Dec-1997	44	61.7	-17.7		87	108.6	-21.6
31-Mar-1998	43	60.7	-17.7		84	106.6	-22.6
30-Jun-1998	43	59.3	-16.3		73	97.5	-24.5
30-Sep-1998	48	64.0	-16.0		79	98.2	-19.2
31-Dec-1998	48	64.8	-16.8		83	102.7	-19.7
31-Mar-1999	47	66.2	-19.2		84	104.4	-20.4
30-Jun-1999	46	64.3	-18.3		75	98.0	-23.0
30-Sep-1999	51	69.2	-18.2		78	99.0	-21.0
31-Dec-1999	50	69.6	-19.6		82	104.3	-22.3
31-Mar-2000	48	68.7	-20.7		87	109.2	-22.2
30-Jun-2000	47	65.0	-18.0		80	107.7	-27.7
30-Sep-2000	50	68.3	-18.3		84	108.0	-24.0
31-Dec-2000	50	71.9	-21.9		87	113.1	-26.1
31-Mar-2001	51	78.0	-27.0		91	116.7	-25.7
30-Jun-2001	50	73.4	-23.4		90	119.5	-29.5
30-Sep-2001	56	77.2	-21.2		91	117.5	-26.5
31-Dec-2001	55	79.9	-24.9		98	125.2	-27.2
31-Mar-2002	56	83.3	-27.3		102	130.0	-28.0
30-Jun-2002	54	84.1	-30.1		91	125.6	-34.6
30-Sep-2002	57	87.5	-30.5		93	124.0	-31.0
31-Dec-2002	57	90.8	-33.8		91	123.4	-32.4
31-Mar-2003	56	91.8	-35.8		95	129.9	-34.9
30-Jun-2003	51	84.9	-33.9		88	129.9	-41.9
30-Sep-2003	55	86.9	-31.9		92	131.0	-39.0

Source: Out-patient data issourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultantled out-patient clinic.

Note: Data for the mostrecent quarters should be considered provisional

The same as you? recommended in May 2000 that all long stay hospitalsfor people with learning disabilities should close by 2005. Six have closedsince May 2000, with seven remaining for closure by 2005. On 12 January Thesame as you? national implementation group published the Home at Last?report on progress with hospital closures and service reprovision, a copy of whichis available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 31309). It setsout a number of action points that aim to assist local authorities and NHS boardsin meeting the 2005 target, including a programme of work by NHS QualityImprovement Scotland (NHSQIS) to monitor the hospital closure programme in therun up to 2005. NHSQIS has set up a project group to work with all partners todeliver the closure of all long stay hospitals for people with learningdisabilities by 2005.

The following table provides information on the number of clients receiving direct payments, by local authority, for the years ending 31 March 2001, 2002 and 2003.

This information was not collected prior to the year 2000-01.

Information on eligibility is not available.

Number of Direct Payments by Local Authority

Local Authority	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03
Aberdeen City	4	4	11
Aberdeenshire	8	6	11
Angus	4	23	30
Argyll and Bute	0	0	0
Clackmannanshire	1	4	18
Dumfries and Galloway	7	25	27
Dundee City	0	0	0
East Ayrshire	0	0	17
East Dunbartonshire	0	0	0
East Lothian	5	7	7
East Renfrewshire	0	0	0
Edinburgh, City of	67	49	89
Eilean Siar	0	3	5
Falkirk	0	0	0
Fife	30	64	120
Glasgow City	17	16	15
Highland	14	23	43
Inverclyde	0	0	0
Midlothian	0	0	0
Moray	0	5	7
North Ayrshire	0	0	0
North Lanarkshire	3	10	11
Orkney Islands	0	0	1
Perth and Kinross	4	4	19
Renfrewshire	3	3	3
Scottish Borders	12	20	50
Shetland Islands	0	0	0
South Ayrshire	22	18	31
South Lanarkshire	0	0	0
Stirling	0	0	0
West Dunbartonshire	0	0	0
West Lothian	6	8	19
Scotland	207	292	534

Source: SEHD – F1 Return.

Staff who comeon to the register in phase one will have until the end of the first period ofregistration (a further three years) to achieve the necessary qualifications. Thenumbers of staff who will not achieve the required qualifications willtherefore be determined by employers as the registration process proceeds.

The number ofdentists who finished their vocational training in July 2003 was 92.

We are currently looking atthe eligibility criteria for grant under the Scottish dental access initiativewith a view to making these more flexible.

Since 1994-95,data has been collected by the Education, Transport and Lifelong LearningDepartment on the number of dentistry graduates in Scotland in each year. This is brokendown to identify the domicile of the graduates and the first destination of dentistrygraduates from Scottish higher education institutes (categorised into Scotland,rest of the UK, rest of the world, and unknown first destination).

Themost recent information within this “first destination study” is correct as at 2001-02when 80% of these graduates had a first destination in Scotland.

Further tracking is donethrough employment in the NHS. Through this system, first year vocational traineescan be tracked to subsequent jobs in NHSScotland.

There is currently noassistance available for dentists wishing to purchase an existing practice.

Approval has been grantedfor 113 salaried dentist posts. Not all of these posts are full-time. Theyrange from 0.1 whole time equivalent to 1 whole time equivalent.

We expectall schools to end the active promotion or advertising of fizzy, sugary softdrinks and snacks high in fat and salt. Where vending machines are present theyshould promote healthier options/brands such as water and fruit juices ratherthan high sugar soft drinks.