Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government expects all NHS boards to have robust workforce planning arrangements in place, and that these are subject to regular review.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that reviews of medical staffing at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre occur on an annual basis. As a regional centre these reviews reflect the needs of all West of Scotland NHS boards. As all oncologists in the West of Scotland are employed through the Beatson Centre, this has an overall impact on the medical staff distribution and allocation of sessions.

The Beatson Centre has conducted reviews of the oncology wards primarily to consider the impact of the introduction of the Acute Oncology Assessment Unit (2012-13), increased daycase activity (2012-13) and the introduction of the four bedded High Acuity Unit (2015). In 2014, the service also undertook a focussed review of the provision of clinical nurse specialists and their input to the management of patients. A review of staffing overall was undertaken in advance of the Satellite Radiotherapy Unit opening on 30 November 2015.

As a consequence of the above reviews, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that staffing at the Beatson Centre has increased from 657 whole time equivalent (WTE) in March 2010 to 726 WTE in November 2015.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS boards to keep services under regular review to ensure that they are of the highest quality, and meet the needs of local people.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that a review of patients requiring unscheduled care admissions was undertaken in 2012 and resulted in the opening of the Acute Oncology Assessment Unit (AOAU) in 2013. This included a detailed review of patients with cancer attending emergency departments for unscheduled care requirements. The AOAU was developed and opened to address this need.

The health board has also confirmed that unscheduled care activity including telephone contact via the dedicated AOAU and national cancer helpline continues to be monitored on a regular basis. Revised consultant on-call arrangements were implemented in 2014 to take account of unscheduled admissions over the seven day period. The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre has an admissions/bed management policy, updated in 2009 and reviewed bi-annually.

The Scottish Government has allocated £28 million this financial year to support NHS boards and third sector organisations to implement the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework. Funding to support subsequent years of the framework will be subject to spending review decisions.

NHS boards meet the costs of antiviral therapy for HIV from core budgets. The costs of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C is supported by the £28 million funding the Scottish Government provides under the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework. NHS boards can determine how best to use that funding, and funding from their own core budgets, to reflect local need. However, under the framework boards are set an annual treatment target hepatitis C. During 2015-20 the aim is for at least 1,500 people per year will be initiated onto antiviral therapy.

In recognition of the new, highly effective therapies for hepatitis C which were approved for use by Scottish Medicines Consortium in 2014, the Scottish Government has provided additional recurring funding to NHS boards from 2015-16 to assist with the costs of new drugs, including hepatitis C therapies.

A key aim of our Diabetes Improvement Plan is to support people with diabetes to self-manage their condition through the provision of timely information and advice. We continue to build on this work to ensure that a range of high quality person-centred structured education programmes are in place and delivered by appropriately trained healthcare professionals. For example, we are providing funding for the development of programmes that are designed for those newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

To complement our wider health strategy to address the underlying risk factors associated with diabetes by reducing obesity, encouraging healthy eating and promoting healthier living across Scotland, the plan contains specific action to develop and implement an appropriate framework for assessing the risk of diabetes for people currently undiagnosed to support early identification, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

An essential part of staying healthy with diabetes is to ensure that people receive the appropriate healthcare checks, or care processes, which can help to minimise the risk and detect early signs of the complications of diabetes. We know that more people than ever before have had their HbA1c and foot risk score measured, and have received retinopathy screening. However, there is more to be done to increase uptake of these important health checks.

The annual seasonal flu vaccination programme seeks to protect members of the public who may be at risk of flu due to age or because of certain medical conditions. The annual seasonal flu programme does not provide vaccination to those who may be at risk of flu because of occupational exposure. Responsibility for the health and safety of staff rests with employers. The vaccination of all NHS health care workers against flu is the responsibility of NHS boards as employers. Responsibility for the health and safety of student nurses lies with the relevant university or college occupation health system.

A key aim of our Diabetes Improvement Plan is to support people with diabetes to self-manage their condition through the provision of timely information and advice. We continue to build on this work to ensure that a range of high quality person-centred structured education programmes are in place and delivered by appropriately trained healthcare professionals. For example, we are providing funding for the development of programmes that are designed for those newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

To complement our wider health strategy to address the underlying risk factors associated with diabetes by reducing obesity, encouraging healthy eating and promoting healthier living across Scotland, the plan contains specific action to develop and implement an appropriate framework for assessing the risk of diabetes for people currently undiagnosed to support early identification, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

An essential part of staying healthy with diabetes is to ensure that people receive the appropriate healthcare checks, or care processes, which can help to minimise the risk and detect early signs of the complications of diabetes. We know that more people than ever before have had their HbA1c and foot risk score measured, and have received retinopathy screening. However, there is more to be done to increase uptake of these important health checks.

Our Diabetes Improvement Plan sets out a range of measures that we expect NHS boards to report on, including the nine care processes and the provision of structured education.

The Scottish Government’s Diabetes Improvement Plan focuses on implementing a wide range of activities to provide advice and guidance to boards to support them in delivering diabetes care. The activities include the CPR for feet campaign, the diabetic-ketoacidosis (DKA) campaign, development of structured education and inpatient care of diabetes, and improving glycaemic control, which is particularly important for those with type 1 diabetes.

In addition, the Scottish Government provides funding for Nutrition and Diet Resources UK to develop a wide range of leaflets that health professionals and dieticians can use with diabetes patients.

The Scottish Government’s Diabetes Improvement Plan, published in November 2014, updated and aims to build on the progress made through the implementation of the previous Diabetes Action Plan 2010. The improvement plan outlines a range of key priorities for focussed activity to ensure continued improvement in the care and treatment for people with diabetes.