- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 8 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3125 by Susan Deacon on 17 December 1999, whether the recent report by Pat Grant, a consultant at Glasgow Western Infirmary's accident and emergency department, regarding age discrimination in accident and emergency units provides evidence that the availability of treatment in the NHS can depend on age.
Answer
The continuing allegations of discrimination within the NHS on grounds of age are a source of concern. The Scottish Executive is clear that clinical decisions must not be taken solely on the basis of an individual's chronological age. A range of mechanisms is in place for making sure this principle is adhered to.
We will continue to consider how NHS Scotland's management of older patients in general can be improved. To that end, I have asked the Chief Medical Officer to lead an Expert Group to address the care of older people in NHS acute and primary care services.
The report Better Critical Care, issued to NHS Scotland at the end of July, recommended that each NHS Trust should establish a Critical Care Delivery Group, and those groups should, where appropriate, take the findings on the management of elderly blunt trauma victims into account when assessing their critical care bed capacity.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 8 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the recommendation in the recent report into poverty in Scotland by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee that it should consider the appointment of a Minister for the Elderly in Scotland and whether it intends to act upon this recommendation.
Answer
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care has ministerial responsibility for older people in Scotland.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly people currently attend day care centres in total and as a percentage of those aged over 65, broken down by local authority.
Answer
The table details the number of people attending day centres primarily intended for older people in 1998. 1998 is the latest year for which data are available as this census is now conducted on a triennial basis.
People Attending 1 Day Centres for Older People2 1998
| Local Authority | Number Attending | As a percentage of people aged 65 and over |
Aberdeen City | 594 | 1.87% |
Aberdeenshire | 700 | 2.30% |
Angus | 263 | 1.42% |
Argyll and Bute | 141 | 0.86% |
Clackmannanshire | 60 | 0.85% |
Dumfries and Galloway | 629 | 2.30% |
Dundee City | 178 | 0.70% |
East Ayrshire | 147 | 0.77% |
East Dunbartonshire | 20 | 0.13% |
East Lothian | - | - |
East Renfrewshire | 122 | 0.94% |
Edinburgh, City of | 962 | 1.40% |
Eilean Siar | 59 | 1.14% |
Falkirk | 300 | 1.41% |
Fife | 603 | 1.09% |
Glasgow, City of | 1,370 | 1.47% |
Highland | 1,261 | 3.83% |
Inverclyde | 188 | 1.37% |
Midlothian | 17 | 0.15% |
Moray | 116 | 0.86% |
North Ayrshire | 184 | 0.86% |
North Lanarkshire | 565 | 1.28% |
Orkney Islands | 105 | 3.31% |
Perth and Kinross | 344 | 1.42% |
Renfrewshire | 727 | 2.83% |
Scottish Borders | 351 | 1.75% |
Shetland Islands | 148 | 5.04% |
South Ayrshire | 694 | 3.33% |
South Lanarkshire | 721 | 1.68% |
Stirling | 48 | 0.38% |
West Dunbartonshire | 457 | 3.17% |
West Lothian | 288 | 1.71% |
Scotland | 12,362 | 1.58% |
Source: SEHD, Community Care Statistics, D1-B Return.
Notes:
1. Number attending is the number of people on the register of a centre during the census week in March, regardless of whether they actually attend the centre during that week.
2. Figures are for day centres primarily intended for older people, some people attending these centres may belong to other client groups; it is also possible that some older people may attend centres primarily intended for other client groups.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what the percentage take-up of the flu vaccine is to date in the target groups and (b) how long before exposure to the flu virus people should be vaccinated for the vaccination to be effective.
Answer
701 (66.5%) of all general practices in Scotland have so far responded to requests for influenza immunisation uptake data for the 65-year-old and over at risk group up to the end of November. From the responses received, 62% (365,526) of the total number of patients aged 65 and over within those practices which responded (589,717) had received the vaccine. On the basis of these figures, the Scotland-wide target of 60% uptake has been achieved.
Influenza immunisation is also recommended for patients under 65 years of age with chronic illnesses that put them at higher risk of serious illness from influenza. There are no reliable statistics for the size of this group and uptake data are not available.
For NHS and social care staff, Trusts and boards have been asked to provide figures on uptake in due course.
Influenza vaccine should be administered at least 10-14 days prior to exposure if maximum protection is to be achieved.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 January 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8830 by Sarah Boyack on 11 December 2000, how MSPs will be notified when its directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will formally notify the Scottish Parliament of the publication of its directions and guidance in the usual manner. At the same time a copy of the directions and guidance will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive why the roster agreed and accepted by the Governor of Peterhead prison, within the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) guidelines of achieving 5-10% staff savings, has been rejected by the SPS.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
No final decisions have yet been decided by the SPS on new attendance patterns in respect of any SPS establishments.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether at a recent meeting of Governors-in-Charge a vote of no confidence in the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, Mr Tony Cameron, was taken and, if so, what the result was.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:
No.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 December 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 22 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly people in hospital or at home who had been assessed for nursing/residential care died before securing a placement, in each local authority area, in the years 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, representations to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority regarding the reinstatement of the rail line from Edinburgh to Carlisle in the context of any assessment it has made on how the line's reinstatement would fit into the overall expansion of the rail network, both for passenger rail use and freight, as set out by the Deputy Prime Minister in July 2000.
Answer
On 28 November the Scottish Executive published its consultation paper on the strategic priorities for Scotland's railways as part of the process of developing directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority on the franchise for passenger rail services that start and end in Scotland. During this process we will give consideration to a wide range of issues, including proposals for additions to the passenger rail network such as the reinstatement of the Borders railway.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 December 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10632 by Sarah Boyack on 8 November 2000 and to motion S1M-922 agreed by the Parliament on 1 June 2000, whether it is making or has made any representations to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority regarding funding for full reinstatement of the line between Edinburgh and Carlisle.
Answer
On 10 November I announced an award of £1.865 million to the Scottish Borders Council under the third round of the Public Transport Fund for the cost of securing the necessary permissions for reinstating the railway between Edinburgh and the Central Borders.
On 28 November, the Scottish Executive launched its consultation paper on the strategic priorities for Scotland's railways as part of the process of developing directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority on the franchise for passenger rail services that start and end in Scotland. During this process we will give consideration to a wide range of issues, including proposals for additions to the passenger rail network such as the reinstatement of the Borders railway.
