Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03673 on 17 November 2011. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government has not announced a review of the National Care Standards. I am giving consideration to such a review in the context of work on the integration of health and social care services, new models of care and the implementation of the dementia standards and will keep the Parliament informed.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03568 on 8 November 2011. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Local government is fully committed to the preventative spend approach and to making an appropriate financial contribution to the Change Fund.

The expenditure in total across the spending review period is £272 million for the Early Years Change Fund.

Sir Ian Kennedy’s report on the recent review of paediatric cardiac surgery at Yorkhill Hospital is awaited. I will consider publication in due course.

The Scottish Government is responsible for the development of national procurement policy and guidance in Scotland. NHS National Services Scotland’s National Procurement Division (NHS National Procurement) sits on the National Policy Forum providing input to the development of policy and guidance.

NHS National Procurement support the dissemination of that policy and guidance across NHS health boards.

NHS National Procurement provide advice and contract solutions to all NHSScotland organisations. NHS National Procurement has responsibility for identifying collaborative procurement opportunities across all NHS boards and works collaboratively with the Scottish Government in the development and roll out of cross public sector contracts to all NHS Scotland organisations.

Since 1 April 2011, the Care Inspectorate logged 992 new complaints.

As of 31 October 2011, 907 complaint investigations had been completed, of which 242 were upheld, 412 were partially upheld, 252 were not upheld and one was withdrawn.

In 2009-10, 30 Improvement Notices were not complied with and in 2010-11, six were not complied with. Statistics on the number re-issued are not routinely collected.

If a care home does not comply with an Improvement Notice, the Care Inspectorate must consider what appropriate action to take. Each Improvement Notice is unique to the service to which it is issued, however options available to the Care Inspectorate include issuing a proposal to cancel registration or, where progress has been made but not completed, allowing additional time for the Improvement Notice to be complied with. At every stage, the Care Inspectorate takes a risk-based judgement on the impact on the health and well-being of the people who use the service.

Local authorities and health boards are fully engaged at the point of consideration of taking any enforcement action. This allows the Care Inspectorate to consider what actions they need to take regarding people who use the service and to consider any support, such as training, they can provide to assist towards improvement.

Statistics on average and maximum lengths of time between inspecting a care home and issuing an improvement notice are not collected. However, service providers are given full oral feedback on any concerns arising as a consequence of inspection or complaint shortly after the inspection visits. Where emergency conditions of registration are imposed, these become effective immediately.