Chamber and committees

The anticipated level of demand was expected to be around 10% of those invited to participate. This is in line with on-line surveys of a similar nature.

Life Begins at 40 had a national launch in February 2011.

In the longer term, the issue of the range and pattern of pain management services in Scotland will be determined by the further work that is needed to take forward the service model being developed by our lead clinician for chronic pain. Once the new lead clinician is in post, he or she will work with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to undertake a scoping exercise with NHS boards. That will assess the level of services available in each area, and compare how these relate to the agreed service model.

We have in addition been advocating a managed clinical network (MCN) approach to the development of chronic pain services. We see the existing Network in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as setting an example for other boards to follow. We provided a small amount of pump priming for the MCN and would be prepared to adopt a similar approach with other NHS boards. It is one of the core principles of all MCN developments that they should explore their potential to generate better value for money.

The Scottish Government agrees annually a local delivery plan (LDP) with NHS 24. This sets out the key performance targets for that year and performance against these is reported externally, for example within the published NHS 24 board papers. Where they apply to NHS 24, the LDP includes national NHS HEAT targets. These LDP targets are not the only indictors of the performance of NHS 24, they also report publically on a range of service indicators. These can be found within the published NHS 24 board papers. The NHS 24 LDP for 2010/11 and can be found at:

http://www.nhs24.com/content/default.asp?page=s21_57.

As with all NHS boards, NHS 24 is subject to a public annual review, which includes the publication of a self assessment document. NHS 24 also publish an annual report and accounts. All of these documents can be found on their website.

Finally, ministers and officials across the Health Directorates and wider Scottish Government are in regular contact with NHS 24 on a range of strategic, policy and service matters and the Scottish Government receives frequent management reporting information from NHS 24 about a range of services.

However, in an agreement reached in partnership with their trade unions, the Scottish Ambulance Service offer frontline operational staff the opportunity to make themselves available during their scheduled break. Staff who to choose to do so receive an annual payment as well as an additional payment each time they are called upon during their break.

It is the responsibility of the Scottish Ambulance Service to maintain operational cover and ensure continuity of service delivery to patients, while at the same time ensuring the wellbeing of staff.

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.

Two hundred and thirteen of the 2,211 people invited, took part in the survey.

Life Begins at 40 had a national launch in February 2011.

The Scottish Government does monitor the use of specific internet sites that provide advice to people with mental health problems which are supported by its partner organisations. For example, on Breathing Space (hosted by NHS 24) and on Well Scotland (hosted by NHS Health Scotland), information such as number of hits, source of hits, and frequency of hits is collected to inform policy.

Additionally, the Scottish Government actively promotes support to help all people stay safe online, through various national and local initiatives, some of which are listed:

Get Safe Online is a joint initiative between the UK Government, law enforcement, leading businesses and the public sector. Their website www.getsafeonline.org contains advice to help people stay safe online and to avoid some of the risks and threats which exist.

The Scottish Government participates in the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, which is committed to improving the safeguards for young people, and published an Action Plan on Child Internet Safety in February 2010, available at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/02/09154928/0. A second action plan is due to be published in March 2011.

Skills Development Scotland provides information through the National Learning Opportunities Database on a wide range of IT courses, including courses that help individuals learn about the responsible use of the computers and the internet. ILA Scotland provides funding for people on lower incomes to access a wide range of IT courses.