Chamber and committees

Copies of social work net expenditure 2007-08 “ 2009-10 are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52531), providing the requested breakdown. This information shows a net increase each year, in each client group.

All partnerships have now submitted local Change Plans to the Scottish Government. Before funds can be released, the Ministerial Strategic Group on Health and Community Care will consider plans at its meeting on 15 March 2011. We will write to partnerships shortly thereafter.

The Joint Improvement Team will provide ongoing support to partnerships as they move to implement their change plans.

Concerns regarding internet begging have not been brought to the Scottish Government''s attention.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing wrote to all NHS board chairs on 10 February 2011 asking them that, when a patient has been deemed fit for discharge and subsequently dies before the discharge can take place, the board medical director ensures the circumstances are reviewed and reported to boards as part of their clinical governance arrangements.

This information is not held centrally but from April 2011 a new dedicated information system will be fully operational.

This is a matter for NHS Fife. The Medical Director has said that he will review the circumstances and his findings will be reported to the board through the Clinical Governance Committee.

Guidance to local health, housing and social care partnerships on accessing the Reshaping Care Change Fund was issued on 23 December 2010. This set a clear expectation on partnerships to include Third and independent sector partners in preparing and agreeing their Change Plans.

All partnerships have now submitted local Change Plans to the Scottish Government. A report on these plans will be considered by the Ministerial Strategic Group (MSG) on Health and Community Care at its meeting on 15 March. The MSG will take into account the governance arrangements described by partnerships, and we will be in touch with all partnerships shortly thereafter.

J Walker (Leith) Limited were the developers contracted for the construction of the Blawarthill project.

I understand that the last meeting took place on 1 November 2010, although there has been correspondence between both parties since then. Most recently, the Chair of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde wrote to the Chair of St Margaret''s of Scotland Hospice on 21 February to arrange a meeting to discuss the services the hospice provides in light of recent developments around the Blawarthill project, and the NHS board''s subsequent review of continuing care provision for the West of Glasgow.

It is right that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde “ which is responsible for providing healthcare services that meet the needs of local people, whilst being consistent with national policies, frameworks and guidance “ robustly review the provision of NHS continuing care in the West of Glasgow, in light of the recent developments around the Blawarthill project.

This will involve carefully considering whether the continuing care beds currently provided by St Margaret''s of Scotland Hospice should be maintained. To this end, the Chair of the NHS board wrote to the chair of St Margaret''s on 21 February to propose a meeting in the near future.