Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question to S3W-31323 on 25 February 2010. 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.

Specific funding is being made available to health boards to meet the costs of the reductions of prescription charges for the duration of the current spending review period (2008-09 to 2010-11) including £32 million for 2010-11. Whilst we will clearly maintain support for the policy thereafter, decisions regarding specific funding after financial year 2010-11 will be considered as part of the forthcoming spending review.

A single improvement and scrutiny body for social work and social care services, including child protection and the integration of children''s services, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) will be established from April 2011.

SCSWIS will analyse evidence and other information from inspections, registration, complaints, investigations and other professional intelligence and report on the quality of services, how risks can be minimised, problems addressed and continuous improvement achieved. On the basis of performance evidence SCSWIS will move away from cyclical scrutiny programmes towards shared, risk-based, proportionate programmes.

The creation of SCSWIS will build on the good work of existing scrutiny bodies for the sector and over time, will allow people who use services, their carers and the wider public to see and experience further significant improvement in the quality of their services.

A single improvement and scrutiny body for social work and social care services, including child protection and the integration of children''s services, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) will be established from April 2011. SCSWIS will focus on outcomes for service users to provide a comprehensive picture of how the needs of people using services are met - from service strategy and design, the assessment of need through to the quality of services provided to individuals.

SCSWIS will analyse evidence and other information from inspections, registration, complaints, investigations and other professional intelligence. From this analysis it will report on the quality of services, how risks can be minimised, problems addressed and continuous improvement achieved. SCSWIS will collaborate with other scrutiny bodies to understand and report how services could be improved to achieve better outcomes for individuals.

Year on year growth in dispensed medications between 1999-2000 and 2008-09 has ranged from 2.9% to 5%. We have seen no evidence thus far to suggest that growth will be out with this range in the specified years.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30968 on 4 February 2010. 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.

People who are exempt from paying prescription charges are eligible for the Minor Ailment Service. We estimate this to be approximately 2.9 million people.

The highest number of these admissions are of young males aged 15 and over where admissions to adult wards are usually for short periods at times of crisis where there are concerns about the safety of the person. In some cases it will also be the case that admission to an adult facility is judged by clinicians to be the most appropriate setting for the young person, taking account of their needs and safety and the safety of others. The small increase in 2008 is also likely to be in part as a result of the closure of the inpatient facility for young people in Gartnavel Royal Hospital and the opening of the new facility in Skye House as for a transition period admissions were redirected to adult facilities. We expect to see improvement in 2009-10 figures.

2006-07	186
2007-08	142
2008-09	149

 

We are also working closely with NHS boards to ensure that where a young person is admitted to an adult ward their care is specifically tailored to their needs.

People who are exempt from paying prescription charges are eligible for the Minor Ailment Service. The list of exempted categories is specified in paragraphs (a) to (i) of regulation 7(1) of the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 (SSI 2008/27).

We do not collect this information centrally. In line with our guidance, it is for local authorities to determine the direct payment rate. This ensures that local authorities can take into account local conditions and workforce considerations.