Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20544 on 5 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the question S3W-20544 answered on 5 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 gave ministers powers to regulate charges for social care. However, the Scottish Executive made clear at that time that it would support self-regulation by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) if it achieved consistency. It also made a commitment to hold these powers in reserve until implementation of COSLA''s guidance on charging was evaluated. In its Stage 1 Report on the Bill, the Health and Community Care Committee of the Scottish Parliament endorsed the approach of COSLA in preparing the guidance, and the reserve powers being taken by ministers.

The evaluation of the guidance began in 2004 and revised guidance was issued in 2006. Key stakeholders, including the Scottish Executive were involved in the consultation process. The guidance is currently under further review by COSLA. We continue to support the aim of the COSLA guidance to achieve consistency, whilst allowing for local authority discretion in ensuring that charges are reasonable for each individual client.

The Scottish Government has no plans at present to use its reserve powers under the 2002 act to regulate charges for social care.

This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0305-01.htm

The following guidance has been issued to NHS boards:

Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy and Scottish Action Plan, 2002.

Scottish Medicines Consortium published Antimicrobial Prescribing Policy and Practice in Scotland (2005).

Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (ScotMARAP) March 2008. ScotMARAP has replaced the 2002 guidance document and outlines the national programme for Scotland in tackling antimicrobial resistance and prudent prescribing over the next five years in primary and secondary care.

On 8 July 2008, CEL 30 2008, was sent to all chief executives, medical directors, and infection control manager of NHS boards and Special Health Boards, seeking the immediate implementation of the national policies set out in ScotMARAP.

Other sources of guidance for prescribers include the British National Formulary which provides advice on the prescribing of medicines including antibacterial drugs for the treatment of MRSA.

National Debtline is highly effective in helping clients to resolve their debt problems and to avoid further difficulties with debt.

In their 2008 evaluation, 80% of clients reported that they were able to reach an adviser on the first attempt. 95% of clients expressed themselves as satisfied or very satisfied with National Debtline''s service (79% very satisfied), and 98% of clients said they would recommend or probably recommend the service to someone else who was experiencing difficulty with debt (85% definitely recommend). 91% of clients who set up an arrangement with their creditors said they had maintained it.

90% of clients felt that they were more knowledgeable about financial matters after receiving advice from National Debtline, and 85% of clients thought that they would be less likely to find themselves in a similar situation again.

National Debtline is already regularly evaluated. The Money Advice Trust commissioned the most recent evaluation in 2008 from Illuminas, an independent market research company. The full report has been published and is available at:

http://www.infohub.moneyadvicetrust.org/content_files/files/ndl_illuminas_2008_final.ppt.

During 2008, National Debtline received 256,173 calls. 171,647 were answered by an adviser and a further 2,476 calls were dealt with on their literature order line. In addition, they handled 7,971 email enquiries. Some 3% of clients were signposted on for debt advice elsewhere (generally because they needed face-to-face advice) and 17.5% of clients were signposted elsewhere for matters other than debt (for example, to a doctor or lawyer).

The Scottish Government is providing £100,000 a year until 2010-11 to the Money Advice Trust, which runs National Debtline. This funding is to ensure that advisors are appropriately trained to provide advice on, for example, the different debt solutions available in Scotland. National Debtline anticipates spending £7.3 million in total during 2009. National Debtline started operating in April 1987. There is no planned end date.

As with all medicines the decision whether or not to prescribe antibiotics for a patient is a matter for the clinical judgement of the prescriber, informed by advice and evidence about the medicine.

NHS boards have Prescribing Advisers who monitor the use of medicines by GP practices using data collected by NHS National Services Scotland, and produce feedback reports for GPs. In addition Prescribing Advisers use prescribing indicators to monitor trends in antibiotic use.

Each NHS board requires to have an Antimicrobial Management Team which has a remit for antimicrobial stewardship in both secondary and primary care.