Chamber and committees

The numbers of consultants employed by the NHS in Scotland in the specialties referred to in questions asked by Mary Scanlon on 25 July 2000 are shown in attached Table 1. The information is as at 30 September 1999 and has been obtained from the Medical and Dental Manpower Census, General Medical Practitioner Database, ISD Scotland. The number of fully trained consultants employed in these specialties in 2000-01 and 2001-02 cannot be predicted with accuracy because it is affected by individual decisions to retire, but the whole time equivalent (WTE) number rose by 28% between 1994 and 1999, and increases are expected to continue.

Information on breast surgeons is not shown or collected as a separate data item in either the NHS MEL or the census referred to above. Such surgeons are recorded within one of the surgical specialties detailed in the MEL and the table.

Table 1: Consultants Employed by the NHSiS in Selected Specialties Headcount at 30 September 1999

I also refer Mary Scanlon to the answer I have given today to question S1W-8849.

Expected CCST Dates of Current Specialist and Senior Registrars in Cardiology

Oral methadone solutions may exacerbate erosion of teeth, may cause constipation and some patients may show increased weight gain.

Most adverse effects are caused by inappropriate dosage levels or mixing methadone with alcohol and other drugs, or accidental overdosage.

Initial investigation and treatment for cancer can take place in either an outpatient or inpatient setting. Information on waiting times for cases where investigation and treatment starts in an outpatient setting is not held centrally.

Information on the time from a patient being placed on the waiting list for inpatient/day case treatment for a primary diagnosis of cancer and their admission to hospital is available centrally. The median waiting times for the four main cancers and all other cancers in the year ending 31 March 2000 in the five main cancer centres and in all other hospitals is given in the table. It should be noted that many patients will receive immediate inpatient/day case treatment and will not appear on the waiting list.

The Scottish Executive is providing additional funding to support the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. I recently announced a rolling modernisation programme which will provide new linear accelerators and treatment planning simulators in all cancer centres, new and replacement MRI scanners and imaging equipment to help further speed up diagnosis.

NHS In Scotland: Median Waiting Time for Hospital Admission for Inpatient/Day Case Treatment for Primary Diagnoses of the Main Four Cancers and all other Cancers: 31 March 2000^p

Includes Scottish residents only.