Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31002 on 24 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

According to our records, the Scottish Executive has not had any correspondence with the European Parliament regardingGlasgow Housing Association. The European Parliament has not contacted the ScottishExecutive regarding petition number 0863/2005.

A letter from the European Commissionregarding the Glasgow housing stock transfer was received by the Scottish Executiveon 1 August 2006. The reply was sent on 2 October 2006.

The European Commission sendsall administrative inquiries to the United Kingdom Representation to the EuropeanUnion.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-29476 on 15 November 2006 which gives data for 1999-2005. Data for 2006 will not be available until August 2007.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

No.The current guidelines Drug Misuse and Dependence – Guidelines on ClinicalManagement, published in 1999, were produced jointly by the health departmentsof all four UK countries and ratified by the then Scottish Office Department ofHealth. The guidelines are for all clinicians, not just for GPs. Scottish Executiveofficials have “observer” status on the UK group which is currently meeting to update the guidelines.

The guidelines Drug Misuse andDependence – Guidelines on Clinical Management are designed to guide doctors inthe clinical management of their drug misusing patients. Any doctor not fulfillingthe standards and quality of care in the appropriate treatment of drug misusersthat are set out in the guidelines will have this taken into account if, for anyreason, consideration of their performance in this clinical area is undertaken.Such consideration would be for the appropriate NHS board as employer, or the GeneralMedical Council if the case were referred to them.

However, the final decision toprescribe methadone rests with the individual practitioner in consultation withand based on the specific health needs of their patient. There may be circumstancesin which a GP would be justified in not following the guidelines.

As part of the Scottish Executive’sreview of the place of methadone in the treatment of drug misusers, Health Departmentofficials have written to NHS boards in Scotland seeking information on their arrangementsfor monitoring the implementation of the current UK guidelines Drug Misuse and Dependence– Guidelines on Clinical Management and any local clinical guidelines.

As part of their continuing professionaldevelopment, GPs are expected to keep up-to-date with the latest developments inclinical practice, including the latest guidelines which relate to their areas ofclinical practice.

GPs working in practices providingan enhanced service for drug misusers under the terms of the General Medical Servicescontract will be required to adhere to the standards laid down in the specificationof this enhanced service. Although each NHS board’s specification will vary accordingto local circumstances, the drug misuse and dependence guidelines are the clinicalmanagement standard on which all current drug misuser services are based.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30550 on 19 January 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.