Chamber and committees

The information regarding the eCare programme was removed from the website on 22 January 2013. The information about eCare was out of date and with the decision to change the course of IT development in support of the Health and Social Care integration, the information is no longer relevant. A short statement on the current status of eCare and its transition can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Quality-Improvement-Performance/eHealth/eCare

The lessons learned from the eCare programme span the programme’s policy and strategy focus, the way it was organised and governed and the technical approach to delivering an information sharing service and integrating it with local ways of working. A detailed lessons learned report will be completed and made available.

The cost of the eCare Programme has been £50,300,000 from its inception in 2001 until the end of March 2013.

Paediatric Intensive Care services are nationally commissioned by NHS National Services Scotland National Services Division (NSD) on behalf of all NHS boards. NSD monitors service provision to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to manage periods of surge, for example during winter months.

<>We welcome this report and are pleased to see that Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) acknowledge the commitment we have made through the Mental Health Strategy (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/08/9714), to “undertake work to develop appropriate specialist capacity in respect of developmental disorders as well as improving awareness in general settings. As part of this work we will review the need for specialist inpatient services within Scotland” (Commitment 33).

In developing specialist capability in respect of developmental disorders we will along with our partners consider the contents of the report and if appropriate engage with HIS. We would also expect NHS boards to consider the contents of the report when they are redesigning or making provision of services to meet the needs of their local population.

NHS boards are responsible for the administration of drugs, including responsibility for reducing the incidence of adverse events concerning drug administration, in their board area.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are undertaking specific initiatives to improve their systems and processes to increase the number of checks and ensure clarity of prescribing and charting. Incident reporting and auditing are used to identify errors and to identify lessons for dissemination, or improvements to guidance. Greater Glasgow and Clyde have also identified a number of education initiatives aimed at Medical, Nursing and Pharmacy staff.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran are undertaking specific initiatives to improve their systems and processes, they have highlighted that they are the first Scottish site to have implemented the Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) which is recognised to significantly enhance medicines safety. NHS Ayrshire and Arran are using incident reports and Significant Adverse Event Reviews to support learning for staff and continuous improvements. Medicines events are reviewed by a Medicines Risk Protection Group which has a remit to review and recommend improvements to policies and procedures.

National initiatives to support NHS boards to reduce drug administration errors include work on medicines reconciliation undertaken as part of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, and support for the development of electronic prescribing as part of the E-Health strategy.

As I have previously stated I want a zero tolerance approach to bullying and harassment in NHSScotland. I expect all allegations of bullying and harassment to be fully investigated in line with the Preventing and Dealing with Bullying and Harassment PIN Policy published in December 2011.

My officials are working closely with the UK Government’s Department of Health and the other devolved administrations so that, where it can be achieved, a consistent approach is taken in transposing the European Cross-border Healthcare Directive into domestic legislation throughout the UK. This includes the timetable for consultation.

All four UK administrations planned to launch their consultations on the implementation of the Directive in the autumn, but due to the NHS reform proposals in England and the need for further discussions with the European Commission on the terms of the Directive, this has not proved possible.

However, the Scottish consultation document will now issue early in 2013 and I will ensure that a copy is placed with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

No. The Scottish Government proactively publishes information on overseas visits carried out by Scottish Government Ministers on the Scottish Government website which is updated on a regular basis and I attach a link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/People/14944/travel/visitsoverseas

Yes. The number of journeys made by ministers to these countries is included in the information which is proactively published in each year since 2007 on the Scottish Government website which is updated on a regular basis and I attach a link:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/People/14944/travel/visitsoverseas

The number of journeys made by officials to these countries in each year since 2003 is set out in the following table:

	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011 -12	2012-13 (Nov)
Switzerland	3	2	2	9	5	12	13	9	11	9
Norway	13	11	48	25	32	38	36	33	20	26
Sweden	12	8	8	12	9	8	31	1	9	6
Denmark	4	17	22	19	16	43	47	40	19	10