Chamber and committees

The numbers of patients receiving these medicines are not centrally available. However, the number of prescriptions for anticoagulants are available and he following table shows the numbers of items prescribed in Scotland during the financial year ending 31 March 2008 to 2009 inclusive, by NHS board.

Table 1. Numbers of items prescribed in Scotland during the financial year ending 31 March 2008 to 2009 inclusive, by NHS board:

Health Board	Exemption Group1
	18 or under	Over 18	Total
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	183	49,997	50,180
NHS Borders	55	22,901	22,956
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	69	29,408	29,477
NHS Fife	133	41,179	41,312
NHS Forth Valley	190	42,057	42,247
NHS Grampian	217	74,660	74,877
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	642	153,082	153,724
NHS Highland	203	60,418	60,621
NHS Lanarkshire	386	73,914	74,300
NHS Lothian	268	75,969	76,237
NHS Orkney	32	3,522	3,554
NHS Shetland	12	4,677	4,689
NHS Tayside	137	59,725	59,862
NHS Western Isles	8	7,215	7,223
Total	2,535	698,724	701,259

Source: Information Services Division Scotland. 1. Where under 16 years of age, 16 to 18 and in full-time education box has been checked. For the over 18, this is the total of all other exemption categories and includes charged prescriptions.

For the over 18, this is the total of all other exemption categories and includes charged prescriptions. British National Formulary sub sections 020801 (parenteral anticoagulants) and 020802 (Oral anticoagulants).

We want to ensure that heath care outcomes for people living with diabetes from minority ethnic communities are comparable to general Scottish population outcomes. The Diabetes Minority Ethnic Group (DMEG), a sub-group of the Scottish Diabetes Group, was re-established in 2008, in recognition of the need to address both the significantly higher prevalence of diabetes among some minority ethnic communities and ensure access to the best possible care.

Part of DMEG''s remit is to improve the dissemination of information to minority ethnic people about the prevention and early detection of diabetes. In January 2010, DMEG published a diabetes education package for minority ethnic groups in English, Urdu and Chinese. This resource will shortly be augmented by the development of a DVD focussing on diabetes in South Asians. The DVD will incorporate an educational approach which focuses on improving knowledge and changing behaviour. Healthcare professionals and community groups will be able to use these resources to help raise awareness of the additional challenges diabetes presents to black and minority ethnic communities and improve outcomes.

Research from NHS Tayside shows evidence of equity of access and quality of care for South Asians, but marginally poorer outcomes. This is something which will be addressed in the revised Diabetes Action Plan due to be published in the near future, drawing on current work in NHS Fife on reviewing service provision for black and minority ethnic groups.

The Prevention of Diabetes and Obesity in South Asians (PODOSA) study, being carried out by a research team from Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities, is working with people at high risk of developing diabetes to encourage weight loss and increased physical activity, in order to find out if this approach can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. So far, over 1,300 people have been screened. The study will finish in October 2012 and is expected to report in early 2013.

Our Keep Well and Well North programmes assess people''s risk of cardiovascular disease in our most deprived communities, using the ASSIGN risk calculator, which has been designed to be as accurate as possible in Scottish circumstances by factoring in family history as well as deprivation. Those found to be at risk are offered lifestyle advice, referred on to further services, or prescribed suitable medication.

The Scottish Public Health Network is, at the request of the Scottish Diabetes Group, currently looking at early detection of Type 2 diabetes.

The report Opportunities and Barriers to Consortia Bidding for Public Sector Contracts was published on November 16 2009, and is available online at the following links:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/16150241/0 (Full Report).

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/16150200/0 (Summary).

Supplier collaboration, including consortia bidding, is one of a number of key procurement issues being considered by the recently established Supplier Engagement Working Group. The group brings together representatives from the public, private and third sectors and is exploring additional ways to enhance the economic impact of public procurement and improve access to contract opportunities, particularly, by smaller organisations. The group, chaired by Liz Cameron of the Scottish Chamber of Commerce, will report on progress to the Public Procurement Reform Board at its next meeting in June.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33079 on 29 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

There must be sufficient evidence in law before a prosecutor can decide whether or not it is in the public interest to prosecute. If there is sufficient evidence that a crime has been committed, the accused was the perpetrator and had the requisite mens rea (intention) the prosecutor will require to decide that prosecution is in the public interest. Every case is decided on the basis of its own particular facts and circumstances. No specific guidance is issued to Procurators Fiscal regarding assisted suicide. The Prosecution Code published by COPFS sets out the factors which can be taken in to account by procurators fiscal when deciding whether to prosecute. These considerations include the factors listed below at (i) to (xiii).

(i) The nature and gravity of the offence

(ii) The impact of the offence on the victim and other witnesses

(iii) The age, background and personal circumstances of the accused

(iv) The age and personal circumstances of the victim and other witnesses

(v) The attitude of the victim

(vi) The motive for the crime

(vii) The age of the offence

(viii) Mitigating circumstances

(ix) The effect of prosecution on the accused

(x) The risk of further offending

(xi) The availability of a more appropriate civil remedy

(xii) Powers of the court

(xiii) Public concern.

Suicide has not, in modern times, been considered a criminal offence in Scotland and therefore, unlike in England and Wales, there is no criminal offence of assisted suicide. Any question of responsibility for causing the death of another could amount to homicide and would be investigated as such.

A decision to prosecute would be taken by Crown Counsel on the facts and circumstances of the particular case and the Law Officers do not regard it as appropriate to prepare and publish detailed prosecution policy guidance in this area as the Director of Public Prosecutions has recently done in England and Wales.

GP practices in Scotland now offer a variety of extended hours to registered patients on their list. These include earlier appointment times, evening sessions, concurrent working patterns and occasional Saturday morning clinics.

The following table details the number of GP practices which are providing extended opening hours in Scotland. Uptake position as at November 2009.

NHS Board	Category
	1	2	3	4	Total
Ayrshire and Arran	47	0	12	0	59
Borders	11	0	12	2	25
Dumfries and Galloway	33	0	2	0	35
Fife	28	0	29	0	57
Forth Valley	50	1	6	0	57
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	186	0	84	0	270
Grampian	51	1	32	0	84
Highland	69	1	29	3	102
Lanarkshire	58	1	29	10	98
Lothian	79	1	45	0	125
Orkney	9	0	5	0	14
Shetland	4	3	0	3	10
Tayside	39	0	22	8	69
Western Isles	10	0	2	0	12
Totals	674	8	309	26	1,017

Notes:

Category 1: The number of practices that have contractually signed-up to provide extended hours to their patient list.

Category 2: The number of practices that have expressed a willingness to provide extended hours.

Category 3: The number of practices that are not providing extended hours.

Category 4: The number of practices that are currently undecided whether or not to provide extended hours.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31018 on 2 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.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government is in the final stages of the preparation of guidance which sets out the policy framework with regard to the introduction and availability of new medicines in the NHS in Scotland. The draft guidance was circulated to patient groups, stakeholders and NHS boards and will be made available to the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee for comment. The Scottish Government plans to publish the revised guidance by the end of March 2010.