Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-11955

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the National Care Home Contract.

Question reference: S5W-11958

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of places required in care homes over the next (a) 5, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.

Integration Authorities are responsible across Scotland for undertaking strategic needs assessments to inform their statutorily required strategic commissioning plans for their area. These plans are required to be prepared and reviewed on a 3 year rolling basis, so that Integration Authorities are planning for the medium to longer term, including identifying and determining the needs of their local population for care home places. This work considers needs, population dynamics and projections, service activity, supply and demand and gaps in provision, which in turn allows strategic commissioning plans to identify investments and disinvestments according to locally determined priorities within available resources, and which require to achieve or contribute to the national health and wellbeing outcomes.

Question reference: S5W-11961

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the National Care Home Contract for 2018 to be finalised.

Question reference: S5W-11953

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met COSLA to discuss the National Care Home Contract and what the outcome was.

Question reference: S5W-11962

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the National Care Home Contract recognises the complex clinical needs of residents.

The National Care Home Contract is negotiated annually between COSLA, Scottish Care and CCPS. The Scottish Government is contributing to a range of work streams designed to reform and develop the National Care Home Contract, including in respect of workforce issues and quality and improvement. This will ensure that the National Care Home Contract remains fit for purpose and responsive to the changing needs of care home residents.

Question reference: S5W-11959

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with independent care home providers about workforce issues.

Scottish Government officials are in regular dialogue with providers and receive live updates regarding any current issues. Scottish Government officials also hold a National Workforce Planning Group. This is the main stakeholder group driving the health and social care workforce plan and discussing the challenges facing the health and social care workforce both now and going forward into the future.

Question reference: S5W-11960

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of international evidence that it understands demonstrates that access to stable, registered nurse staffing in care homes delivers positive care outcomes for residents as well as improved quality of life.

The Scottish Government, in collaboration with academic and other expert colleagues, is constantly reviewing research evidence to inform the development of evidence based policy in relation to nursing in the care home sector. Whilst the current UK and International (mainly US) evidence base in this area is limited, and still developing, there are a number of consistent findings from the available literature:

Access to the full range of health and social care professionals and high quality support work are the key to delivering holistic care.
Nursing roles in care homes are broad and multifaceted, and outcomes for residents can include enhanced personhood and wellbeing, improved health and function, and enhanced quality of life.
Positive outcomes on relatives, staff and the home from nurses in general are noted.

Recommendations from the evidence base call for:

Greater clarity on the type of care home where nurses have the greatest impact, i.e. where there are complex healthcare needs.
Greater clarity on the precise skills and knowledge that nurses are required to have to work effectively in these settings.
Work to enhance the image and career choices for nurses working in care homes.

These findings and recommendations are central to the current discussions around the role of nursing in care homes through the auspices of the National Care Home Contract with stakeholders including COSLA, SSSC, Scottish Care and the RCN.

Question reference: S5W-11968

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 31 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11582 by Derek Mackay on 5 October 2017, what plans it has to phase-out fossil fuel vehicles used in (a) the ministerial car pool, (b) Transport Scotland, and (c) other areas of the Government Car Service.

Our Programme for Government sets out that we will take the lead in promoting the use of ultralow emission vehicles (ULEVs) and phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032, well ahead of the 2040 target recently announced by the UK Government.

The Scottish Government’s fleet replacement policy is to consider a replacement when a vehicle has reached 80,000 miles or six years. The final decision will also depend on the condition and history of the vehicle.

When considering vehicles for the fleet, the replacement will be fit for purpose, be ultra-low emission (where practicable) or offer significantly lower emissions (where practicable) than the vehicle being replaced, whilst ensuring best value for money.

This current strategy will allow us to phase out fossil fuelled vehicles as and when vehicles come to the end of their operational life and suitable replacements are available.

Question reference: S5O-01401

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update of the progress being made by the Scottish Growth Scheme.

Question reference: S5W-11580

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the recruitment process will be for the appointment of a new chief executive for NHS Orkney after the current postholder takes up a position with NHS Forth Valley; by what date the new chief executive will be in post, and whether it can confirm that the person appointed will carry out their role exclusively for NHS Orkney and not work jointly with another NHS board.