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-03356

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 28 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been taken off methadone treatment in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S5W-03413

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 28 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase mental health officer support in light of the finding from the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland that nearly 44% of emergency detentions initiated by a doctor did not have the support and expertise of a mental health officer at the point that the decision was made.

Mental Health Officers (MHO) are employed by local authorities and ultimately, it is the responsibility of local authorities to plan their MHO workforce, ensuring they have the appropriate levels of staff in place to provide services for their residents.

The recent report by Scottish Social Services Council http://data.sssc.uk.com/data-publications/23-mental-health-officers-reports/127-mental-health-officers-scotland-report-2015states that the number of practicing MHOs has increased since last year. It is also encouraging that there are the highest number of MHOs in training at any time since 2008, and a reduction in the number leaving the workforce.

Emergency detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003 is only permissible where it is necessary as a matter of urgency because of a significant risk to the health, safety or welfare of the patient or the safety of others. Medical practitioners are required to seek agreement from a MHO officer unless it is impractical for them to do so, for example where there is immediate, serious or life-threatening danger to the patient and/or others around the patient. Consent by MHOs is an important safeguard and it is essential that Local Authorities ensure they have the appropriate levels of staff in place to meet statutory duties.

Following last year’s report, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport asked the Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) to investigate the undertake an analysis of the reasons for low level MHO consent for Emergency Detention Certificates. The MWC produced a report in June 2016,http://www.mwcscot.org.uk/media/321062/edc_report_2016.pdf finding no single reason for lack of consent in any of the health boards and most had the same pattern of reasons for lack of consent. The MWC made a total of eight recommendations. Two were specifically for the Scottish Government which we have accepted and are taking forward.

Question reference: S5W-03354

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many people without a fixed address have been discharged from hospital in each year since 1999.

The following table shows the number of patients discharged from hospital where no fixed abode was recorded in each calendar year since 1999.

Year	No fixed Abode
1999	203
2000	194
2001	216
2002	169
2003	145
2004	118
2005	110
2006	133
2007	130
2008	137
2009	133
2010	146
2011	226
2012	219
2013	359
2014	373
2015	342

Source: SMR01, ISD

No-one should be discharged from hospital to a position of homelessness. When a patient is identified as being homeless, it is the responsibility of the local authority to carry out an assessment under homelessness legislation. While the assessment is being carried out they will be entitled to temporary accommodation. Following assessment, if they are regarded as unintentionally homeless they will be entitled to settled accommodation.

Question reference: S5W-03411

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the statistical monitoring reports for 2015-16 published by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland regarding the levels of compulsory mental health treatment, and for what reasons these levels have risen.

The Scottish Government values the work undertaken by the Mental Welfare Commission in monitoring the use of mental health and incapacity legislation. There are many positives in the report to focus on. The Commission have welcomed the greater use of community-based compulsory treatment orders and a sharp and welcome decline in the use of police stations as a place of safety.

The report is statistical and does not suggest a reason for the increase in use of compulsory mental health treatment. The figures should be seen against a backdrop of rising demand for mental health services, and a greater awareness of mental health issues leading to more people coming forward and asking for help. We will continue to work with the Mental Welfare Commission and stakeholders both to ensure the legislation is used correctly, and to promote patients’ rights more generally.

In certain circumstances, compulsory treatment is essential to provide protection to the patient and others. Where compulsory treatment is used, the rights of patients are safeguarded by legislation – these include a right to independent advocacy, and an efficient Mental Health Tribunal system which grants and reviews orders for compulsory treatment.

Question reference: S5W-03701

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address each of the areas of concern raised by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland in its paper, Young Person Monitoring Report 2015-16.

With regards to recommendation 1, for Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland (RCPysch) – the Scottish Government have already tasked the CAMHS lead Clinicians group to consider standards. RCPsych and the MWC are represented on the group.

Recommendation 2 within the report was for the Scottish Government; recommendations 3-6 are for NHS Health Boards to respond to.

With regards to recommendation 2, work has previously been carried out on behalf of NHS Directors of Planning and the conclusion was that CAMHS intensive psychiatric care units (IPCU) capacity should be developed at regional level. We expect the NHS Board regions to deliver on this.

Question reference: S5F-00367

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 October 2016

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the statement from the RCN that nursing in Scotland is facing "a perfect storm".

Question reference: S5O-00242

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Funeral Poverty and Funeral Payment Reference Group.

Question reference: S5W-03240

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish data on how NHS services are performing against the standards set out in the Standards of Care for Dementia.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) on-going programme of inspections into older people’s care in acute general hospital settings includes a focus on dementia care and utilises the dementia standards in its inspection methodology. Their reports are published and available on the HIS website.

The Care Inspectorate will carry out 150 dementia-focused inspections in care home for older people in 2016-17. The inspections will focus on how the dementia standards have been applied in practice. An overall inspection report will be published and available on the Care Inspectorate’s website in 2017.

Question reference: S5W-03238

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures performance against the Standards of Care for Dementia and how often it does so.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s on-going programme of inspections into older people’s care in acute general hospital settings includes a focus on dementia care and utilises the dementia standards in its inspection methodology.

A 10-point National Action Plan supports implementation of the dementia standards in acute care and is supported by a national improvement programme.

The Care Inspectorate will carry out 150 dementia-focused inspections in care home for older people in 2016-17. The inspections will focus on how the dementia standards have been applied in practice.

Application of the dementia standards and the human-rights based principles behind them are also the basis for the implementation of the national dementia health and social services workforce skills and knowledge framework Promoting Excellence and the training and resources to support implementation of the national dementia post-diagnostic support Local Delivery Plan (LDP) Standard.

Question reference: S5W-03200

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides regarding how many MS nurses there should be in each NHS board area.

Under this Government, the number of NHSScotland staff has increased by over 11,000 WTE and the number of qualified nurses and midwives has increased by over 2,100 WTE.

While the Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality healthcare, the actual provision of healthcare services – including workforce planning – is the responsibility of local NHS Boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment. We expect NHS Boards to plan their facilities and workforce to deliver these services, ensuring the provision of safe, effective and high quality patient care is delivered by the right professional at the right time.

Patient safety is, and will remain, paramount. That is why we have committed to look at placing our innovative workforce planning tools on a statutory footing to ensure safe and sustainable staffing levels. Work will begin this year to engage with stakeholders to shape the consultation.