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-08802

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS Lanarkshire (a) planned to achieve £43million of recurring savings in its 2016-17 budget and (b) is forecasting a financial deficit in each year of the next two years.

In order to deliver its services within the level of investment being made, NHS Lanarkshire and all NHS boards are required to deliver both reform of services and savings. The savings generated are reinvested in frontline care within the boards.

NHS Lanarkshire has received baseline resource funding of £1,107.0 million in 2016-17 and an uplift of £22.6 million (2%) to £1,129.6 million in 2017-18.

At its most recent board meeting on 29 March, NHS Lanarkshire reported that efficiency savings in 2016-17 were ahead of the trajectory set out in the board’s Local Delivery Plan. NHS Lanarkshire also confirmed its commitment to continue to deliver a balanced financial position.

Question reference: S5W-08796

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the observation by NHS Lanarkshire in its consultation, Achieving Excellence that “onerous and stretched out of hours and on-call rotas for consultants impacting on recruitment and retention was identified as a challenge of the current clinical model which has elective and trauma services provided across three sites”, what action it will take to ensure that (a) it will increase the size of the workforce and (b) the situation does not lead to a removal or reduction of services.

It is the responsibility of NHS boards to plan and deliver clinical services.

In preparing their workforce plans, Boards are required to consider relevant local issues and demographics, and ensure all working patterns are safe and sustainable. Under this government NHS Lanarkshire has seen a rise of 69.6% in Consultant staff numbers from 266.3 to 451.5 WTE and an all staff rise of 14.3% from 9,265.1 to 10,589.0. Whilst the number of staff is up, we recognise that there is also increasing demand on services which, of course, has an impact on staff. That is why it is so important for Health boards to continuously improve their workforce planning, and this Government is providing them whit the tools to do so.

We’ve committed to enshrining safe staffing in law; placing the nursing and midwifery workforce planning tools on a statutory footing. A consultation on legislative proposals was launched on 12 April and will run until 5 July. To gather as many views as possible, regional events will also take place across Scotland during the consultation period.

Question reference: S5W-08794

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support NHS Lanarkshire in meeting the primary care sector workforce capacity requirements identified by the consultation, Achieving Excellence.

On Friday 10 March 2017, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport announced an additional £71.6 million will be invested in direct support of general practice, helping transform the way services are delivered in the community. The funds will directly support general practice in 2017-18, by improving recruitment and retention, reducing workload, developing new ways of delivering services and covering pay and expenses.

This new funding forms the first stage of the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest an extra £250 million in direct support of general practice per year by 2021 – as part of a pledge to increase overall annual funding for primary care by £500 million by 2021.

Question reference: S5W-08792

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much in financial resources has been transferred from hospital care to community care since the establishment of Integrated Joint Boards.

Integration went live across Scotland on 1 April 2016, with strategic commissioning plans in place in each Integration Authority setting out local plans for service improvement. Integration Authorities are also taking account of the ambitions set out by the Scottish Government in our Delivery Plan for Health and Social Care, which was published in December 2016. Integration Authorities will publish annual performance reports by the end of June, which will include information on how they spent their resource during 2016-17, including in terms of the balance of care. We anticipate that this first year of implementation is too early to see material changes in the use of integrated budgets across community and hospital settings, particularly in light of requirements on local systems for effective engagement with communities on changes.

Question reference: S5W-08798

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to ensure that orthopaedic services at Wishaw General Hospital are provided in a high-quality environment with safe patient care and that the staff are fully trained to provide this.

The Scottish Government’s position on Patient Safety is very clear – it is, and will remain, paramount. Scotland is a world leader, internationally recognised for the improvements in care and safety its Patient Safety Programme has brought about.

NHS Lanarkshire are responsible for the planning and provision of local services, including orthopaedic services, in line with national policies and frameworks.

Healthcare professionals undergo extensive training and education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to specified curricula standards, including being assessed on competencies in diagnosis and treatments which includes providing a good standard of practice and care. These curricula are developed by relevant Royal Colleges and Faculties and are approved by the respective regulators.

Question reference: S5W-08799

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 11 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what it position is on how the proposal by NHS Lanarkshire to establish dedicated resources to encourage staff to work for the board for longer period reflects on the overall NHS workforce planning strategy since 2007.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to a sustainable NHS. The National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, which will be published in Spring 2017, will take full account of the many demographic and other influences on our NHS workforce, ensuring it continues to deliver high quality care for generations to come. However, while the Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality healthcare in Scotland, it remains the responsibility of NHS Boards – including NHS Lanarkshire – to plan their workforce in order to deliver those services. As part of this planning process, Boards must take account of Scotland’s ageing population and consider how they can support an older workforce.

Question reference: S5O-00996

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when its officials last met Atos Healthcare.

Question reference: S5W-08668

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Ineos regarding the working practices, terms and conditions and pension arrangements of employees on the Forties pipeline following the company's purchase of it, and whether any guarantees were given.

Question reference: S5W-08741

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 9 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding Commitment 29 in its Mental Health Strategy 2012-15 to publish guidance setting out the evidence base for employability and mental health.

Question reference: S5W-08793

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 3 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position will be on any recommendation for a reduction in neonatal services in NHS Lanarkshire arising from the consultation, Achieving Excellence.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with NHS Boards to provide the best neonatal care for babies and families in Scotland. This is reflected in the Scottish Government review - The Best Start - a five year forward plan for maternity and Neonatal are in Scotland. Scottish Government continues to work with NHS Boards through the implementation of The Best Start to ensure appropriate cot capacity and the best care for babies.