- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 29 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how many private patients are receiving NHS treatment; how many (a) beds and (b) wards have been ring-fenced or reserved for their use, and what analysis it has carried out of the impact of this on NHS patients.
Answer
The numbers of private patients who received NHS treatment in 2017-18 in Scotland was just over 2,000. I have been clear with boards that they should only deal with private patients in circumstances where life is at risk, on that basis, I can confirm that NHS Boards do not ring fence beds for private patients use.
I have also asked officials to undertake a review of the guidance to ensure that there is no disadvantage whatsoever to NHS patients waiting for treatment.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 January 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how many times in each of the last three years hospitals have been affected by linen shortages, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
In the last three years, two NHS Boards have reported a single occurrence of experiencing a shortage in linen supplies - NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Highland.
Additionally, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have had reported 31 instances within this time frame, however each of these instances were due to the on-site supply and distribution of linen, rather than issues relating to the deliveries of linen from the Area Laundry to the respective sites.
No other NHS Board has reported instances of linen shortages.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 January 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Royal College of Nursing's reported comment that long shifts and stressful working conditions contribute to unhealthy lifestyles for nursing staff.
Answer
I acknowledge that more can be done to improve the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s nurses that is why The Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland published the ‘Nursing 2030 Vision: Promoting Confident, Competent and Collaborative Nursing for Scotland’s Future ’ in July 2017. This report sets the direction for the nursing profession across Scotland through to 2030 and acknowledges the importance of promoting nurses’ health and wellbeing. To support the implementation of the Nursing 2030 Vison, a detailed action plan, with a national oversight, is currently being developed. The action plan will be the mechanism for setting out how the Scottish Government intends to make the ideas in the Vision a reality over the short, medium and long term for nurses.
Shift patterns are set locally and in partnership between management and Staff Side representatives and must conform to Working Time Directive rules. If there were concerns about a particular shift pattern, this can be discussed as part of ongoing local partnership working.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 22 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is has been made aware of concerns regarding any NHS boards not fulfilling their legal duty to provide age-appropriate mental health services and accommodation in the last three years and, if so, (a) which boards, (b) when these concerns were raised and (c) what action it took and what the outcome was.
Answer
We are not aware of any formally registered concerns regarding NHS Boards not fulfilling their legal duty to provide age-appropriate mental health services and accommodation in the last three years.
We recently welcomed publication of the Mental Welfare Commission’s Annual Report on young people in adult wards, which showed a small increase in the numbers of young people being treated in adult wards. There are some reasons why it may not always be possible for a young person to be admitted to a specialist child and adolescent bed – for example, a crisis admission out of hours where there are concerns for the young person’s safety, or where a specialist facility might be a considerable distance from family support that could help recovery. However, as specified in the answer to question S5W-20886 on 22 January 2019, the Government is taking direct action to address the findings of the report.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 22 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that NHS boards fulfil their legal duty to provide age-appropriate mental health services.
Answer
We expect NHS Boards to provide safe, effective, and age-appropriate care and services which support the needs of each individual patient.
Regarding CAMH services, this includes issues regarding the admission of young people to adult wards. In this context, we welcomed the recent publication of the Mental Welfare Commission’s annual report and have agreed with its recommendations to improve the efficiency of bed use and the provision of intensive psychiatric care. Our Mental Health Strategy commits to developing a protocol for admissions to non-specialist wards which is currently being finalised. The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce will also consider pathways into specialist services for young people.
We have also taken action on transitions between CAMHS and Adult Services. On 29 August 2018 we launched new Transition Care Plans (TCPs) to help young people move more smoothly from child and adolescent services to adult services. The TCPs have been designed entirely by young people, working with the Scottish Youth Parliament and in dialogue with clinicians.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 January 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that two patients have died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after contracting a fungal infection, and what advice has been issued to NHS boards on this matter.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2019
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 21 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether non-medical staff will receive training to support them with the reported new responsibility of deciding whether patients require an urgent GP appointment.
Answer
Under the 2018 GP contract, we are building multi-disciplinary teams in primary care so that patients are able to see the right professional, at the right time. One element of practice receptionists’ role is to help patients identify their options for help or advice – but it is for patients to make the decision and GPs will always be available if patients want to see them.
Through our investment in the Practice Administrative Staff Collaborative project, we are working with GP practices and clusters in six health & social care partnerships to develop training and resources for practice staff, that they will be able to adapt for local use. All practices across Scotland will then have access to a toolkit and other resources to aid the national roll out of care navigation.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 January 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what intensive psychiatric care facilities there are for children and young people, and what plans it has to increase provision.
Answer
The requirement for intensive psychiatric inpatient unit (IPCU) care for young people is a rare event. No dedicated IPCU beds for under 18s currently exist in Scotland so alternative arrangements are made, as appropriate to the individual situation, by clinicians on a case by case basis. These alternatives include admission to one of the regional specialist child and adolescent mental health units with tailored additional support and security, or admission to an adult IPCU with tailored additional support and clinical expertise.
Scottish Government has responded to the recommendation from the Mental Welfare Commission about the need for IPCU provision for under 18s by confirming that work on options will be taken forward as part of delivery of the Mental Health Strategy and the Child and Young Persons’ Mental Health Taskforce. In addition a National Secure CAMHS inpatient unit will be opening in 2020.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what action SEPA has taken to seek regulatory compliance for the sites affected by the cessation of medical waste services by Healthcare Environmental Services Ltd.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2019
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 9 January 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to new research that suggests that idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) predominantly affects women who are obese.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) mainly affects women in their 20s and 30s who have been identified as being overweight or obese, although it is not clear why.
IIH is often detected by optometrists when viewing patients’ optic discs as part of eye examinations. The Scottish Government funds universal free eye examinations for everyone in Scotland. If people (or their GP) are concerned about headaches, which is the main symptom of this condition, they can arrange an examination with an optometrist without delay. Referral for urgent review by ophthalmology can be made by the optometrist where there is suspicion of this condition.
In July 2018, following wide consultation with stakeholders, the Scottish Government published a Healthier Future: Scotland’s Diet & Healthy Weight Delivery Plan. This sets out a vision for everyone in Scotland to eat well and have a healthy weight. The plan’s third outcome makes a commitment to improve access to effective weight management services, as a way of reducing health conditions associated with excess weight. There is a strong focus on prevention while also recognising that some people need additional support to help them achieve a healthy weight.
