Chamber and committees

NHSScotland Workforce Statistics, as at 31 March 2017, show where staff provided data on their ethnic background, that 3.0% of respondents identify as belonging to a ‘Non-White’ ethnic group. 18% declared ‘Not Known’ and 13.2% of respondents declined to answer.

Further information is available at the linked table: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2017-06-06/Equality_and_Diversity_M2017.xls

Information from Scotland’s 2011 census indicates that visible and non-visible minority ethnic groups make up 8% of Scotland’s population.

Information on consultant vacancies is published at quarterly intervals by ISD Scotland. Monthly vacancy information may be available from individual NHS Boards.

Vacancy information for: a) consultants with a specialty of clinical radiology is available at the following weblink:-

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2017-06-06/Consultant_Vacancies_M2017.xls

Vacancy information for: b) interventional neuro-radiologists is not centrally held. Specific local information may be available from individual NHS Boards.

On page 6, the report notes that "within the associated report on religiously aggravated crime, the number of charges relating to Islam has increased 89% to 134 charges, from the 71 recorded charges last year. This increase is not attributable to a single event or pattern, and appears to reflect a general rise in the reporting of these types of charges.” On page 10, the report notes "the global and media context is a crucial driver shaping the perception of safety for particular communities (such as Muslim or Jewish communities). Experiences of and anxiety about hate crime were both heightened during or following particularly high profile international events...". A copy of the report can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/09/3565.

Thrombectomy is a highly specialised procedure. We anticipate that the number of thrombectomies for 2017-18 will be similar to provision in 2016-17. The Department of Clinical Neurosciences currently based at Western General Hospital in Edinburgh performed 12 procedures in 2016-17.

In June, the National Advisory Committee for Stroke hosted an initial meeting of an Expert Group on Thrombectomy for Stroke to establish the process for progressing the development of services for thrombectomy in Scotland.

The Scottish Government does not hold estimates of the indirect costs associated with poor diabetes management in Scotland. For the UK, indirect costs were estimated by the York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC) at £13.9bn in 2010-11 (£0.9bn for Type 1 and £13bn for Type 2) out of a total cost of approximately £23.7bn.

Progress against the Scottish Diabetes Improvement Plan 2014 is being measured through the work plan actions of the Scottish Diabetes Group (SDG).

An overall summary of completed actions will be published in the Autumn and updated each year going forward. Publication will be through our Diabetes in Scotland web site.

The Scottish Diabetes Survey, which provides an annual summary of key issues and trends in diabetes care and treatment will continue to be published annually.

Both Ministers and Scottish Government officials have communicated with representatives of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde before and since the decision was taken to refuse the previous proposals to close Lightburn Hospital in 2011. In terms of the provision of resources, under this Government (2006-07 - 2017-18), the Health Board's budget has increased by £475.4m or 29.1%. Over the next five years, the Board's budget will cumulatively be around £11 billion.

It is for individual Health Boards to plan and provide local services from these resources, in line with national policies and frameworks. NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde has confirmed that £627,000 has been spent on general maintenance at Lightburn Hospital between 2011-12 and 2017-18 (up to 30 June 2017). The Health Board has also confirmed that, during the same period, a further £693,000 has been invested in department and ward upgrades, infrastructure works (including boiler house and mortuary works) and statutory compliance at Lightburn Hospital.

On 15 June 2017, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde approved new proposals for rehabilitation services in North East Glasgow, including those provided from Lightburn Hospital. These proposals have been designated as major service change, and they will come to me for a final decision, in line with the well-established process. As in all such cases, I will carefully consider all the available information and representations before coming to a final decision, in the best interests of local patients.

The Best Start – a Five Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services report of the review was published on 20 January 2017. The report outlines that it is anticipated that the majority of the recommendations will either be cost neutral or have minor recurring costs associated with them in addition to an element of transitional costs. It also recognises that some of the 76 recommendations will need investment to deliver. As part of the implementation process, the Implementation Programme Board have been asked to develop a more detailed understanding of the costs of delivery and that will inform resource decisions. This will include learning lessons from early adopters to quantify what additional resource may be required.

It is expected that any additional investment required will realise savings over time through improved outcomes for women and babies.