- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what disruption it considers is caused to the families of children sent from Scotland to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for treatment.
Answer
The Government is well awareof the difficulties families experience when a seriously ill or injured childis treated at a considerable distance from home. Everything possible is done toensure that the disruption caused is kept to a minimum. An initial assessmentat the National Spinal Injuries Centre can last up to eight weeks, but ifannual reviews are arranged, these are for a much shorter period. As much of the child鈥檚 rehabilitation as possible should be provided locally.
Children and their parentscan also benefit from referral to the centre, particularly through peer supportgained from the other children and their parents attending the centre.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no spinal assessment facility in Scotland for young people under the age of 14.
Answer
Children under 12 with acutespinal injuries but no neurological damage are managed either in the RoyalHopsital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, or the Royal Hospital for Sick Childrenat Yorkhill, Glasgow, with input from the Queen Elizabeth National SpinalInjuries Unit at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.
Children under 12 with bothacute spinal injuries and neurological damage are managed at Yorkhill, againwith input from the National Spinal Injuries Unit.
Children aged 12 or overwith acute spinal injuries can be admitted to the Queen Elizabeth NationalSpinal Injuries Unit.
In each of these cases, anassessment can be made of whether the children would benefit from referral tothe National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital,Buckinghamshire. The centre provides not only initial assessments but can alsoundertake annual reviews, depending on the child鈥檚 progress and clinical needs.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of sending young people under 14 years to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for treatment was in the last financial year, including the cost of flights, meals and accommodation, and how much it would have cost to provide specialist paediatric staff at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injury Unit at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.
Answer
The clinical costs of such referrals in 2006-07 was 拢18,909. Information on the associated costs of travel, meals and accommodation is not available centrally, as it is the responsibility of the NHS board of residence of each child to fund these costs.
The most recent review of the spinal injuries service in Scotland did not suggest any extension of its services to cover those currently provided by the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville. No estimate has therefore been made of the cost associated with employing the specialist staff who would be required.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used in the decision that children younger than 14, as opposed to any other age, must be sent to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire for treatment of their spinal injuries.
Answer
Since its designation as anational service in 1992, the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit hasbeen able to admit children aged 12 years or over. This may be related to themove from primary to secondary education. It may also avoid any difficultieswhich might otherwise arise later if there were a need to make a transitionfrom paediatric to adult services.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to direct monies saved by any generic substitution of branded drugs into the provision of drugs for the treatment of cancer, such as Herceptin.
Answer
NHS boards are able to deploytheir overall revenue allocations to the best advantage of their local population.This includes any savings resulting from generic prescribing.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact its policy of inclusion is having on mainstream pupils and whether it will undertake a re-assessment of its policy and, if so, when.
Answer
The Scottish Executivecommissioned the Scottish Centre for Research in Education to evaluate theimpact of the legislation. Their report, which was published in 2006, found noevidence that mainstreaming has a negative effect on pupil attainment and that,with proper preparation and support, inclusion is beneficial for all.
We are committed to ensuringthat all children receive the support they need in our schools and we will takewhat steps are necessary to ensure we achieve this. These steps includeconsideration of an inquiry into the operation and implementation ofmainstreaming policy.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to phase out Standard Grade examinations, in line with action taken in East Renfrewshire and the private sector.
Answer
As part of our manifesto commitmentto provide leadership in promoting the Curriculum for Excellence agenda, we willconsider how the future qualifications system should be structured to best meetthe needs of all Scottish students. This will include consideration of future arrangementsat SCQF levels 4 and 5 (Standard Grade Credit and General/Intermediate 1 and 2).
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under the age of 16 ran away from home and (a) were missing for more than 24 hours, (b) were believed to have been physically or sexually abused while away from home, (c) remained missing after seven days and (d) were never found in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Answer
This information is not heldcentrally.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have escaped or absconded from prison in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by prison, and, of these, how man, remain at large.
Answer
The number of absconds and escapes for the period requested can be obtained from the Scottish Prison Service annual reports published at:
.
The number of prisoners still at large (18) is detailed in the following table.
| Establishment | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Barlinnie | | | | | 1 |
| Open Estate | | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| Total | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
The following is the original answer (published on 6 June 2007); see below
The number of absconds and escapes for the period requested can be obtained from the Scottish Prison Service annual reports published at:
.
Number of Prisoners Still at Large
| Establishment | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Aberdeen | | | | | 1 |
| Barlinnie | | | | | 1 |
| Open estate | | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| Total | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 May 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 June 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take in conjunction with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to establish a community casualty facility within the three towns area of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston in North Ayrshire.
Answer
NHS Ayrshire and Arran is responsiblefor service change proposals and for maintaining high quality healthcare servicesfor all residents of its area, within available resources. I have made clear thatwe will reverse the previous decision on accident and emergency services at Ayr Hospital, andI outlined in my statement to the Parliament on 6 June 2007 the steps needed togive effect to this commitment.
As I said, our aim is to ensurethat these steps are taken as quickly as possible, consistent with proper considerationand good decision making, and that other elements of service development proposedby the board also move ahead as quickly as possible. I am not aware of any currentproposals by the board to establish a community casualty facility within the threetowns area.
