- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 23 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to whether the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of X v Finland will impact on mental health law in Scotland, in light of reports that the Scottish legislation allows for the forced treatment of a person detained in hospital to begin before that person has had an opportunity to appeal against the detention.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to creating a modern, inclusive Scotland which protects, respects and realises internationally recognised human rights, and is working with the whole of Scottish society to deliver a shared vision for a Scotland where everyone can live a life of human dignity. The Scotland Act 1998 requires that all Scottish Parliament legislation and all acts of members of the Scottish Government must be compatible with core ECHR rights (“the Convention rights”). In addition, the Human Rights Act 1998 ensures that every public authority in Scotland is obliged to act compatibly with the Convention rights and enables human rights cases to be taken in domestic courts.
We believe that the 2003 Act is fully compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The 2003 Act has never been found, in part or in whole, by the European Court of Human Rights to be not compliant with ECHR.
The Mental Health strategy 2017-2027 recognises as a theme the importance of human rights and as part of this, has committed to actions around reviewing various aspects of mental health and incapacity legislation use in Scotland. We have recently implemented an amending act in mental health law and there are two reviews underway at the moment which are key, the AWI reform work and the review of how the 2003 Act meets the needs of those with learning disability and autism.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 23 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13509 by Aileen Campbell on 11 January 2018, whether it will provide further details of how the funding is being used, including in relation to the number of researchers who are employed or contracted, and of salary and payments made to these researchers.
Answer
11 January 2018. The answer provides details of how the funding is being used.
The Data Protection Act (DPA)1998 requires the Scottish Government to process personal data fairly and lawfully. The funding provided by the Scottish Government has been used to fund a very small number of posts, therefore, releasing further information could lead to individuals being identified which would breach their right to privacy.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 22 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that mentors in the Return to Practice scheme for nurses and midwives receive appropriate training to cater for the specific needs of the students.
Answer
The Return to Practice programmes are approved and monitored by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and must meet all of their requirements; this includes support and mentorship in practice by a qualified mentor and final assessment by a ‘sign-off’ mentor.
All mentors must complete a mentor preparation programme and have regular mentor updates according to NMC criteria. The sign off mentor has additional preparation for the role and must have experience as a sign off mentor.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 22 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the Return to Practice scheme for nurses and midwives, and whether it has plans to expand it.
Answer
Return to Practice programmes for former nurses and midwives whose registration has lapsed across Scotland are administered by NHS Education Scotland (NES).
Scottish Government funding for Return to Practice schemes was reintroduced in April 2015. Since then, almost 380 former nurses and midwives have commenced Return to Practice programmes, exceeding the initial target of attracting back 75 former nurses and midwives each year.
NES is currently planning an evaluation of both the nursing and midwifery programmes which will include reviewing participants’ experience and the impact of the programmes.
As part of a package of measures to increase the number of nurses and midwives working in Scotland we will extend and expand the highly successful Return to Practice programme as well as delivering an estimated 2,600 additional nursing and midwifery training places, enhanced access programmes for support workers, and improving recruitment, retention and completion rates, particularly in remote and rural areas.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 20 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will provide to (a) Action for ME and (b) other ME-related organisations in 2018-19.
Answer
No bids for 2018-19 funding have been received from Action for M.E. or any other M.E.-related organisations. Like all applications for funding from third sector organisations bids would be assessed to establish whether they assist in the delivery of Scottish Government National Outcomes and Indicators.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 20 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment by its spokesperson in The Scotsman on 27 January 2018 that "we have provided additional funding to improve access to specialist nursing support and for Action for ME", whether it will provide details of the additional funding that it is providing for specialist ME nursing support.
Answer
From 2015-16 Scottish Government has been investing an additional £2.5 million of recurring funding in the Specialist Nursing and Care Fund to improve access to specialist nursing support. Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, however the statutory responsibility for delivering or commissioning services at a local level lies with local authorities, NHS Boards and integrated health and social care partnerships. Operational decisions, including recruitment of specialist nurses, are therefore matters for these bodies.
Action for ME were awarded over £300,000 in 2016 from the Scottish Government’s Transforming Self-Management Fund.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 20 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13509 by Aileen Campbell on 11 January 2018, how “draft quality performance indicators” will be assessed effectively, in light of reports that long-term staff shortages have led to lengthy waiting times in many areas, and whether it plans to increase support to recruit more staff in key areas to tackle waiting times and improve patient care for people with chronic pain.
Answer
The draft Quality Performance Indicators are currently in development and the process is yet to be finalised in detail.
In regards to waiting times, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14263 on 20 February 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 20 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken by the National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain to tackle (a) reported staff shortages in NHS pain clinics and (b) lengthening waiting times, including in Grampian.
Answer
The remit of The National Advisory Committee for Chronic Pain includes guiding the improvement of chronic pain management at all levels of health and social care and informing effective policy development. Workforce numbers are at record levels under this Government and the recently published parts 1 and 2 of our National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan set out how we will work with partners to secure sustainable NHS staffing. Increasing staff numbers is only part of the solution, and the Plan sets out how we intend to recruit, develop and retain the multidisciplinary and flexible workforce we need to continue to deliver high quality healthcare for the people of Scotland. This will ensure we have the right people in the right place at the right time to continue to deliver high quality care that meets the needs of Scotland’s population
In terms of waiting times, an additional £50 million is being made available to NHS Boards to improve waiting times for all stages of a patient’s journey through the NHS – the outpatient consultation, any tests required and treatment. £4.9 million is being provided to NHS Grampian as part of this initiative.
Officials have also been in contact with NHS Grampian to discuss their pain service and waiting time figures. Following a recent recruitment they will be offering additional clinics over the next few weeks to help reduce waiting times.
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Current Status:
Withdrawn
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ministers have had regarding the future regeneration of Edinburgh’s waterfront.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2018
