Questions and answers

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 ��˿�� 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-27004

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many people have died from sepsis in each year since 2017, broken down by NHS board, and what its position is on asking each board to routinely record these figures.

Data on sepsis and sepsis mortality is collated by Information Services Division (ISD) and is linked with National Records of Scotland (NRS) death records. Guidelines specify the codes which are to be used in all cases where sepsis appears in the patient records during a continuous inpatient hospital stay, and these codes are used to identify those patients with sepsis. This is an internationally recognised and accepted measure of sepsis.

Changes to the reclassification of sepsis occurred in February 2016. Updated clinical coding guidelines were published in October 2017. These significant changes have affected the integrity of the sepsis data and therefore the sepsis mortality data from October 2017 is currently under review.

Using data to help drive improvements in the safety of patient care is a central component of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP). The sepsis collaborative was delivered by the SPSP between January 2012 and December 2014 and contributed to a 21% drop in mortality from sepsis. However, as a significant driver of deterioration, sepsis remains a core element of the deteriorating patient work stream.

Question reference: S5W-27097

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of disabled people employed across the NHS.

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the number of disabled people employed across the NHS.

Our NHS Professional Careers Programme continues to place disabled graduates in rewarding roles and the careers of their choices. A number of health boards are also working with project SEARCH to help people with intellectual impairments into employment.

We are working with health boards to ensure that all jobs are made accessible for disabled applicants. Work is also underway to increase disclosure rates and develop national commitments for the recruitment, retention and progression of people with protected characteristics, including those with a disability.

Question reference: S5W-27104

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 27 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the report by Equality Here, Now, Disabled people, work, and the NHS in Scotland 2019, that, if the figure for NHS 24 is excluded, the proportion of the NHS workforce identifying as being disabled is 0.91%.

Disclosure of a disability to an employer is on a voluntary basis and was previously only asked for when someone started employment with the NHS. Staff may therefore have elected not to disclose a ‘hidden’ disability, particularly where a reasonable adjustment was not needed. Equally they may not have recorded a disability developed during the course of their employment.

We continue to work with health boards to improve disclosure rates. A new national self-service HR system means staff can now update their personal information at any time. With this in mind, positive information campaigns will be launched in the spring to encourage staff to ‘bring your whole self to work’.

Question reference: S5O-04148

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported extended waiting times for general colorectal surgery in NHS Lothian.

Question reference: S5W-27247

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what care and treatment pathways there are for people experiencing complications arising from hernia mesh implants.

Any patient who suspects they are experiencing complications from hernia mesh surgery should discuss their concerns with their GP or other clinicians involved in their case. Any subsequent care may be surgical or non-surgical depending on the individual circumstances of the case. The Chief Medical Officer has previously written to all Health Boards to emphasise that any patient who reports complications or side-effects following mesh surgery must be carefully listened to. Their concerns should, at all times, be taken seriously and acted on appropriately.

More generally, in response to emerging concerns about hernia mesh, the Scottish Government commissioned the Scottish Health Technologies Group to undertake an evidence review into its use in men. The final report can be viewed . The Scottish Government will also approach Healthcare Improvement Scotland to ask that it considers whether a guideline on clinical care, including using recently published international studies, would be helpful for NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-27246

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the plans for Dr Veronikis to visit Scotland to conduct mesh removal surgery and train other surgeons in this technique.

Question reference: S5W-27124

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on the upkeep of the Forth Road Bridge in the financial year (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19.

Question reference: S5W-27128

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how fees for birth and death certificates are regulated and monitored.

The setting of fees for registration matters, including charges for extracts from the Birth and Death Registers (birth certificates and death certificates), is the responsibility of the Registrar General for Scotland, subject to the approval of Scottish Ministers. Fees are monitored by an advisory working group within National Records of Scotland which includes members from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Association of Registrars of Scotland. Where the Registrar General recommends to Ministers a change to the established fees, and this is approved, revised fees are then brought into force by way of a Scottish Statutory Instrument.

Question reference: S5T-01996

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the leadership of NHS Lothian, in light of the recent resignation of its Chairman and forthcoming retirement of its Chief Executive.

Question reference: S5O-04060

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 29 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect standards in publicly-owned care homes.

Our national Health and Care Standards set out what everyone should rightly expect when using health and social care services in Scotland. The Care Inspectorate carries out a rigorous programme of inspections to ensure registered services are meeting these standards and take action where necessary. Through these inspections, we know that the vast majority of our care services, including publicly-owned care homes, are providing high quality care and support.