Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-11758

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of NHS-funded research is first published in an open-access format.

Question reference: S5W-11756

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (a) last met and (b) will next meet, and when the meeting papers will be published.

The last meeting of the TAGRA took place on 5 December 2016 and discussed the implementation of the recommendations of the Review of the MLC Adjustment for the Acute Care Programme in the NRAC Formula. The final report for that review is available on the TAGRA website. TAGRA agreed to publish target shares for the following three years, in order to provide boards with information to improve their ability to plan future service provision for their populations. The formula continues to be re-run each year using new data by National Services Scotland’s Information Services Division. Following completion of the Review of the MLC Adjustment for the Acute Care Programme, consideration is currently being given to how TAGRA will support National Services Scotland in maintaining the formula moving forward.

Question reference: S5W-11762

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact leaving the EU would have on the price and availability of generic and biosimilar medicines.

It is not possible at this time to predict the outcome of negotiations between the UK and the rest of the European Union, and therefore what the impact will be on the price and availability of medicines as a result of the UK leaving the European Union.

However, the pharmaceutical industry exists in a global market which trades in dollars and euros, and we are already receiving representations from community pharmacy contractors about increases in the procurement costs of some generic medicines as the value of sterling has fallen in recent months.

I am very concerned that some medicines manufacturers will be less attracted to the UK as a market following Brexit in terms of additional costs related to tariffs and other barriers to direct trade. I have already made it clear that there could therefore be a negative impact for patients, and that the UK Government should seriously consider these very real concerns.

I have written to Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health requesting that the Scottish Government is fully involved in discussions and decision-making around these issues, specifically in relation to our continued involvement in the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This will be crucial in maintaining access to medicines and helping to secure and sustain the availability of essential medicines throughout the UK supply chain.

Question reference: S5W-11754

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in the research and development of new pharmaceutical drugs in each of the last 10 years, and which commercially-available products have been developed (a) in part and (b) wholly with this funding.

The Scottish Government invests through NHS Research Scotland (NRS) to provide infrastructure supporting the NHS in Scotland to host and participate in clinical research.

Within the Scottish Government, responsibility for health research funding falls within the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO). Scottish-based researchers can apply for funding through CSO’s Health Improvement, Protection & Services Research Committee and Translational Clinical Studies Research Committee. Both of these committees fund projects that are closer to direct clinical application than the basic science studies that underpin most pharmaceutical drug development. In addition to CSO, other major funders of health research in Scotland include, the Research Councils, the National Institute for Health Research, charities including Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation, and the Pharmaceutical Industry. Any new pharmaceutical drug is likely to be developed through a large body of research supported by a number of funders (including research carried out in different countries). The majority of funding for new drugs comes from the pharmaceutical industry and on average it takes many years of research and development to bring a new product to market. For the above reasons it is not feasible to quantifiably link CSO investment in health research to the development of specific pharmaceutical drugs.

CSO’s approach to research funding can be found here

http://www.cso.scot.nhs.uk/csoapproach/

Question reference: S5W-11482

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey on an annual basis.

Question reference: S5W-11480

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken since the publication of the 2016 Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey to increase the number of cancer patients who are given a care plan.

The Scottish Government’s expectation is that NHS Boards should provide all patients with a care plan, where appropriate.

Evaluation of the learning outcomes from the Transforming Care After Treatment (TCAT) programme, which was outlined in our cancer strategy, “Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action”, is now underway and will consider how measures such as individual care plans and holistic needs assessments can be further utilised to improve the quality of care delivered to all those with cancer.

Question reference: S5W-11481

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that cancer patients are able to access expert financial advice following diagnosis.

Question reference: S5W-11393

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the investigation of the circumstances that lead to the death of Kirsty Maxwell in Benidorm.

Question reference: S5W-11390

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what protocols are in place regarding informing next of kin in Scotland of the homicide, unexplained or suspicious death of a person from Scotland in another country; what support it provides, and what discussions it has had with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding this.

Consular assistance, including the notification of a death abroad and subsequent advice to bereaved families, is reserved to the UK Government and the Scottish Government would ordinarily refer individuals to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Consular Affairs department who would work with Police Scotland. In addition to support provided by community-led and Police groups, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a protocol in place with 'Victim Support Scotland' for the provision of support to families.

Question reference: S5W-11759

Current Status: Withdrawn

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