Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-19289

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the uptake rate has been for the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine by people over 65 in each year since it was offered.

Health Protection Scotland can only provide validated data for 2017-18.

In 2017-18 the uptake rate of PPV among over 65s was 67.9%

As set out in response to S5W-17762 on 16 August 2018, prior to 2017-18 uptake rates of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination was estimated from returns to Practitioner Services Division (PSD) for GP payments. Estimates are not fully validated.

Estimated figures were provided in response to S5W-17762 however, it is likely that these figures are an under-estimate as in some cases GPs may not have claimed for payment.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Question reference: S5W-19105

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17241 by Joe FitzPatrick on 10 July 2018, whether the expert advice from Health Protection Scotland has been received and, if so, when it will (a) issue a response to that advice and (b) make an announcement regarding whether it will introduce a strategy for the elimination of hepatitis C in Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-02504

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to help grow the life sciences sector.

Question reference: S5W-18990

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 23 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10637 by Aileen Campbell on 9 August 2017, whether it will provide an update on how many sexually transmitted diseases have been diagnosed, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S5W-19183

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many patients have had feeding tubes fitted in each year since 2007, broken down by NHS board.

The Scottish Government does not hold any data on how many patients have had feeding tubes fitted.

Data from the Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit group's report "Audit of Critical Care in Scotland 2018 Reporting on 2017" showed that in 2017, the provision of enteral nutrition (which can include tube feeding) in Scotland Intensive Care Units was 37% and the provision of parenteral nutrition (i.e. intravenously) in Scotland Intensive Care Units was 8% in 2016.

Question reference: S5O-02466

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the extra funding that it announced in July 2018 to support breastfeeding services has been distributed.

Question reference: S5W-19047

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the reported issues regarding the 2018 police pay award will be resolved.

Question reference: S5W-19275

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that translabial ultrasounds are not available within the NHS in Scotland and whether it has any plans to introduce such services.

Translabial scanning is not offered routinely by the NHS, either in Scotland or in England. This is because clinicians in both jurisdictions advise that there is no clinical evidence to support routine use.

This position is supported by draft NICE guidance entitled “Urinary incontinence (update) and pelvic organ prolapse in women: management,” which recommends that further research into translabial scanning be undertaken because, at present, there is no data to support claims that it is a necessary tool in the diagnosis and management of mesh complications.

The draft NICE guidance is presently open to public consultation and can be viewed here: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10035/consultation/html-content-2 .

Question reference: S5W-19235

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the University of Strathclyde will not be offering its educational psychology course in 2019, and what impact it considers this will have on recruitment challenges within educational psychology.

We understand that the University of Strathclyde has taken the decision not to invite applications for a 2019 intake to the MSc in Educational Psychology programme. While this is unfortunate, universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for managing their own course provision and it is for universities themselves to decide the courses they offer.

The Scottish Government has begun discussions to secure alternative provision for the course. We remain committed to delivering a sustainable and regular supply of educational psychologists to meet future need.

Question reference: S5W-19059

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18853 by John Swinney on 25 September 2018, how many places were offered to the applicants each year.

Tell us your views

Seòmar agus comataidhean