Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-07113

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the Bliss Scotland baby report 2017, that "four out of ten [neonatal] units reported that lack of funding for training and development was a barrier, with a number of units noting that were funding for QIS [qualification in speciality] and Advanced Neonatal Nurse Medical Practitioner training was readily available, funding for other training was difficult to find".

The Scottish Government has provided funding to support the establishment and delivery of Qualified in Speciality and Advance Neonatal Nurse Practitioner training in Scotland for the last four years. We expect all NHS Boards to ensure that their neonatal staff are appropriately trained to the required levels to deliver safe care. I announced that analysis of future workforce requirements will be a key priority for the group tasked with implementing the recommendations of the review of Maternity and Neonatal Services.

Question reference: S5W-07481

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the most recent advice it has received from Health Protection Scotland and Public Health England is on the design, siting and management of incinerators, and what action has it taken to monitor and review emerging evidence and research.

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and Public Health England (PHE) do not advise the Scottish Government on the design, siting and management of incinerators. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) determines what is acceptable in relation to incineration facilities through its permitting and licensing systems. Current SEPA guidance on this subject can be found at the following address: https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/waste/energy-from-waste/#how

HPS has a remit to provide the Scottish Government and others with advice on the potential health impacts of processes such as incineration. The existing regulatory regime governing waste incineration processes already incorporates a precautionary approach and sets emissions standards explicitly designed to limit human exposure to potentially harmful contaminants. The present system is therefore designed to protect human health. The evidence to date does not suggest a need to adopt a different approach however HPS keep the literature under review on an ongoing basis.

Question reference: S5F-00979

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Samaritans' report, Dying from Inequality, which suggests that there is an increased risk of suicide in the most deprived communities.

Question reference: S5W-07477

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review planning policy guidance on buffer zones between sensitive receptors and waste facilities.

Question reference: S5W-07237

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many women and girls have been diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome caused by tampon use in each of the last 10 years.

The number of women and girls diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome caused by tampon use is not held centrally. Information on the number of female patients aged 16 and over who have been diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome from any cause in an inpatient setting is shown in the following table.

Number of female patients aged 16 and older who were admitted to hospital with toxic shock syndrome from any cause (ICD-10 code A48.3), Financial years 2006-07 – 2015-16.

Financial Year	Number of individuals
2006-07	3
2007-08	12
2008-09	11
2009-10	4
2010-11	5
2011-12	7
2012-13	6
2013-14	8
2014.15	6
2015-16	5

Question reference: S5W-07271

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05439 by Maureen Watt on 14 December 2016, whether it will provide an update on its timetable for the publication of the updated mental health strategy.

Question reference: S5W-07409

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the group that it has agreed to lead to write new qualities and standards for school toilets will address the issue of sanitary item provision in schools.

Question reference: S5W-07441

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of reference will be for the group that it has agreed to lead to write new qualities and standards for school toilets.

The group agreed that the guidance will aim to:

Outline a framework for an effective toilet provision and management strategy that caters for all children and young people in our schools. The approach should be easy for schools to adopt but also ensure that children’s rights to hygienic, safe, respectful and private facilities are met.

Promote the implementation of a universal toilet provision and management strategy with the aim of maintaining a high standard of toilet provision and management practice standards in all Scottish schools.

Set a precedent for good toilet provision and management practice standards in future new build and refurbishment projects.

Question reference: S5W-07196

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many women were prescribed contraception on the NHS in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) method of contraception, (b) age group and (c) NHS board.

The information requested is not readily available. The recording of patients’ unique Community Health Index (CHI) number on prescriptions for the dispensing of contraceptives is not sufficiently comprehensive to allow accurate patient-based analysis.

However, some information on prescribed contraception is available in the report Prescription Cost Analysis, published annually by National Services Scotland Information Services Division (ISD) (www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Prescribing-and-Medicines/Community-Dispensing/Prescription-Cost-Analysis/).

In addition, ISD also publish the report Long Acting Reversible Methods of Contraception in Scotland, which provides information by age group and NHS board on contraceptive devices, including those supplied through sexual health clinics (www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Sexual-Health/Publications/2016-09-20/2016-09-20-LARC-Report.pdf).

Question reference: S5W-07249

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with homelessness organisations in relation to its mental health strategy, and how the strategy will address concerns regarding the impact of homelessness and the rising use of temporary accommodation on the mental health of young people.

During our engagement on the next Mental Health Strategy, we invited written responses on an engagement paper outlining our proposed priorities, and received nearly 600 responses.

The responses were independently analysed and a full report published online, which can be viewed at:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/12/1634/0

One of the groups suggested as a priority by respondents was people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

All of the feedback we received has helped shape our thinking on the forthcoming Strategy, including the evidence that shows there is a strong link between poor mental health and people experiencing housing problems and homelessness.

We will publish the Strategy in the coming weeks.

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