Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-30432 on 21 March 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

A privacy breach detection system is operational in all territorial boards. This is on top of the usual audit trails running on key clinical systems. Patients can ask for reassurance as to who is accessing their data (and why) and there are many ways in which this information can be provided. Simply providing raw audit trails would not on its own satisfy this requirement. Under the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 anyone has the right to ask for a copy of their personal health information.

Since 1997 boards have appointed Caldicott guardians as the senior advisors on how patient information is used internally and externally. Although there is no absolute requirement for the person to be medically qualified, the Scottish Government understands that they are directors of public health or in senior clinical roles. In addition, boards are appointing Senior Information Risk Owners (SIROs) who cover the whole information risk landscape (patient, employee and corporate information). A SIRO must be at executive level, but can be from a medical or non-medical background.

Information has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh External Advisors Co-ordinators, who hold the data in relation to consultant boards.

In 2013 there were 424 Scottish consultant panels. Of these, 130 (30%) were cancelled. Of those cancelled, 46 (35%) were cancelled at the closing date stage due to no applicants, 20 (15%) were cancelled because of candidates withdrawing, and 16 (12%) were cancelled at shortlisting or interview stage due to the candidates not being suitable for appointment.

In 2014 there were 546 Scottish consultant panels. Of these, 202 (37%) were cancelled. Of the cancelled panels, 97 (48%) were cancelled at the closing date stage due to no applicants, 27 (13%) were cancelled because of candidates withdrawing, and 28 (14%) were cancelled at shortlisting or interview stage due to the candidates not being suitable for appointment.

In 2015 there were 627 Scottish consultant panels. Of these, 225 (36%) were cancelled. Of the cancelled panels, 123 (55%) were cancelled at the closing date stage due no applicants, 24 (11%) were cancelled because of candidates withdrawing, and 30 (13%) were cancelled at shortlisting or interview stage due to the candidates not being suitable for appointment.

Data on individual appointment boards which have been cancelled more than once is not available.

The following table shows how many GP practices are on a 2C arrangement in each NHS board.

*One practice will leave 2C arrangements 1 May 2016

To date 28.4 whole time equivalent pharmacists have been appointed attached to GP practices or clusters of practices since the primary care funding to recruit up to 140 pharmacists was announced.

Distinction awards in Scotland are monitored on the basis of A+, A and B Awards. The answers are given in the following table:

This information is not held centrally.

We currently have the highest medical staffing levels ever, with record numbers of consultants. Under this government, consultant numbers across Scotland have increased by 41.8 per cent, to 5,158.4 whole time equivalent.

(Source: Information Services Division Scotland. Information as at December 2015).

The circumstances when a patient’s waiting time can be reset to zero are clearly set out in The Patient Rights (Treatment Time Guarantee) (Scotland) Regulations 2012. The appropriate Regulations are 5 and 6(2). A copy of the legislation can be found at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2012/110/contents/made.

The delivery of the Scottish Primary Care Information Resource is being led by NHS National Services Scotland, with oversight of a project board comprising key stakeholder groups, including the Scottish Government, NHS boards, GPs (including the Royal College of General Practitioners and Scottish General Practitioners Committee) and patients. The deployment of software to practices is underway and currently planned to complete by end January 2017, on budget.