Friday 21 March 2014 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT Enterprise and Environment Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the virulent porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) does not infect the country’s pig population. (S4W-20148) Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has legislation in place to regulate the importation of animals and animal products and prevent the introduction into Scotland of animal pathogens, including the new variant of the virulent porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV). To the Scottish Government’s knowledge, the new PEDV has not been found to date anywhere in the European Union. The Scottish Government monitors the international situation, has surveillance in place to detect the pathogen if it enters the country and has funded veterinary organisations to raise awareness of the condition among Scottish pig producers and veterinarians and promote measures to reduce the risk of infection. Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it is giving to (a) animal feed manufacturers, (b) animal nutritionists and (c) vets regarding the identification and isolation of feed products on farms labelled as containing spray-dried porcine plasma. (S4W-20149) Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government published the Guidance Note on feed controls in the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Regulations in June 2013. The note includes a section with guidance on the handling of blood products, including spray-dried porcine plasma, and can be obtained from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), who produced the document on behalf of the Scottish Government. They are also publically available in AHVLA’s website. Additional specific information for business handling blood products, including dried porcine plasma, is available from AHVLA’s website. Health and Social Care Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a national service delivery model for anticoagulation international normalised ratio (INR) testing in line with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh consensus statement, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline 129 and the Scottish patient safety programme on improving warfarin safety and optimising warfarin management. (S4W-20102) Alex Neil: There are no plans to introduce a national service delivery model. Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to increase the number of patients self-testing/self-managing international normalised ratio (INR) testing as part of a stroke prevention programme. (S4W-20103) Alex Neil: There are no current plans to increase the number of patients self testing/self managing as part of a stroke prevention programme. Individual clinicians working with people on anticoagulants will decide on a case by case basis on the most appropriate approach in line with current evidence which can be found at: http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/129/index.html and: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg_- _evidence_notes/evidence_note_50.aspx Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to undertake a review and analysis of the uptake of patient international normalised ratio (INR) self- testing/self-management in comparison with rates in England and other European countries and identify any barriers to Scottish patients managing their own condition. (S4W-20104) Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has no plans to review and analyse the uptake international normalised ratio self-testing/self-management in comparison with rates in England and other European countries. Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a national service delivery model for anticoagulation international normalisation ratio (INR) testing. (S4W-20107) Alex Neil: There are no plans to introduce a national service delivery model. Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the 2020 Vision objectives that “the person should be at the centre of all decisions” and “people [should be able to] get back into their home or community environment as soon as appropriate”, how it will support warfarin patients who want to self-test or self-manage their international normalisation ratio (INR) testing so that they can maintain their condition without the need for frequent or inconvenient hospital or GP visits. (S4W-20108) Alex Neil: The Scottish Government’s ambition for NHS Scotland is for a safe, effective and person centred care which enables people to live well at home or in a homely setting. The decision on which drug to take, and if that is warfarin, how best to manage international normalisation ratio testing, should be taken on a case by case basis jointly by people, with their clinicians in line with current evidence which can be found at: http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/129/index.html and: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg_- _evidence_notes/evidence_note_50.aspx. They may or may not opt for self testing Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that patients receiving paediatric care at hospital who self-test or self-manage their international normalisation ratio (INR) testing and who receive warfarin are supported when moving to adult anticoagulation services regardless of where they live. (S4W-20110) Alex Neil: Local protocols for the delivery of models of anticoagulation management vary across Scotland, but are in line with Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 129 Antithrombotics: indications and management published in June 2013. At transition from paediatric care into adult services, ongoing warfarin management (including self testing) would be agreed as part of the overall plan of healthcare. Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (Scottish National Party): To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the comment on anticoagulation monitoring in the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline 129 that ‘self monitoring and self dosing is safe and effective and can be considered for some patients’; whether it plans to implement the recommendations in the guideline and, if so, what action it will take to identify and overcome any barriers to its implementation by GPs. (S4W-20111) Alex Neil: The Scottish Government expects health boards and clinicians to take account of Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline 129 Antithrombotics: indications and management (published in June 2013) recommendations, when effective practice in the management of clinical conditions requiring anticoagulation therapy are being developed and delivered. This includes considering self monitoring, which may be considered for some patients, specifically ‘remote and rural residents or for frequent travellers’. Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-19663 by Alex Neil on 4 March 2014, when initial warning letters were issued by the Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry. (S4W-20126) Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20127 on 21 March 2014. 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/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx. Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-17494 and S4W-17495 by Alex Neil on 11 October 2013, whether and, if so, what new factor has led to the delay in publishing the inquiry report given that the warning letter process was noted at that time. (S4W-20127) Alex Neil: The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry is an independent inquiry. The procedure and the conduct of an inquiry, including the timing of the report, is determined by the inquiry’s chairperson in accordance with his or her duties under the Inquiries Act 2005. For further information please contact the secretary of the Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry team at: [email protected] Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what data protection issues arise from online appointment booking services for (a) GP surgeries and (b) hospitals. (S4W-20153) Alex Neil: GP surgeries and hospitals are bound by a legislative and regulatory framework to protect people’s information, which includes the Data Protection Act 1998, duties of care and confidentiality and guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s office and regulatory bodies such as the General Medical Council and British Medical Association. Part of this includes being open and transparent with people on how their information will be fairly processed and handled in a safe and secure manner. These considerations are applied to the handling of all information (paper or electronic) including offering online booking of appointments as a service. Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the benefits are of online appointment booking services for (a) GP surgeries and (b) hospitals. (S4W-20154) Alex Neil: The benefits of providing