A report outlined the Scottish Executive's approach to health improvement, and tracked progress towards delivering a healthier Scotland.
Source: Delivering a Healthy Scotland: Meeting the Challenge, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Dec
An audit report said that there were record levels of funding going into the health service in Scotland, and the National Health Service ended the 2005-06 year in surplus. But strong long-term planning was needed, as the service faced financial pressures.
Source: Overview of the Financial Performance of the NHS in Scotland 2005/06, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Audit Scotland press release
Date: 2006-Dec
The Scottish Executive published a strategy for the development of modern, locally sustainable community hospital services that were responsive to local community needs in a wider range of settings than already existed.
Source: Developing Community Hospitals: A Strategy for Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Strategy
Date: 2006-Dec
A study examined the health and well-being impacts of moving into new, general purpose, social housing provided by registered social landlords in Scotland. Moving to new social housing was associated with improvements reported in the quality of the home (particularly in terms of damp, and warmth) and in the quality of the local neighbourhood. There was some limited evidence that self-reported health had improved.
Source: Ade Kearns, Mark Petticrew, Caroline Hoy, Phil Mason and Catherine Ferrell, The Effects of Social Housing on Health and Wellbeing: Initial findings from the SHARP study, Communities Scotland (0131 313 0044)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Dec
The Scottish Executive published a mental health delivery plan, setting out targets and commitments for the development of mental health services. It focused on better prevention, more local care, and improved support to help aid recovery.
Source: Delivering for Mental Health, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Plan | SE press release
Date: 2006-Dec
A report by a committee of MSPs gave conditional support to the general principles underpinning the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill. It said that the Bill was an improvement on the existing disclosure system: but that proposals to share sensitive information among public bodies should be shelved, and the Bill should not go ahead until ministers explained how it would work in detail.
Source: Stage 1 Report on Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill, 12th Report 2006, SP Paper 702, Scottish Parliament Education Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release | BBC report | Children Now report
Date: 2006-Dec
A report by a committee of MSPs said that patients in Scotland had not benefited from a new National Health Service consultants contract.
Source: Implementing the NHS Consultant Contract in Scotland, 6th Report 2006, SP Paper 673, Scottish Parliament Audit Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
A think-tank report examined early evidence relating to community-based compulsory treatment orders in Scotland. Staff felt the new system was fairer and had better safeguards for patients: but there were serious concerns over resources.
Source: Simon Lawton-Smith, Community-based Compulsory Treatment Orders in Scotland: The early evidence, King s Fund (020 7307 2591)
Links: Report | King's Fund press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Nov
An audit report said that the Scottish Executive needed to continue improving the way it managed information technology to support care in the National Health Service in Scotland: this would involve a major cultural shift for the NHS in Scotland, and a clear national strategy.
Source: Informed to Care: Managing IT to deliver information to the NHS in Scotland, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Summary | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report prepared for the Scottish Executive examined the links between transport and health at policy and practice levels.
Source: Steer Davies Gleave with Tom Rye and Dermot Gorman, Joined Up Policy and Practice in Health and Transport, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Date: 2006-Nov
The Chief Medical Officer in Scotland said that many public health strategies were showing highly encouraging effects, and that major legislative change (such as the smoking ban) was likely to produce further improvements. However, major public health challenges which remained include inequalities in child health, the rising obesity prevalence, and the mental health of young people.
Source: Health in Scotland 2005, Chief Medical Officer/Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SE press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report said that a programme of events in Scotland to promote healthy living awareness among pupils before their transition to secondary school had been successful in entertaining and stimulating pupils and in making them think about the issues relating to drugs, alcohol, and smoking.
Source: Justine Menzies and Katherine Myant, Review of Choices for Life, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report by a committee of MSPs supported the general principles underpinning the Adult Support and Protection Bill (designed to prevent abuse of older and vulnerable people) - but only on condition that substantial amendments were made to the Bill. Key definitions within the Bill, and its relationship with existing legislation, were 'problematic'.
Source: The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill, 16th Report 2006, SP Paper 662, Scottish Parliament Health Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release
Date: 2006-Nov
A review report outlined a strategy designed to give nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals a far bigger role in the delivery of healthcare in Scotland - through an increasing emphasis on anticipatory and community-based care.
Source: Visible, Accessible and Integrated Care: Report of the Review of Nursing in the Community in Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2006-Nov
A report examined the social and economic costs of mental health problems in Scotland. In 2005, the total cost was £8.6 billion - more than the total amount spent in Scotland by the National Health Service on all health conditions combined.
Source: What?s It Worth?: The social and economic costs of mental health problems in Scotland, Scottish Association for Mental Health (0141 568 7000)
Links: Report | SAMH press release | SCMH press release
Date: 2006-Nov
A report examined the demographic characteristics of carers in Scotland, and provided an indication of unpaid carers who might be in particular need of support. Around 1 in 8 adults in Scotland provided some kind of unpaid care to another person(s). Overall, carers were more likely to be females aged over 35, who were married, and living in non-working, non-single-person households. Being an unpaid carer had an impact on employment participation, with carers of working age being less likely than non-carers of working age to be in paid employment.
Source: Judith Harkins and Anna Dudleston, Characteristics and Experiences of Unpaid Carers in Scotland, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Oct
The Scottish Executive began consultation on proposals to modernize public health legislation. The majority of proposed changes were aimed at clarifying roles and responsibilities for health protection, mainly between local authorities and National Health Service Boards.
Source: Public Health Legislation in Scotland: A Consultation, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Consultation document | SE press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A report examined the infrastructure put in place (nationally and locally) to support the Scottish Executive's suicide prevention strategy, and progress to date. It also made recommendations to guide the next phase of the action plan.
Source: Stephen Platt et al., Evaluation of the First Phase of Choose Life: The national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Sep
The Scottish Executive published a Bill to prevent unsuitable people working with children and vulnerable adults. A single executive agency would be formed to support the new vetting and barring scheme.
Source: Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SE press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Sep
The Scottish Executive published a Bill designed to ensure that only healthy, nutritious meals and snacks were served in schools.
Source: Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SE press release | COSLA press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Sep
Average life expectancy at birth for Scotland was 74.2 years for males and 79.2 years for females, based on data for the period 2003-2005. In the period 1993-1995 (by comparison) life expectancy had been 71.9 years for males, and 77.5 years for females.
Source: Life Expectancy for Administrative Areas within Scotland, 2003-2005, General Register Office for Scotland (0131 314 4243)
Links: Report | GROS press release
Date: 2006-Sep
A review report for the Scottish Executive sought to identify what constituted good care for children and young people who were looked after by local authorities, and to recommend in what ways care could be further improved. It said that too many adults had low expectations of what looked-after children could achieve. Supporting documents examined the legal framework; what helped looked-after children become and feel successful; how local authorities supported kinship-care placements; health needs; and the everyday activities of looked-after children.
Source: Extraordinary Lives: Creating a positive future for looked after children and young people in Scotland, Social Work Inspection Agency, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283) | Jackie McRae, Children Looked After by Local Authorities: The Legal Framework, Social Work Inspection Agency | Helen Happer, Joanna McCreadie and Jane Aldgate, Celebrating Success: What helps looked after children succeed, Social Work Inspection Agency | Jane Aldgate and Miranda McIntosh, Looking After the Family: A study of children looked after in kinship care in Scotland, Social Work Inspection Agency | Jane Scott and Malcolm Hill, The Health of Looked After and Accommodated Children and Young People in Scotland, Social Work Inspection Agency | Jane Aldgate and Miranda McIntosh, Time Well Spent: A study of well-being and children's daily activities, Social Work Inspection Agency
Links: Report | Summary | SE press release | Legal Framework | Celebrating Success | Kinship Care | Health Needs | Time Well Spent
Date: 2006-Sep
A report said that there was a need for a national strategy in Scotland for children and young people who were looked after away from home.
Source: Susan Elsley, No Time to Lose: A manifesto for children and young people looked after away from home, Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care/University of Strathclyde (0141 950 3683)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Sep
Researchers examined the use of child protection orders in Scotland, and the related issues of risk assessment, thresholds of intervention, and inter-agency co-operation. There was no clear consensus about whether thresholds for intervention had been raised as a consequence of the introduction of child protection orders.
Source: Joe Francis, Janice McGhee and Enid Mordaunt, Protecting Children in Scotland: An investigation of risk assessment and inter-agency collaboration in the use of child protection orders, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Aug
A watchdog report set out a series of action points for improving the lives of disabled people in Scotland.
Source: Putting Disability at the Heart of Public Policy in Scotland: Priorities for action, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Links: Report | SAMH statement
Date: 2006-Jul
A report examined the range of gender issues in health outcomes in Scotland, and the relationship between gender and health inequalities.
Source: Rona Fitzgerald, Fair for All Gender Research, Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland (0845 601 5904)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jul
A study examined the nature, scope, and impact of service provision in Scotland for people with co-existing mental health and substance misuse problems.
Source: Claire-Louise Hodges et al., Co-morbid Mental Health and Substance Misuse in Scotland, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2006-Jul
A report by a committee of MSPs commended the National Health Service for good progress in reducing the number of people with long waits: but it expressed doubts as to whether sufficiently robust plans were in place to ensure new targets would be met.
Source: Tackling Waiting Times in the NHS in Scotland, 3rd Report 2006, SP Paper 590, Scottish Parliament Audit Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined issues around child protection in Scotland, including the lack of trust throughout the child protection system, and the need to define acceptable levels of risk.
Source: Getting the Balance Right?, CHILDREN 1ST (0131 446 2300) and ChildLine Scotland
Links: Report | CHILDREN 1st press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A report by a committee of MSPs said that problems in funding free personal care for older people in Scotland needed to be resolved if the success of the policy were not to be undermined. The policy, introduced in 2003, had provided ?greater security and dignity? to many older people: but demand was out-stripping available resources in many of the country?s local authorities.
Source: Care Inquiry, 10th Report 2006, SP Paper 594, Scottish Parliament Health Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release | COSLA press release | Community Care report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined the community care and mental health needs of, and current service provision for, sensory-impaired adults in Scotland.
Source: Kate Skellington Orr, Traci Leven, Ruth Bryan and Elaine Wilson, Community Care and Mental Health Services for Adults with Sensory Impairment in Scotland, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2006-Jun
The Scottish Executive set out proposals to implement the recommendations of a report on social work standards in Scotland.
Source: Changing Lives: Implementation Plan, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Plan | Review report | SE press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined what children and young people, and the professionals who worked with them, thought about advocacy arrangements in the children's hearings system in Scotland. The results were published of consultation on proposals for improving the system. The Scottish Executive published its plan for making improvements, and announced a legislative timetable.
Source: Chris Creegan, Gillian Henderson and Caroline King, Big Words and Big Tables: Children and young people s experiences of advocacy support and participation in the children s hearings system, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283) | Robert Stevenson, Anne-Marie Barry and Pamela Johnstone, Getting it Right for Every Child - Proposals for Action: Analysis of consultation responses, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop | Getting It Right For Every Child: Implementation Plan, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop | Press release 22 June 2006, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Report | Consultation responses | Implementation plan | SE press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Jun
A study examined how local authority residential care units in Scotland were being used, and provided data relating to issues in the use of residential child care. Residential child care was used for diverse purposes, and there was a very wide range of length of stay.
Source: Ian Milligan, Lynne Hunter and Andrew Kendrick, Current Trends in the Use of Residential Child Care in Scotland, Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care/University of Strathclyde (0141 9503683)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report by a committee of MSPs supported a Bill intended to reform and extend the adoption system in Scotland.
Source: Stage 1 Report on the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill, 8th Report 2006, SP Paper 612, Scottish Parliament Education Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined the participation of looked-after and accommodated children in Scotland in decision-making concerning their care. Official meetings, hearings (and background forms) were "imperfect vehicles" for eliciting the candid feelings and views of children and for ensuring the participation of children in decision-making about their care.
Source: My Turn to Talk? The participation of looked after and accommodated children in decision-making concerning their care, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jun
A report said that there was broad support in Scotland for free personal care: but there was a need for greater clarity on how to calculate the costs of it.
Source: David Bell, Alison Bowes, Alison Dawson and Elizabeth Roberts, Establishing the Evidence Base for an Evaluation of Free Personal Care in Scotland, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report | Summary | SE press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A report set out what the Scottish Executive was doing with its local partners ? in education, health, social work, police and criminal justice ? to improve care and support for the children of parents who abused drugs. It also identified further action to be taken.
Source: Hidden Harm: Next Steps - Supporting Children, Working with Parents, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-May
A report examined evidence on the future health of older people in Scotland; considered the implications for the provision of care services; and investigate the use of existing models of care and the use of other services and support as an alternative to long-term residential care.
Source: The Future Care of Older People in Scotland: Range And Capacity Review Group - Second Report, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-May
The Scottish Executive began consultation on proposals to require local councils to ensure that all food and drink supplied in their schools met set nutritional standards. This would not only include school meals, but also food and drink sold in vending machines. Junk food snacks and fizzy drinks not meeting the standards would be banned.
Source: Improving the Health and Nutrition of Scotland?s Children: Consultation on the Schools (Nutrition and Health Promotion) (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Consultation document | BBC report
Date: 2006-May
Researchers found that Scotland was lagging behind England in the uptake of direct payment schemes for disabled people. Those using the service also believed that both the level of funding and the support offered were inadequate.
Source: Press release 11 May 2006, Scottish Parliament Health Committee (0131 348 5000)
Links: SP press release
Date: 2006-May
An article examined evidence-based policy making, using data derived from external evaluations of two of Scotland's national Health Demonstration Projects. Policy decisions were made on the basis of factors that went beyond research evidence, and suggested that both policy-makers and evaluators would gain from more explicit acknowledgement of what lay beneath the "veneer" of evidence-based policy making.
Source: Mhairi Mackenzie, Avril Blamey and Phil Hanlon, 'Using and generating evidence: policy makers' reflections on commissioning and learning from the Scottish Health Demonstration Projects', Evidence & Policy, Volume 2 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-May
A think-tank report said that immediate action was needed to improve the range and capacity of the services in Scotland designed to meet the needs of children living with, and affected by, substance use.
Source: Patricia Russell, Have We Got Our Priorities Right? Children living with parental substance use, Abelour Child Care Trust (0131 669 5190)
Links: Report | ACCT press release
Date: 2006-May
A Member of the Scottish Parliament introduced a Bill requiring more than half of National Health Service board members in Scotland to be subject to direct election.
Source: Health Board Elections (Scotland) Bill, Bill Butler MSP, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Text of Bill | BBC report
Date: 2006-Apr
The Scottish Executive published a 10-year plan to help support people who were caring for disabled, sick, or elderly relatives in their own homes. The plan would provide more training for carers, a special carers health programme, and measures to support young carers. But the Executive rejected a recommendation to give unpaid carers a statutory entitlement to short respite breaks from caring.
Source: Scottish Executive Response to Care 21 Report: The Future of Unpaid Care in Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Plan | SE press release | Care 21 report | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Apr
The Scottish Executive published a review of mental health nursing in Scotland, and a five-year action plan on how to develop the workforce.
Source: Rights, Relationships and Recovery: The report of the National Review of Mental Health Nursing in Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SE press release | MHF press release
Date: 2006-Apr
The Scottish Executive began consultation on how best to deliver health services to children and young people in Scotland.
Source: Delivering a Healthy Future: An action framework for children and young people s health in Scotland, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Consultation document | SE press release
Date: 2006-Apr
The Scottish Executive published a Bill to reform the adoption system. The Bill would modernize the law to secure more stability and permanence in the lives of vulnerable children; increase children's rights and security; and provide better support for adopted children and families.
Source: Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SE press release
Date: 2006-Mar
The Scottish Executive began consultation on ways to harness the contribution and experience of older people, and ensure services met their needs.
Source: Age and Experience: Developing the strategy for a Scotland with an ageing population, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Consultation document | SE press release
Date: 2006-Mar
The Scottish Executive published a Bill to offer greater protection to adults at risk of abuse. It would provide powers to set up new multi-agency adult protection committees to oversee adult protection policies locally, and place a duty on a range of agencies to investigate suspected abuse.
Source: Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Policy memorandum | SE press release
Date: 2006-Mar
A report summarized responses to a consultation on reform of the adoption law in Scotland.
Source: Sue Granville and Shona Mulholland, Safe and Secure Homes for Our Most Vulnerable Children: Analysis of the consultation on the Adoption Bill, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Date: 2006-Mar
The Scottish Executive announced tighter safeguards on the management of restricted mental health patients, following publication of an inquiry report on the conviction of a conditionally discharged patient for culpable homicide in March 2005.
Source: Press release 22 March 2006, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: SE press release | Inquiry report
Date: 2006-Mar
An audit report said that a pay agreement for consultants in Scotland had cost the National Health Service almost four times as much as expected, and had failed to produce any clear benefits.
Source: Implementing the National Health Service Consultant Contract in Scotland, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Summary | Audit Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Mar
The Scottish Executive announced that it had begun work on developing a national fostering strategy.
Source: Press release 22 March 2006, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: SE press release | Fostering Network press release
Date: 2006-Mar
A report for the Scottish Executive examined the existing evidence base on integrated children s services, and highlighted issues emerging for developing the evidence base further. Common themes from the literature included: concern about funding integrated services; cultural differences between professionals; and clarity about roles and responsibilities, and the purpose of partnership working.
Source: Katy Brown and Katherine White, Exploring the Evidence Base for Integrated Children's Services, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Feb
The Scottish Executive announced (following publication of a review report) an action plan for improving social work standards, including setting national priorities, and developing and improving standards.
Source: Changing Lives: Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283) | Scottish Executive Response to the Report of the 21st Century Social Work Review, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop
Links: Review report | SE response | SE press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Feb
A study examined the funding and operation of long-term care policy, in particular free personal and nursing care, in Scotland. It said that the Scottish approach had created a fairer system without undue extra public spending.
Source: David Bell and Alison Bowes, Financial Care Models in Scotland and the UK, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release | SE press release
Date: 2006-Feb
An audit report said that the National Health Service in Scotland had made significant progress towards meeting waiting time targets.
Source: Tackling Waiting Times in the NHS in Scotland, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Summary | Audit Scotland press release | BMA press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Feb
A report called for an overarching review of the children s workforce in Scotland.
Source: Bronwen Cohen and Jim McCormick, Working for the Future: Re-imagining the children's workforce, Scottish Council Foundation (0131 225 4709), Children in Scotland, and International Futures Forum
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Feb
An article said that evidence did not support the hypothesis that low socio-economic status in young Scottish children was associated with lower habitual physical activity or higher engagement in sedentary behaviour.
Source: L. Kelly et al., 'Effect of socioeconomic status on objectively measured physical activity', Archives of Disease in Childhood, Volume 91 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jan
An article said that inequalities in adverse perinatal outcomes increased in Scotland during the 1990s in all strata defined by maternal characteristics.
Source: Lesley Fairley and A. Leyland, 'Social class inequalities in perinatal outcomes: Scotland 1980-2000', Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Volume 60 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jan
The Scottish Executive began consultation on the system of National Health Service prescription charging. Proposals included extending prescription charge exemption to a greater number of people on low incomes.
Source: Review of NHS Prescription Charges and Exemption Arrangements in Scotland, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Consultation document | SE press release
Date: 2006-Jan
