Exposure to carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas can be fatal. Early symptoms and signs are non-specific and can be mistaken for common viral illnesses or food poisoning. Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, lethargy and nausea. Higher level exposures can cause symptoms such as confusion, breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, collapse, loss of consciousness and seizures.

People affected by high level exposures are admitted for urgent hospital treatment. Patients who are exposed to low level carbon monoxide are generally managed in primary care, with the exception of pregnant women who are advised to undergo assessment in hospital. In addition, those with pre-existing cardiac or respiratory conditions, anaemia and children and the elderly may benefit from assessment in hospital.

Clinicians follow best practice professional guidance for the management of carbon monoxide poisoning. Survivors of carbon monoxide poisoning may experience long term chronic symptoms such as balance problems or memory loss. Such patients are referred on for specialist follow up in appropriate clinics. Services for people experiencing long-term chronic health problems that may be a result of carbon monoxide poisoning are managed through existing general medical services, with appropriate treatment guided by best practice.

It is important to re-emphasise the need for prevention of carbon monoxide exposure through raising awareness, advising appliance checks, installing carbon monoxide alarms and ensuring people are removed from the exposure to prevent further harm.

The total number of people that have (a) been affected by carbon monoxide poisoning in each year since 2008 is not available from ISD. The number of emergency hospital admissions in Scotland with “Toxic effect of carbon monoxide” recorded as main or other diagnosis for 2008-11 is provided in Table 1. The data represent admissions and not patients and therefore a patient could be counted more than once if they have had more than one admission in a calendar year.

Table 1. Emergency hospital admissions with “Toxic effect of carbon monoxide” as “Main” or “Other” diagnosis, Scotland, 2008-11

Source: ISD Scotland

Note:* data for 2012 not yet available

The number of people that have (b) died from carbon monoxide poisoning is available from the National Records of Scotland (see:

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/stats/ve-reftables-2011/ve-ref-tables-2011-section6.xls#'6.12'!A1.)

Some cases resulting in death due to carbon monoxide poisoning will have involved a hospital admission. These cases will appear in both the data for admissions in addition to the data for deaths.

The Scottish Government is committed to raising awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide and issues advice to doctors and health professionals to help raise awareness of the risks associated with carbon monoxide, seeking greater vigilance of the signs and symptoms of exposure in their patients.

The Scottish Government will issue health advice for the public to coincide with the onset of winter when fires and central heating boilers are being switched on.

The Scottish Government has also worked with Health Protection Scotland to produce a carbon monoxide factsheet aimed at the general public, available at: http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/enviro/nonhpspublicationsdetail.aspx?id=39585.

This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the chief executive to write to you.

This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the chief executive to write to you.

This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the chief executive to write to you.

This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the chief executive to write to you.

This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the chief executive to write to you.

This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you.

There was a small decline in the number of passes in Higher Mathematics this year. The decline was entirely due to a decline in the pass rate. The Scottish Qualifications Authority advises that minor annual variations in pass rates are normal from year to year. The pass rate across all subjects at Higher reached a record high, making them the best ever overall results.