Information obtained from NHS boards on the spend on the use of the independent healthcare sector to deliver acute hospital waiting times guarantee and standards in 2012-13 is provided in the following table.

The Scottish Government’s policy is that NHS boards should use NHS funding to build sustainable capacity. The use of the independent healthcare sector should only be used to deal with short-term capacity issues.

The deployment and use of Tasers is an operational matter for the police. I understand from the Police Service of Scotland that the requested information is not held centrally.

No – the overall spending on private healthcare represents less than 0.5% of the NHS boards baseline resource budget.

The increase in the use of private healthcare relate mainly to two boards who are currently experiencing capacity issues - NHS Grampian and Lothian. In relation to NHS Lothian they are now dealing with the challenge that the ERI was planned with capacity that 20% lower than required to meet today’s needs. That is why they are currently making significant use of the private healthcare sector at a cost of £12 million until they increase sufficient local capacity and staff resources in their hospitals.

Grampian have recently agreed a £16 million investment programme that will increase capacity by building new theatres and employing more doctors, nurses and support staff. This additional local capacity will be available in 2014 – this will significant reduce their need of the private healthcare sector from 2014-15.

The Scottish Government policy is clear that boards should only use the private healthcare sector to address short-term capacity issues.

On the basis of IPTR monitoring information received from NHS boards for the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde received 14 IPTRs for cetuximab during this timeframe of which eight were approved.

This is an issue between individual NHS boards and their employees.

NHSScotland does not have any policies which would prevent, or condone the prevention of staff from raising valid concerns about patient safety and quality. Quite the opposite, each Health board has a robust “Implementing & Reviewing Whistleblowing Arrangements in NHS Scotland” PIN policy in place.

These policies encourage staff to raise concerns and any clause which sought to prevent an individual from raising a protected whistleblowing disclosure would be illegal and therefore unenforceable.

The National Confidential Alert Line provides an additional level of support to NHSScotland employees should they feel unable to report cases of patient safety or malpractice directly to their board, or, if they feel they have exhausted procedures in place.

As part of its contract the Alert Line is required to provide tailored advice to the caller and, dependent on the nature of the call and in agreement with the caller, report valid whistleblowing concerns to the relevant Health board or, where appropriate, to the relevant regulator. All cases referred by the Alert Line will be dealt with in line with established procedure.

Following the end of its one year contract, the Alert Line service will be independently evaluated. This will include, where possible, feedback from users and information on actions taken.

The latest NHSScotland staff survey launched on 27 May 2013 and will run until 5 July 2013. This survey aims to gather comprehensive views from staff about working for NHSScotland, including views on bullying and harassment.

The results of this survey will be available later this year.

The Scottish Government invited all Scottish health boards to submit proposals for activity relating to dignity at work and cultural issues.

We are currently in the process of assessing bids and funding will be allocated shortly.

This is an issue between individual NHS boards and their employees.

Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, any clause which sought to prevent an individual from raising a protected whistleblowing disclosure would be illegal and therefore unenforceable.

The NHSScotland staff surveys in 2006, 2008 and 2010 sought staff’s opinions on bullying and harassment in NHSScotland. The 2013 survey, which is currently underway and will run until 5 July 2013, will also address this issue.

The Scottish Government is clear that bullying and harassment is unacceptable. We are continually reviewing our strategies to help boards to deal with it. Since 2007 much has been done across NHSScotland to tackle bullying and harassment in the workplace and to promote expected standards of behaviours. This includes:

Development of the Dignity at work Toolkit;

Review of the Preventing and Dealing with Bullying and Harassment in NHSScotland Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy;

A Dignity at Work Day of Commitment and re-launch of the Dignity at Work Toolkit and guidance, and up to £200,000 available to health boards to further expand the Dignity at Work Toolkit and regular national staff surveys.