Committee
Health and Community Care Committee, 12 Dec 2000
12 Dec 2000 · S1 · Health and Community Care Committee
Item of business
Petitions
I agree. We have heard the minister speak to her report. The Haemophilia Society has intimated that it is not happy with the report. As things stand, if the minister refuses to meet members of the society—and that appears to be the situation—natural justice demands that we should hear from the Haemophilia Society. That will allow the society to put on record its thoughts about how the report has not gone far enough, which I think will relate to how information was passed on to the people involved. The society will be able to dispute points about chronology and other matters in the report. We must hear the other side of the argument, from the Haemophilia Society.
Hearing from the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service would allow us to clarify some of the screening questions and any other issues that we may hear about from the Haemophilia Society. After that, the committee will have all the information that it will need on which to make decisions on the following questions. First, did the Executive's report go far enough? Secondly, do we want the Executive to do further work?
The screening issue has been brought up late in the day, so we could point that out to the Executive. Further work may be required on the question of non-haemophiliacs who have contracted hepatitis C. We would have to consider whether the committee should suggest that somebody—or ourselves—should take on further work. My gut reaction is that the committee would not do such work.
The committee can decide whether further work is required from the Executive or others only on the basis of evidence from the Haemophilia Society, the SNBTS and the minister. We would decide on an inquiry only when we had covered all the issues and had a chance to ask the main players about them. At the moment, we have heard only the minister's point of view, and we have had to take account of new developments.
I suggest that the committee undertakes to speak to the Haemophilia Society and the SNBTS. After receiving information from them, the committee will be able to decide how to proceed and whether further work is needed from anyone, including the committee. Our view is broad. We have two petitions that cover the haemophilia issue with the SNBTS, the ways in which people are acquiring hepatitis C and the manner in which we have dealt with blood products. The fact that we have two petitions on the matter has already broadened the issue out. Are there any comments from members?
Hearing from the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service would allow us to clarify some of the screening questions and any other issues that we may hear about from the Haemophilia Society. After that, the committee will have all the information that it will need on which to make decisions on the following questions. First, did the Executive's report go far enough? Secondly, do we want the Executive to do further work?
The screening issue has been brought up late in the day, so we could point that out to the Executive. Further work may be required on the question of non-haemophiliacs who have contracted hepatitis C. We would have to consider whether the committee should suggest that somebody—or ourselves—should take on further work. My gut reaction is that the committee would not do such work.
The committee can decide whether further work is required from the Executive or others only on the basis of evidence from the Haemophilia Society, the SNBTS and the minister. We would decide on an inquiry only when we had covered all the issues and had a chance to ask the main players about them. At the moment, we have heard only the minister's point of view, and we have had to take account of new developments.
I suggest that the committee undertakes to speak to the Haemophilia Society and the SNBTS. After receiving information from them, the committee will be able to decide how to proceed and whether further work is needed from anyone, including the committee. Our view is broad. We have two petitions that cover the haemophilia issue with the SNBTS, the ways in which people are acquiring hepatitis C and the manner in which we have dealt with blood products. The fact that we have two petitions on the matter has already broadened the issue out. Are there any comments from members?
In the same item of business
The Convener:
LD
Agenda item 8 is petitions. As I said earlier, this forms a significant part of the work load of the committee. We are always seen as a good target for petit...
Ben Wallace:
Con
I agree. Especially as that review moves into its implementation stages, we need to monitor how epilepsy will be catered for.
The Convener:
LD
So will we maintain a holding position on the issue for the time being, on the basis of what Richard Simpson has suggested?
Members indicated agreement.
The Convener:
LD
The next petition, PE223, is from Mr and Mrs McQuire and calls for the Scottish Parliament to ensure that multiple sclerosis sufferers in Lothian are not den...
Dr Simpson:
Lab
Both the Health Technology Board for Scotland and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence are producing reports. The NICE report has been set back. It...
The Convener:
LD
We might want to comment on the issue on the back of those reports. I suggest that we adopt a holding position in relation to this petition as well. Is that ...
Members indicated agreement.
The Convener:
LD
On the petition about rapeseed crushing, the committee has no comment to make other than to suggest that no action be taken. Is that agreed?
Dorothy-Grace Elder:
SNP
The issue affects a number of people, but I do not know how the Health and Community Care Committee can deal with it. Perhaps the Transport and the Environme...
The Convener:
LD
As you will see from your note, Dorothy-Grace, the Transport and the Environment Committee is leading on the matter. I suggest that this committee should say...
Members indicated agreement.
The Convener:
LD
The next petition, PE148, is from William Brian Anderson on behalf of the Organophosphate Information Network and calls for the Scottish Parliament to invest...
Dr Simpson:
Lab
I believe that this matter is being considered by a Westminster committee. Duplicating that work would not be the best use of our time. It might be better to...
The Convener:
LD
Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
The Convener:
LD
The next petition, PE192, is from Alex Doherty and calls for the Scottish Parliament to order the Mental Welfare Commission to regard all of its records as h...
Dr Simpson:
Lab
It may be that, under the functions of the Mental Welfare Commission, the item should be reviewed. I suggest referring the correspondence to the Millan commi...
The Convener:
LD
Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.
The Convener:
LD
The next petition, PE214, calls on the Scottish Parliament to investigate the current recruitment crisis in the cardiac transplant unit at Glasgow royal infi...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I think that we should keep a watching brief on the matter. Perhaps in February, we should ask the Executive for a progress report, as there are a number of ...
The Convener:
LD
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Ben Wallace:
Con
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Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
It is impossible to say. The number of transplants has declined, but it is impossible to say categorically that that is because the unit has closed; it may b...
The Convener:
LD
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Dorothy-Grace Elder:
SNP
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Margaret Jamieson:
Lab
There is no limbo period for pre- and post-operative care. The situation is as it was before. Only the operations have been transferred. Post-operative care ...
Dorothy-Grace Elder:
SNP
That is the point. The situation may have improved in the past month or two, but the patients group claims that over the months too many post-operative appoi...
Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab):
Lab
We are beginning to stray from the matter before us. We are being asked to do something specific. That is now turning into a trawl of every complaint and con...