« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
SECTION 2 DELIVERING EXCELLENT PUBLIC SERVICES
Improving Public Services
Introduction
This section reports on the Executive's achievements in the areas of Health and Education.
In 2003 we made a commitment to improve the delivery of all devolved public services in Scotland. We have made significant progress, both in the specific services like health and education, and in making service delivery more efficient and effective. We believe that the interests of the pupil, the patient, the passenger and the victim of crime should come first.
In health, we have invested more to recruit and train more doctors, nurses and medical staff. We are investing in new buildings and better equipment. We are leading the UK on developing approaches to hospital cleanliness and infection control. We have set out a new approach for developing an NHS fit for the 21st century in Delivering for Health. We have abolished NHS Trusts and consolidated some special Health Boards, reducing the number of NHS bodies in Scotland from 45 to 22.
In education, we have continued the biggest ever programme of school building and renewal. We are training more teachers and investing to bring class sizes down to improve pupils' attainment.
Our fundamental review of social work services in Scotland which reported in February 2006. Since then we have committed to a five year change programme, Changing Lives, to develop services fit for the 21st century, and aligned this to the principles of public service reform.
In 2003 we said that we wanted to continue the process of reform of public services by bringing forward legislation to improve the effectiveness of health, education, fire, police and criminal justice services. We have done this, putting the needs of those receiving the services first.
We are driving through reform across the public sector, with the guiding principles of increasing personalisation and choice; quality and innovation; efficiency and productivity; joining up; and accountability. We have been promoting a partnership approach to reform, entering into dialogue with public sector bodies and those who use public services, rather than imposing a 'one-size fits all' model. Our Efficient Government plan set out a programme of major efficiency measures, and we continue to work to streamline bureaucracy and funding streams.
Through the introduction of Community Planning we have made it a duty for all those delivering public services in an area to come together and plan those services across the community. Best Value reviews have been rolled out across the public sector, including all agencies. Through these processes of reform we will ensure that bureaucracy is cut to a minimum so that the maximum resources possible are available to deliver improved services for all.
Headline achievements:
- More nurses, doctors, dentists, teachers, classroom assistants and support staff trained and recruited On track to deliver annual efficiencies of £1.5 billion across public services by 2007-08
- Action on the long term issues for the future of Scotland - improving health and improving life chances for all through education
Making a difference:
Hungry for Success
The Hungry for Success food in schools programme is being rolled out across the country, and has been attracting attention internationally. It was used by Jamie Oliver in his approach to the Prime Minister as an example of a policy that is 'light years ahead' of England.
'I remember when we were trying to set our first meeting up with the Government and we were told not to talk about what has happened up in Scotland and I always wondered why and it's because they're light years ahead. There's been some real health issues in Scotland and I think the Government has taken responsibility.'
Jamie Oliver on Radio 4's Food Programme in February 2005
Hungry for Success, introduced in 2003, recommended tough new standards for the provision of school lunches. A free fruit scheme for all Primary 1 & 2 pupils has also been put in place as part of the healthy eating in schools programme. By 2007-08 almost £120 million will have been given to local authorities to aid the implementation of Hungry for Success.
A recent report on Hungry for Success was positive about its implementation in primary and special schools, and identified that steps are being taken to improve links between learning and teaching about healthy eating in the curriculum and food provision in schools. The impact of this positive change was seen in the School Meals Census for 2006 where there was an increase in those taking school meals in primary schools, reversing the trend from previous years.
To build on this success, we have recently announced the introduction of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Bill to Parliament. This will go further, and make health promotion a central purpose of schooling. Schools will actively contribute to the physical and emotional health and well-being of both pupils and staff.
Health
Introduction
Making a difference:
Improving Scotland's health is central to the welfare of our society. That is why we set out in 2003 to tackle the causes of poor health and health inequalities and to invest in the NHS so it could deliver high quality services to patients more quickly.
Since then we have made great strides in helping people live longer healthier lives. The ban on smoking in enclosed public places has been the biggest single advance in public health in a generation. We have introduced free eye and dental checks and made significant progress in tackling Scotland's 'big 3' killer diseases of heart disease, cancer and stroke. But we recognise the need to go further.
In October 2005 we launched our comprehensive long-term plan, Delivering for Health, setting out our response to the challenges posed by Scotland's ageing population, increasing prevalence of illnesses that require long-term care, the continuing rise in emergency admissions to hospital, and the need to tackle persistent health inequalities. We are placing greater emphasis on 'anticipatory care' so that those at greatest risk of ill health receive the services they need.
Access to NHS services has also changed and improved. Anyone contacting their GP surgery now has guaranteed access to a GP, nurse or other health care professional within 48 hours. NHS 24 is the front door to out-of-hour services and is now providing an efficient and effective service for patients.
We have set a target for Accident and Emergency Departments and Community Casualty Units that by the end of 2007 no-one will wait more than four hours from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Excellent progress is being made towards this - by September 2006 90% of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours of arrival at A&E.
Performance on hospital waiting times has been transformed since 2003, with the longest waiting times reduced significantly. The improvement is long term and sustainable, and the NHS is now well on track to deliver the maximum waiting times target of 18 weeks for first outpatient consultations by the end of 2007. The maximum waiting times target of 18 weeks for inpatient and day-case treatment, set for the end of 2007, is expected to be achieved a year early - by 31 December 2006. When we set the original targets in December 2004, thousands of patients had waited over six months for treatment or to see a specialist.
Waits for key diagnostic tests are also coming down as the NHS prepares to meet the 9-week maximum wait target at the end of 2007. November 2006 figures show that the number of patients waiting more than 9 weeks reduced by over a quarter between July and September 2006.
Since 2003 we have made a record investment in staff and facilities with increases in, for instance, the number of nurses, GPs, dentists and hospital consultants. This has been matched with investment in training, new ways of working and the biggest-ever building programme. We have shown our commitment to NHSScotland staff through the implementation of Agenda for Change, developing more flexible working patterns; and new contracts for GPs and consultants.
These investments have led to increases in activity and productivity. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of operations which bring improved quality of life. In 2005-06 NHSScotland performed over 70% more knee-joint replacement operations and almost 24% more hip-joint replacement operations than in 1998-99, as well as an increase of more than a third in the number of cataract operations. In the same period, the number of angioplasties undertaken has increased by 151%.
Headline achievements:
- Banned smoking in enclosed public spaces
- Deaths from Scotland's top three killer diseases down significantly since 1999:
- Deaths from heart disease down by 30%
- Deaths from stroke down by 22%
- Deaths from cancer down by 7%
- Waiting times targets for first outpatient consultations, hospital inpatient and day case treatment and for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease all met - and maintained
- Increased productivity in NHSScotland shown through record numbers of operations and procedures like hip replacements, knee operations and angioplasty to treat heart conditions
- Freeing up hospital beds through action on bed blocking. Since 2002 the number of patients delayed for more than six weeks has reduced by nearly three-quarters
Case study:
Action on waiting times and promoting excellence in the NHS
Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank.
Since being taken into the NHS from the private sector in June 2002, the Golden Jubilee National Hospital has undertaken over 71,000 procedures for NHS patients in Scotland. In 2005-06 it carried out over 28,000 procedures, an increase of 55%, exceeding its target of 25,000 and meeting the target of 28,000 procedures by 2008 two years ahead of schedule. When it was purchased by the Executive for NHSScotland, it carried out only 2,500 procedures a year. Established as Scotland's National Waiting Times Centre, the hospital carries out elective surgery in a range of specialties, minor outpatient procedures and diagnostic tests and imaging services, with patients referred from all over Scotland.
The hospital has new state-of-the-art orthopaedic theatres, which are among the most modern in Europe, and a new laboratory for non-surgical heart treatment, as well as a new diagnostic imaging suite which includes CT and MRI scanners. The hospital is a centre of excellence for orthopaedic surgery and will also become a centre of excellence for heart and lung surgery once the West of Scotland Regional Heart and Lung Centre is established and operational at the hospital during the summer of 2007.
'As the first centre of its kind in the country, the hospital has played a major role in reducing waiting times and improving patient choice.'
Minister for Health and Community Care, Andy Kerr
Education
Introduction
Making a difference:
In 2003 we said that our aim was for every school in Scotland to be an excellent school. This means excellent buildings with excellent facilities and excellent staff, backed by support from local education authorities and HM Inspectors of Education. We have invested record amounts to reach these aims - for the future of our children and the future of Scotland.
We have been leading the way internationally with our education reforms. The innovative synthetic phonics approach to teaching reading and writing was piloted with tremendous results in Clackmannanshire and is now being adopted in England. The Hungry for Success programme has transformed school meals, and is also being copied in England. Our Enterprise in Education programme is drawing international interest from the USA to Australia. Scotland has the highest percentage of schools in Europe who are involved in the Eco Schools programme, with over 70% of schools registered as Eco Schools. International research by the OECD shows that our 15 year olds are amongst the top performing in the world in maths, science and literacy.
In 2003 we said that we would provide more flexible learning and development opportunities to match pupils' experience of education with their individual needs. Wide-ranging reform of the curriculum is being implemented through A Curriculum for Excellence. This will provide a coherent 3-18 curriculum framework. It is designed to facilitate the transitions through the different stages in a pupil's education, in both what children have learned and also in how they learn.
We have continued to make the biggest changes to pre-school education in a generation, allowing earlier intervention. All 3 and 4 year olds now have access to free nursery education. We have changed the way pupils receive extra support to end bureaucratic hurdles and give parents and carers a greater say. We are introducing greater flexibility into the early-years curriculum to encourage more purposeful play in Primary 1. This will introduce more effective learning and teaching methods for this age group, help smooth the transition from nursery to primary and help ease children into more formal schooling techniques.
Headline achievements:
- Largest ever programme of school building and renewal - on track for over 300 schools by 2009. So far over 75,000 pupils have benefited from improved accommodation
- Increased teacher numbers - leading to better pupil to teacher ratios, now down to 17.6:1 in primary schools
- Increased opportunities for school pupils to learn vocational skills
Case study:
School and college links - helping pupils develop skills for work
Colleges help schools in their task of developing the capacities of young people: to enable them to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work.
In May 2005 the Executive published a strategy and guide for school and college partnership Lifelong Partners: Scotland's Schools and Colleges Building the Foundations of a Lifelong Learning Society, describing how college opportunities will be increased and enhanced to give pupils access to high quality experiences and gain full recognition for their learning.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority is developing new practical National Qualifications in vocational subjects. These 'Skills for Work' courses are suitable for S3 pupils and above. They have been piloted in 2005-06 and 2006-07 and will be available nationally in 2007-08. The courses will be delivered mainly through school and college partnerships.
The Executive has made available more than £41 million from 2005-06 to 2007-08 to implement this strategy. This is in addition to existing activity resources of about £19 million a year which colleges devote to school/college activities.
Following receipt of additional funding for school and college partnership Banff and Buchan College created a new, dedicated skills centre in Keith. The Isla Bank Skills Centre opened in August 2006 and will initially be used to deliver programmes solely for pupils from local schools - mainly Keith Grammar School but also including Huntly, Turriff, Buckie and Banff. Over 140 pupils are learning about motor vehicles, fabrication, welding, engineering and a range of construction trades. Some of the courses are being run as part of the Skills for Work pilot. As an essential feature of these courses pupils also develop employability skills, and are given opportunities to review their own skills, abilities and progress.
« Previous | Contents | Next »