How many official visits to NHS hospitals were made by the First Minister in each year since 2001, broken down by hospital.

The Executive is implementinga massive increase in NHS investment, with the biggest building programme in a generation,an increase in frontline health staff and clinical priorities which encourage out-patientand non-hospital based treatment.
We are also committed to improvingthe overall health of all Scots, through encouraging improved lifestyle choiceswith regards to smoking, diet and exercise.
The First Minister and otherministers undertake a wide variety of engagements to drive forward this importantwork, such as visits to hospices, health centres, healthy living initiatives, healthyeating schemes in schools, and research institutes, as well as meetings with keystakeholders.
The following table gives detailsof the 21 specific and officially recorded hospital visits undertaken by the currentFirst Minister since November 2001. In addition to these, the First Minister hasvisited hospitals on a number of occasions in the course of other events, his constituencyduties, and as a private citizen.
Hospital
| Date

Stirling Royal Infirmary
| 29 November 2001

Sick Kids Hospital, Edinburgh
| 23 December 2001

Falkirk Royal Infirmary
| 17 January 2002

Wishaw Hospital
| 1 February 2002

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
| 28 February 2002

Benbecula Hospital
| 22 April 2002

Strathclyde Hospital, Motherwell
| 13 May 2002

HCI Hospital, Clydebank
| 9 August 2002

Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
| 3 October 2002

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
| 4 December 2002

Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
| 11 February 2003

Beatson Institute, Glasgow
| 14 August 2003

Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
| 2 October 2003

Sick Kids Hospital, Edinburgh
| 24 December 2003

Carstairs Hospital
| 9 February 2004

Glasgow Western Infirmary
| 12 May 2004

Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
| 24 May 2004

Erskine Hospital
| 24 January 2005

St Johns Hospital, Livingston
|