Where can I get information on Waiting Times in Scotland? I have been referred to a consultant in my local health board and I want to know how long I will wait for this appointment.

A waiting time is the time it takes for a patient to receive treatment after being referred to hospital.

NHS Scotland uses waiting times to help:

• reduce patient anxiety

• improve the quality of life of patients

• improve the clinical outcomes

• improve the timeliness of treatment.

The length of time a patient will wait depends on the nature and complexity of their condition and how easy it is to diagnose.

A waiting time consists of a series of standards that set the maximum amount of time a patient will wait at each stage in the referral to treatment process

These standards relate to acute hospital care such as for hip or knee surgery or cataract removal. There are other Scottish Government waiting times standards for other areas of care such as cancer.

The current waiting times standards are:

• 18 weeks Referral to Treatment Standard

• 12 weeks for new outpatient appointments

• 6 weeks for the eight key diagnostic tests and investigations

These standards represent the upper limit of how long a patient should expect to wait, the vast majority of patients will be seen sooner.

If you have a specific question about waiting times you direct your question to NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88 which is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, or visit http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/rights/

My lips constantly feel dry so I find myself licking them but this just makes it worse. Is there anything I can do to help prevent dry and cracked lips?

Lips can become chapped or dry when they are exposed to the sun, wind, and cold or dry air. It's very tempting to pick and bite off flakes of dried skin, but this will only make the lips bleed and heal more slowly. Irritating the skin around the mouth may also trigger a cold sore if you're prone to getting them.

It's also tempting to keep licking dry or cracked lips. However, this will only dry your lips more, as the saliva evaporates and the repeated licking or wetting "washes" the natural grease off the skin.

The best thing to do for dry or sore lips is to regularly apply a lip balm containing petroleum or beeswax. You may need to try a few different products before you find one that works for you.

Choose a balm with an additional sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 to help protect your lips in the sun.

A lip balm will act as a shield to protect your lips against the sun, wind, cold or dry air. It will trap in moisture and seal cracks against infection.

Avoid lip balms in pots, as repeatedly dipping your finger into the balm can introduce germs.

Covering your lips with a scarf when you're outside during the winter can also help prevent dry lips.

Lips usually become inflamed as a result of dryness and mild irritation. More serious inflammation can be the result of an infection caused by dirt, bacteria or fungi entering cracks in the dry skin of the lips.

If you have red, sore lips and think they are infected, see your GP. They may prescribe an antibiotic or antifungal cream to treat the infection. This may also contain 1% hydrocortisone (steroid medication) to reduce the inflammation.

What are Cavernomas?

Cavernomas are clusters of abnormal blood vessels mainly found in the brain and spinal cord.

They are sometimes known as cavernous angiomas, cavernous hemangiomas or cerebral cavernous malformations.

A typical cavernoma looks a bit like a blackberry. It is filled with blood that flows slowly through vessels that are like 'caverns'. Cavernomas vary in size from a few millimetres to several centimetres across.

In the UK, only around half of people diagnosed with a cavernoma will have symptoms. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is the most reliable test used to diagnose a cavernoma.

Cavernomas are estimated to occur in about 1 person in 600 without causing any symptoms. And every year, roughly 1 person in every 400,000 in the UK is diagnosed with a cavernoma that has caused symptoms.

Cavernomas sometimes run in families. Every child of someone with inherited cavernomas has a 50% chance of inheriting the condition.

However, for 9 out of 10 people affected by a cavernoma, they occur as a one-off without affecting other family members.

The average age to be diagnosed with a cavernoma in the UK is 40.