| Previous Section | Home Page |
|Number
---------------------
1978 |526
1979 |526
1980 |526
1981 |526
1982 |526
1983 |524
1984 |524
1985 |513
1986 |513
1987 |507
1988 |515
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with how many hospital beds the West Wales
Column 307
general hospital, Glangwili, Carmarthen is staffed, in terms of the number of doctors, nurses, laboratory staff and support services.Mr. Grist : At 31 March 1989 there were 511 available staffed beds at the West Wales general hospital. This figure refers to beds which were either occupied or ready for occupation and therefore may differ from bed complement.
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures for the number of beds at each of the major hospitals covered by the East Dyfed health authority.
Mr. Grist : The bed complement of hospitals in East Dyfed with 100 beds or more, at 31 March 1989, is shown in the table :
---------------------------------
Bronglais general |272
West Wales general |515
Llanelli general |139
Bryntirion |124
St. David's |404
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures for the total number of hospital beds in (a) East Dyfed health authority's catchment area and (b) Wales.
Mr. Grist : At 31 March 1989 the bed complement of hospitals in the East Dyfed health authority area was 1,638. The corresponding figure for Wales was 21,417.
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of people in the catchment areas served by (a) West Wales general hospital Glangwili, Carmarthern and (b) East Dyfed health authority.
Mr. Grist : The total number of people in the catchment area served by East Dyfed health authority is approximately 220,000. The catchment population for West Wales general hospital is not available centrally.
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of private beds in West Wales general hospital, Carmarthen, on 1 January 1979 and on 1 January 1989 ; and what are the projected figures for 1 January 1990.
Mr. Ian Grist : An authorisation permitting a maximum of three beds in West Wales general hospital, Carmarthen, to be occupied by private patients was in effect on 1 January 1979 and remained in effect on 1 January 1989. On 1 June 1989 a group authorisation came into effect for West Wales general hospital, Carmarthen ; Bronglais hospital, Aberystwyth ; and Llanelli hospital ; this replaced the separate limits at each hospital, totalling seven beds, with an equivalent authorisation for a maximum of 2,555 bed days in one year. Authorisations for individual hospitals in East Dyfed are no longer specified.
I understand that the health authority is considering whether to seek a change to the present group authorisation. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to establish the intentions of the health authoriy in this matter he should write to the chairman.
Column 308
EC Aid
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial compensation has been offered to South Glamorgan county council for the loss of grant from the European regional development fund for major infrastructure projects.
Mr. Peter Walker : None. Negotiations with the European Commission on the eligibility of certain categories of expenditure, including infrastructure investments, for European regional development fund support are continuing.
Cadw
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about future management arrangements for Cadw.
Mr. Peter Walker : I have concluded that Cadw should become a candidate for executive agency status within my Department with effect from April 1991. Detailed proposals will now be drawn up in full consultation with the staff involved.
HEALTH
Animal-related Injuries
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions in 1983 and 1988 resulted from accidents or injuries caused by animals.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested is not available centrally.
Children-at-risk Register
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by local authority district the numbers of children on the at-risk register.
Mr. Mellor : This information is published in the "Survey of Children and Young Persons on Child Protection Registers ; year ending 31 March 1988, England", copies of which are available in the Library.
NHS Property Sales
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by year and location for the last 10 years, the number of National Health Service properties that have been sold and then purchased by a private health company.
Mr. Freeman : This information is not available.
Correspondence
Mr. Mudd : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter of 17 July to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) concerning matters raised by Mr. Richard Pearn, of 15 Chapel close, Kehelland, Camborne, Cornwall.
Mr. Freeman : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health has now written to my hon. Friend.
Column 309
Hospitals (Red Alert)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long Whipps Cross hospital and Wanstead hospital have been on red alert ; for what reasons ; what are the implications for services to patients ; if he will ensure that the alert is lifted before the onset of the winter months ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : The number of emergency admissions to Whipps Cross hospital increased by up to 35 per cent. from mid-August to early October. To maintain in-patient services for emergency and urgent admissions it was necessary to restrict some planned admissions. To do this Waltham district health authority issued a red warning from 3 October to 16 October 1989. This has led to some patients experiencing delays in their planned admissions.
The health authority has plans to allocate beds flexibly to deal with the increased winter workload. This has been the procedure in the last two years.
Child Minders
Mrs. Maureen Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the average time being taken by local authorities social services departments to approve the registration of child-minders.
Mr. Mellor : We do not hold centrally information about the time taken to register child-minders.
AIDS
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, following the health circular HC(88)43 reference to ensuring that full use is made of family planning services as a resource in combating AIDS, those health authorities in England who have (a) allocated separate budgets for this work, (b) initiated staff training programmes and (c) plan to review both written and verbal information given to clients about HIV/AIDS.
Mr. Mellor : We do not collect this information centrally.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what purposes the Macfarlane trust has made grants to haemophiliacs suffering from AIDS ;
Column 310
(2) how many haemophiliacs have applied for grants from the Macfarlane trust ; how many applications have been successful ; and how many were refused because their financial resources were considered to be too high ;(3) how much of the £10 million provided by the Government have been distributed by the Macfarlane trust to haemophiliacs who have developed AIDS ; and how much money remains.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 19 October 1989] : It is for the trustees to allocate funds in the way which they consider best meets the needs of those eligible for assistance within the terms of the trust deed.
I understand, however, that in the period up to the 31 August 1989 the trust made 1,600 single payments totalling around £0.9 million and 578 regular payments totalling around £1 million. The single grants have been made for a wide variety of purposes covering needs arising from reasons of physical health and mental stress, general living conditions, mobility and travel, accommodation, employment and education. Regular payments help with the extra cost of living with HIV, principally diet and heating. Should the right hon. Member wish to know more detail I suggest he contact the trust administrator.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will request the Macfarlane trust to consider giving grants for legal fees that have arisen solely because haemophiliacs have become infected with the AIDS virus ;
(2) what advice or instructions were given to the Macfarlane trust regarding the imposition and level of means test to be applied to haemophiliac victims of AIDS ;
(3) what means test is applied by the Macfarlane trust to haemophiliac sufferers of AIDS ; and if he will publish the income and capital limits in the Official Report.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 19 October 1989] : The Macfarlane Trust is an independent charitable trust. It is a matter for the trustees, and not the Department, to determine within the provisions of the trust deed the criteria for allocating funds. A copy of that deed is in the House Library. I understand that the trust considers it inappropriate to help with legal fees incurred by haemophiliacs with HIV who wish to pursue claims for compensation. Those who consider themselves in need of assistance can apply for legal aid in the normal way.
Column 311
Health in Old Age
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the three component parts of the health in old age programme.
Mr. Freeman : The four component parts of the health in old age programme of the Health Education Authority are :
i. the Centre for Health and Retirement Education ;
ii. the Age Well Campaign ;
iii. the King's Fund Informal Carers Project ; and
iv. the production of a series of leaflets.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department funds any programmes designed to promote better health in later life other than the health in old age programme.
Mr. Freeman : The Department funds a number of voluntary organisations under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, which in various ways promote the physical and mental well-being of elderly people. Among them is "Extend", an organisation concerned with exercise training and fitness for elderly and disabled people.
We also finance the Keep Warm Keep Well campaign, which is organised jointly by the Government and leading voluntary organisations.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total annual cost of funding each component part of the health in old age programme ; and what is the total cost of funding the entire programme.
Mr. Freeman : The total cost of funding the entire health in old age programme in 1989-90 is £342,000. The breakdown of this is : grant to centre for health and retirement education £117,000 ; support for the King's Fund Informal Carers Project £92,000 ; funding of the Age Well campaign £83,000 ; and £50,000 for the production of leaflets. The funding for the Age Well campaign includes £30,000 from the retail price index error funds and is paid direct to Age Well by the Department of Health.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority his Department is giving to the promotion of good health in later life.
Mr. Freeman : The Government remain strongly committed to the promotion of good health in later life, and accept the Health Education Authority's view that this commitment will in future be served by ensuring that all their relevant programmes address the health education needs of elderly people.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the Health Education Authority's budget is allocated to funding the health in old age programme.
Mr. Freeman : For 1989-90, just over 2 per cent. (£312,000) of the Health Education Authority's non-AIDS budget is allocated to the health in old age programme. This is additional to the significant contributions to a healthy and active old age made by the authority's other health education programmes.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received regarding the future funding of the health in old age programme ;
Column 312
(2) what representations he has received regarding the health in old age programme.Mr. Freeman : The Department has received a total of 35 representations from organisations and individuals concerned with elderly people in relation to the operation and future funding of the health in old age programme.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the continued development of the health in old age programme.
Mr. Freeman : In its strategic plan for the next five years, the Health Education Authority (HEA) proposes to take forward the health education needs of the elderly as an integral part of its work on other programmes rather than as a separate programme. This will ensure that the needs of the elderly are taken into account at all stages of development of health education work. We have now approved HEA's strategic plan.
Family Planning
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women attended (a) their general practitioner and (b) a National Health Service family planning clinic for family planning advice and treatment in England in 1987 and 1988.
Mr. Mellor : The number of women receiving contraceptive services from general medical practitioners in England is estimated at 2,555, 000 in 1987 and 2,635,000 in 1988. These figures reflect the position at the end of the calendar year and include women accepted for contraceptive services by a general practitioner other than their own.
In the financial year 1987-88 in England 1,318,800 women were seen at health authority planning clinics. We do not yet have figures for 1988-89.
Child Abuse
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of training support programme moneys for multi- disciplinary training in the context of child abuse ; to whom such moneys are paid ; and what monitoring is taking place to ensure that such moneys are financing training for all relevant disciplines.
Mr. Mellor : Grant is payable to local authorities at the rate of 70 per cent. for agreed expenditure under the training support programme (child care) which is intended primarily for training staff of social services departments. However ; local authorities are encouraged to make places available on courses funded under the training support programme to staff from other agencies (statutory or non-statutory). Local authorities may also use this grant to develop the social services department's contribution to the
multi-disciplinary training responsibilities of area child protection committees.
Arrangements have been made to monitor the use of the grant by local social services departments. Reports on achievements by social services departments are scheduled for return to the Department of Health after completion of the first year of the programme.
Infertility
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many district health authorities provide dedicated infertility clinics ;
Column 313
(2) if he will list private clinics in each region which offer in vitro fertilisation ;(3) if he will list those private clinics, in each region, which offer artificial insemination by donor or husband ;
(4) in which regions an in vitro fertilisation service is provided ;
(5) which health authorities (a) provide a service for artificial insemination by donor or by husband and (b) do not.
Mr. Mellor : We do not hold this information centrally.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidance to district health authorities to establish dedicated infertility clinics.
Mr. Mellor : No. Decisions about the priority and resources to be given to infertility services should be left to individual health authorities. This is the case with nearly all NHS services, since health authorities are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances.
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he intends to introduce legislation which will require married couples, partners or unmarrid women to go through strict vetting procedures, similar to those carried out prior to adoption, before treatment by artificial insemination ;
(2) whether he has any proposals for regulations to cover full and extensive medical examination of would-be donors of sperm for artificial insemination.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 19 October 1989] : The Government's proposals for the regulation of certain infertility treatments, including artificial insemination by donor, were set out in the White Paper "Human Fertilisation and Embryology : A Framework for Legislation". We intend to introduce legislation to deal with these matters at the earliest opportunity.
Embryo Research
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to give the voluntary licensing authority on embryo research a statutory basis.
Mr. Mellor : The Government's proposals for dealing with the issue of embryo research are set out in the White Paper "Human Fertilisation and Embryology : A Framework for Legislation". We intend to bring forward legislation in this area at the earliest opportunity.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health which clinics have had their licence from the voluntary licensing authority for embryo research withdrawn or suspended ; and what were the reasons given in each case.
Generic Medicines
Mr. Michael Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of generic medicines dispensed in National Health Service hospitals were (a) manufactured in the United Kingdom, (b) manufactured within the European Community and (c) manufactured outside the European Community, in respect of each of the years from 1980 onwards.
Column 314
Mr. Mellor : We do not hold this information centrally.
Spectacles
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of spectacle frames were imported in 1979 and each succeeding year ;
(2) what proportion of spectacle lenses were imported in 1979 and each succeeding year.
Mr. Freeman : Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, the value of imports of spectacle glass and frames in the period from 1979 to 1988--the latest year for which figures are available--is shown in the table.
|£ million
------------------------------
1979 |29.0
1980 |29.0
1981 |26.6
1982 |36.6
1983 |37.8
1984 |47.4
1985 |61.1
1986 |63.2
1987 |76.8
1988 |81.9
Warrington DHA
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the spending per head of the population served by Warrington district health authority in the latest available year ; and, what is the figure per head, on the most nearly comparable basis for (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 28 July 1989] : Figures for spending per head of resident population for 1987-88 (the latest year available) are shown in the table :
Revenue expenditure per head of resident
population-hospital and
community health services (HCHS)<1>
|£
------------------------------------------------------------
Warrington district health authority |265
England-average for all district health authorities |227
United Kingdom |238
<1> Includes hospital, community health, patient transport (
i.e. ambulance), blood transfusion and other services.
Sources
(a) 1987-88 annual accounts of district health authorities
in England and those of the analogous health authorities,
boards and agencies in Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland-as submitted to the central health department in
each country.
(b) Mid-year estimates of populations-1987 (Office of
Population Censuses and Surveys)
Notes to the table
1. Capital expenditure on HCHS is excluded. Expenditure on
family practitioner services (which cannot be strictly
attributed to particular districts) and expenditure on
personal social services (which in Northern Ireland is
accounted for by health and social services boards) is also
excluded.
2. Comparisons between the figures are influenced by a
number of factors including:-
(a) people travel across district boundaries for treatment
and resource allocations reflect the pattern of service
provision locally;
(b) the population figures used make no allowance for
people resident in one district who receive treatment in
another or for differences in morbidity and age sex
structure of particular populations.
Column 315
Foetal Tissue
Miss Widdecombe : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangement he has made for consultations on the recommendations of the Polkinghorne committee on foetal tissue.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 19 October 1989] : The committee reported in July and its main recommendations were accepted by the Government. Given the speed of recent developments in the field we decided to promulgate its new code of practice on the use of foetal tissue for research and treatment without delay. We are now taking forward the committee's other recommendations.
Grading Appeals (Trent RHA)
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many grading appeals have so far been considered by the Trent regional health authority ; how many remain to be heard ; and what is his estimate of the date by which the hearing of those appeals will be completed.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 19 October 1989] : Requests for regional appeals are handled by the regional appeals committee secretariat of the general Whitley council in accordance with an agreement of the general Whitley council. I presume the hon. Member is referring to appeals about nurse clinical grading. I understand that to date 346 appeals for hearing by the Trent regional health authority have been lodged with the secretariat. As soon as full statements of case are to hand, hearings can be arranged by the regional health authority. I understand that no cases are yet ready for hearing. I can offer no estimate of how long it will take for any particular regional appeal to be heard, but I know that regional health authorities will make every effort to operate the appeals process as quickly as they are able.
Nurses (Grading Appeals)
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has considered the effect of the changes in the composition of health authorities in regard to the hearing of appeals against decisions in regard to the grading of nurses.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 19 October 1989] : NHS appeals procedures are a matter for the general Whitley council which of course keeps under review the need for any change.
| Next Section
| Home Page |