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Mr. Yeo : The Government do not have estimates broken down in the way requested.
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions she is making to fund care in the community in the county of Durham ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : The personal social services standard spending assessment for county Durham in 1992-93 is £53.3 million. The county council is responsible for determining its social services priorities and how much is to be spent on community care. Similarly, the relevant health authorities are responsible for deciding how much should be spent on community health services from within their general allocations determined by the regional health authority. Announcements about the funding of community care in 1993 -94 will be made in the context of this year's local government expenditure survey.
Health Education
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current level of expenditure on health education ; and what it was in 1979.
Dr. Mawhinney : It is not possible to calculate overall expenditure on health education because so much health service activity includes both explicit and implicit health education whose costs cannot be separately identified.
The allocation made to the Health Education Authority for health education in England for 1992-93 is nearly £34 million. In 1979-80 the expenditure on health education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Health Education Council was £4.5 million. The Department also provides funding under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 to a large number of voluntary bodies, many of which undertake health education as part of their overall role.
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Childhood Asthma
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been carried out, or is currently being carried out, to see if gas ozone may be an integrated factor in childhood asthma ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : We attach particular importance to maintaining the improvements made in child health and are concerned by the increase in reported cases of childhood asthma.
In 1990 an advisory group was convened by the chief medical officer to look at the short-term health effects of exposure to specific air pollutants. Its first report--"Ozone" (published by HMSO in August 1991)--found that there was no conclusive evidence to show that exposure to ozone or other air pollutants at levels occurring in the United Kingdom cause people to become asthmatic, but recommended that there should be further research. A copy of the report is available in the Library.
The Department has raised this with the Medical Research Council ; the main agency which supports biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom and which in 1990-91--the latest year for which figures are available--spent £1 million on research into asthma. We have also set up a further advisory committee with a wider remit to co-ordinate work on the assessment of the effects of exposure to air pollutants on health.
Investigation
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what limitations there are on where a medical general practitioner may send patients to hospitals for investigation and treatment.
Dr. Mawhinney : We have always made clear that GPs are free to refer their patients to whichever hospital or other unit best meets the needs of the patient. We remain committed to this principle.
Food Hygiene
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she proposes to issue new guidelines and regulations for hygiene training for food handlers arising from the Food Safety Act 1990 ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : The Government are currently considering what the scope of the regulations should be and expect to bring forward proposals later this year.
Patients Charter
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will arrange for an additional right to be added to the patients charter in respect of waitintg times for a first out-patient appointment.
Mr. Sackville : The patients charter already requires that local standards are set for waiting times for first out-patient appointments. We will consider looking at the possibility of extending these to a national level.
Purchasing
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health which district health authorities in England and Wales have entered into a purchasing consortium arrangement.
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Mr. Sackville : This information is not collected centrally. I understand that a number of district health authorities have entered into purchasing consortium arrangements. The latest information available, which reflects the situation up to May 1992, is set out in the table. The list does not include districts that have merged formally or those that have reached informal agreements to purchase particular services. For more up-to-date information the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the regional health authorities concerned. The information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.Column 223
|c|DHA purchasing consorita (by region)|c|
District health authorities |Name of consortium
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yorkshire RHA
Northallerton, Scarborough, York, |North Yorkshire
Harrogate, Airedale (part)
Hull, East Yorkshire |North Humberside
Scunthorpe, Grimsby |South Humberside
Calderdale, Huddersfield, Dewsbury |West Yorkshire
Bradford, Airedale (part) |(no name)
North East Thames RHA
West Essex, North East Essex, Mid Essex |North Essex
Barking, Havering and Brentwood, Southend, |(no name)
and Basildon and Thurrock
South East Thames RHA
Lewisham and North Southwark, |South East London Commissioning Agency
Camberwell, West Lambeth
Dartford and Gravesham, Medway, |West Kent Commissioning Agency
Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells
South East Kent, Canterbury and Thanet |East Kent Commissioning Agency
Greenwich and Bexley |(no name)
Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings |East Sussex
Oxford RHA
Wycombe, Aylesbury Vale, Milton Keynes |Buckingham Purchasing Agency
South Western RHA
Torbay, Plymouth, and North Devon |Devon Management Consortium
Mersey RHA
Southport and Formby, South Sefton, St. |North Mersey
Helen's and Knowsley, Liverpool
Wirral, Warrington, Halton, Chester, Crewe |Wirral/Cheshire
North Western RHA
North, Central and South Manchester |Manchester Purchasing Consortium
Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble DHA |(no name)
with Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale DHA
Other RHAs
None
Incontinence Pads
Mr. Sims : To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances incontinence pads can be supplied against a prescription.
Dr. Mawhinney : Incontinence pads are provided by the hospital and community health services free of charge to NHS patients. They may not be prescribed by general practitioners.
Children's Homes, Staffordshire
Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the social services inspectorate's report of the inspection of children's homes in Staffordshire.
Mr. Yeo : The report is being published today. Copies are available in the Library. The report is clear that some important improvements have been made in the quality of service and the management of children's homes. No evidence was found of practices similar to "pindown". It is also clear, however, that some recommendations from the
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previous inspection in 1990 have not been implemented fully and some standards of care remain unacceptable. I have asked Staffordshire county council to produce a detailed action plan to deal with those matters requiring urgent attention and the social services inspectorate will continue to work closely with the council to ensure that the appropriate action is taken.Dentistry
Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the average gross earnings from the national health service of a dentist if her proposals on dental fees submitted to the dental rates study group are implemented.
Dr. Mawhinney : We estimate £89,300 per dentist.
Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of dentists earned a gross income of over £100,000 in 1991- 92.
Dr. Mawhinney : In 1991-92, 34.8 per cent. of dentists earned a gross NHS income of over £100,000.
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Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will state, in the last three years for which data are available, (a) the actual level of dentists' expenses and (b) the figure allowed for by the dental rates study group.
Dr. Mawhinney : In 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90, the last three years for which data are available, the dental rates study group forecast a level of practice expenses above the actual outturn by £1, 851, or 5.5 per cent., £1,650, or 4.5 per cent., and £1,678, or 4.3 per cent. respectively.
Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of expenses she has proposed to the dental rates study group for dentists in 1992-93 ; and what was the figure in 1991-92.
Dr. Mawhinney : The sum of £47,228 per dentist, an increase of 11.6 per cent. over that allowed for in 1991-92.
Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how average dentists' pay has changed since 1979.
Dr. Mawhinney : Since 1979-80, the target average net income of dentists has increased from £11,128 to £35,815 in the current year, a real terms increase of nearly 33 per cent. Our latest proposals are likely to exceed £35,815 by about £5,000, which would mean a real terms increase of about 51 per cent.
Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the Doctors and Dentists Review Body recommendation for the increase in dentists' income in 1992-93 over 1991-92 ; and what were the corresponding awards to doctors and nurses.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Doctors and Dentists Review Body's recommendation, which the Government accepted in full, increases dentists' pay for 1992-93 by 8.5 per cent. This is the biggest increase for any large group of NHS staff. Doctors--general medical practitioners--were awarded 5.5 per cent. and nurses and midwives 5.8 per cent.
Warrington General Hospital
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list (a) the amount of over or under spending in each of the last five years and (b) the throughput of patients over each of the last five years at Warrington general hospital.
Mr. Sackville : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. D. Hannah, the chairman of Warrington health authority, for details.
NHS Management Bonuses
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the range of financial bonuses available to (a) general and (b) senior managers in the national health service ;
(2) if she will list the criteria used in deciding whether a general or senior manager in the national health service should receive a financial bonus ;
(3) under what circumstances general and senior managers within the national health service may earn financial bonuses in addition to their basic salaries.
Dr. Mawhinney : Financial bonuses may be paid to individual general and senior managers in the national
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health service on the basis of good performance, depending upon the degree to which they meet agreed objectives decided and set locally by their employing authority. In general, payments are based on a proportion of basic salary and can be up to 8 per cent. per annum for general and 6 per cent. per annum for senior managers--subject to cumulative limits.Ethnic Minorities
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital consultants employed by the Northern regional health authority are members of ethnic minorities ; and how many of these are holders of merits awards.
Dr. Mawhinney : This information is not held centrally.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department records the ethnic origin of hospital consultants who hold merit awards ; and if she will make a statement.
Merit Awards
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken towards publishing background information and material defining the basis upon which individual consultants are awarded merit.
Dr. Mawhinney : The leaflet "Consultants' Distinction Awards" was issued in October 1990 to help consultants and managers understand how the National Health Service distinction and meritorious service award scheme works in England and Wales. A copy is available in the Library.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current value of merit awards to the national health service and to North West Durham health authority.
Dr. Mawhinney : In 1990-91, the last year for which complete figures are available, £41,370,322 was paid in distinction awards to consultants in the national health service in England and £31,127 in North West Durham health authority.
North Durham Hospital
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response she has made to the proposals for the siting of the new North Durham hospital ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Sackville : North Durham district health authority and Northern regional health authority are currently considering a number of options for replacing the general hospitals at Dryburn and Shotley Bridge. No formal approach has yet been made by the Northern regional health authority to seek the approval in principle of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for any particular proposal.
Child Care
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to publish the response to the European Council of Ministers' recommendation on child
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care ; and when she intends to draw the recommendation to the attention of local authorities, employers business interests, childcare providers and voluntary organisations.Mr. Yeo : Article 7 of the Council recommendation requires a response by no later than March 1995. We will be discussing how to carry out this work with other Government Departments. It will be drawn to the attention of other interested parties during the coming months.
Tomlinson Report
Mrs. Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to publish the Tomlinson report on health services in London.
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Dr. Mawhinney : Sir Bernard Tomlinson and his team are due to report to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Health and for Education in the autumn. The report will be published shortly afterwards.
South East Thames RHA
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will intervene under regulation 19(4)(b) of the Community Health Council Regulations 1974 (as amended) to require South East Thames regional health authority to carry out further consultations on its capital strategy, "Investing for Excellence in Health."
Mr. Sackville : No. I am satisfied that South East Thames regional health authority has acted properly in this matter.
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