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Column 537
HEALTH
Health Authority Managers
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many managers were in post in each health authority and health trust in England in 1990-91 and 1992-93 ; and what was the total cost in each year.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information available will be placed in the Library. The figures need to be treated with considerable caution. The number of managers has been deliberately increased since the mid-1980s--not just since the reforms--because the service was previously undermanaged. Much of the increase shown in the table, however, arises from the reclassification of existing staff, including many senior nurses, as managers.
Children (Birth Defects)
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in the northern region have been born with a defective hand in each year since 1989 and if she will also list the name of the village or town of each child.
Mr. Sackville : The information is shown in the table.
The numbers of children born with a
defective hand <1>(ICDs 755.0, 755.1,
755.2, 755.4, 755.5, 755.8, 755.9)
notified to OPCS in each year 1989 to
1992 for the Northern Regional Health
Authority and individual district
health authorities
|1989|1990|1991|1992
-------------------------------------------
Northern RHA |45 |33 |47 |34
Hartlepool |1 |2 |1 |3
North Tees |1 |0 |2 |1
South Tees |4 |4 |3 |4
East Cumbria |2 |0 |1 |2
South Cumbria |3 |0 |2 |5
West Cumbria |0 |3 |1 |2
Darlington |1 |0 |4 |0
Durham |4 |4 |1 |0
North West Durham |2 |3 |0 |1
South West Durham |6 |2 |4 |3
Northumberland |3 |3 |9 |2
Gateshead |1 |3 |2 |5
Newcastle |8 |3 |6 |2
North Tyneside |3 |2 |2 |1
South Tyneside |1 |1 |4 |1
Sunderland |5 |3 |5 |2
<1> ICD ninth revision international
classification of disease code.
The data are presented according to
districts in order to protect the
confidentiality of individuals.
We have great sympathy for the parents of children who are born with limb defects. It is unfortunate that in the present state of scientific knowledge the causes of most defects of this kind are not known. We are aware of the need for a prompt and thorough investigation into the reports of unexpectedly high occurrences of birth defects.
The investigation of recently suspected or reported clusters of limb reduction defects has been initiated by district health authorities, through directors of public health, who are taking expert advice, in concert with the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. For the last 30 years OPCS has maintained a national monitoring system for collecting data about malformations among newborn babies.
OPCS is currently conducting a national analysis of limb reduction defects to scrutinise the geographical
Column 538
pattern. This should be completed within a few weeks. The Department, with OPCS, is in discussion with the environmental epidemiology unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which also incorporates the small area statistics unit, to identify and make provision for the additional expertise that may be required.The results of these investigations will be considered carefully and decisions about any further action that might be necessary will be made as quickly as possible.
Hospital Staff (Redundancies)
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of redundancies among national health service hospital staff (a) by grade and (b) by reason for each year since 1988-89.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is not available centrally.
Psychiatric Care
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory admissions to psychiatric hospital took place in each year since 1979.
Mr. Bowis : The information requested is shown in the table.
|Informal |Formal
|admissions|admissions
--------------------------------------------
1979 |171,440 |17,849
1980 |184,076 |18,514
1981 |192,340 |18,571
1982 |194,584 |17,959
1983 |207,132 |16,918
1984 |216,183 |16,361
1985 |226,331 |17,287
1986 |226,459 |16,696
1987-88 |226,952 |16,777
1988-89 |213,228 |17,240
1989-90 |222,924 |17,312
Notes:
Figures shown for 1979-86 were collected by
the mental health enquiry from all mental
illness and mental handicap hospitals and
units and include figures from special
hospitals and private mental nursing homes.
These were based on calendar years. From
1987-88, the figures refer to financial
year and were collected on forms KH15-from
all NHS facilities-and KO37-from private
nursing homes-and also directly from the
Special Hospitals Service Authority.
Mental Health Budget
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total mental health budget in each year since 1979.
Mr. Bowis : Information is not available in the precise form requested. The table shows the estimated total hospital and community health services expenditure in cash and constant price terms in England on mentally ill people for each year from 1978-79 to 1991-92, the latest year for which this information is available.
Expenditure on mentally ill people in
hospital and community health
services (England)<1>
(£) million
Year |Cash |1991-92
|Prices<2>
----------------------------------------
1978-79 |490 |1,311
1979-80 |593 |1,359
1980-81 |775 |1,501
1981-82 |860 |1,519
1982-83 |916 |1,511
1983-84 |965 |1,521
1984-85 |1,029 |1,544
1985-86 |1,077 |1,531
1986-87 |1,149 |1,587
1987-88 |1,302 |1,707
1988-89 |1,557 |1,913<3>
1989-90 |1,662 |1,910<3>
1990-91 |1,785 |1,898<3>
1991-92 |2,085 |2,085<4>
<1> Figures include direct patient
treatment costs and indirect costs such
as hospital administration.
<2> After allowing for general
inflation.
<3> Figures from 1988-89 include
expenditure on mental illness in and
out-patients, day patients and
community mental illness nursing. Prior
to 1988-89, expenditure on community
mental illness nursing was not
separately identified, and was included
with district nursing services.
<4> Figures are not comparable with
earlier years due to significant
changes to accounting policies,
following the introduction of the
internal market.
GP Fundholders
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the extent of over or under-spending on general practitioner fundholder budgets for 1992-93 in each family health services authority and national health service region ; and what sums were retained or returned by general practitioner fundholders in each case.
Dr. Mawhinney : Regional level information will not be available until all fundholder accounts have been audited and local arrangements for the voluntary return of savings have been completed. Local information, at family health services authority level, is not collected centrally.
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many fundholding practices there are in the Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark FHSA ; and if she will list them with the amount of financial surplus for each practice for 1992-93.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Austin-Walker) on 3 February at column 856 .
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average reimbursement to general practitioners for salaries for all staff in each year since 1990-91 excluding the general practitioner fundholding management allowance.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 21 January at column 888 .
Prescription Pricing Authority
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many whole-time equivalent staff were employed by the Prescription Pricing Authority in each year since 1990 ; and what were the locations of their employment ;
(2) whether any part of the activities of the Prescription Pricing Authority is to be subjected to market testing in 1994-95 ; (3) what plans she has to change the structure, organisation or functions of the Prescription Pricing Authority.
Column 540
Dr. Mawhinney : The numbers of whole-time equivalent staff employed by the Prescription Pricing Authority at each location are :
|1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newcastle upon Tyne |738.7 |742.0 |747.8 |<1>1071.1
Durham |177.1 |170.1 |165.5 |161.8
Wakefield |163.4 |160.4 |168.6 |165.1
Preston |90.9 |89.3 |90.8 |88.0
Liverpool |119.1 |123.7 |126.8 |127.9
Sheffield |126.0 |126.0 |128.2 |128.5
Manchester |122.2 |125.3 |130.5 |128.2
West Bromwich |123.3 |160.5 |130.5 |132.9
Bolton |164.6 |164.7 |188.7 |195.2
|---- |---- |---- |----
Total |1,825.3 |1,862.0 |1,877.4 |<1>2,198.7
<1>Includes 314.5 seconded Department of Social Security whole-time
equivalent staff formerly employed in the health benefits unit-which
became part of the Prescription Pricing Authority on 1 April 1993.
There are no plans to change the functions of the Prescription Pricing Authority. Any changes to the structure or organisation of the authority will depend upon the results of its market-testing programme.
Initially five areas of activity have been identified for market testing : prescription processing ; management and maintenance of the authority's estate ; mainframe computer support ; security, portering, catering and central administrative services ; and information division processing support. A rolling programme of market testing is well under way, with contracts for prescription processing due to be let by April 1995. Contracts for other services will follow, with the current programme completed by March 1996. Testing of remaining areas of the authority's work will then be considered.
Dental Health (Children)
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each health authority in the country in order of the dental health of their children, with such information as is available in relation to the flourine level of the water in each area ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : Statistics on dental health for health authorities are not available centrally. The most recent dental caries prevalence surveys of children by health authorities was carried out during 1991-92. Details of the average number of decayed, missed or filled teeth of five- year-olds and the percentage of the population receiving fluoridated water supplies in each district surveyed is contained in briefing produced by the British Flouridation Society. The information is based on surveys collated by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry, copies of which will be placed in the Library.
Cancer Research
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals or medical research institutions, including universities, are currently conducting research under what contracts placed by her Department into cancer causation by use of modified viruses ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Department holds no contracts to fund any research into cancer studies by use of modified viruses.
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Ethnic Minority Staff
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the percentage of ethnic minority staff at the management executive and her Department in each year since 1990-91.
Mr. Sackville : The percentage of ethnic minority staff in the Department, which includes the National Health Service Management Executive, on 1 April each year since 1990-91 is :
|Per cent.
------------------------------
1990-91 |9.8
1991-92 |12.9
1992-93 |14.9
1993-94 |15.6
<1> Based on the response to
the Department's ethnic
origin survey.
Comparative data are not available for the NHS Management Executive, but at 7 February 1994 the percentage was 5.9.
Ambulance Service, Northumbria
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the responses to emergency calls of Northumbria ambulance trust were met within the (a) rural and (b) urban standards ; and what percentage of such calls within the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear area were met within the urban standard.
Mr. Sackville : The performance of the Northumbria ambulance service national service trust is measured centrally against the 19-minute national patients charter emergency response time standard for rural ambulance services. In 1992-93 Northumbria ambulance service achieved the standard in 99 per cent. of cases. Information covering the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear is not collected centrally.
The Northumbria ambulance service NHS trust has, however, been contracted locally to meet the more stringent, 14-minute, urban response time. This standard has also been achieved consistently, despite a 15 per cent. increase in emergency calls last year.
Sunderland General Hospital (Parking)
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paid for car parking spaces there are at the Sunderland general hospital ; what is the revenue from car parking spaces ; what further car parking spaces are to be created ; what contingency plans are available when all the car parking spaces are full ; and whether the staff use the car parking spaces.
Mr. Sackville : This is a matter for the district health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. George Bedell, chairman of the Sunderland district health authority, for details.
Health Care, Sheffield
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the land and buildings that are at present in the ownership, of the regional health authority in the Sheffield area.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been spent within the Sheffield health authority
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area on work undertaken for or on behalf of Community Health Sheffield shadow trust on capital developments, including minor works in the 1993-94 financial year and the estimated expenditure in the 1994-95 financial year, within Community Health Sheffield arising from or consequent on such work for managerial, administrative and clerical facilities ; and if she will make a statement.Mr. Sackville : These are matters for Trent regional health authority. The hon. Members may wish to contact Sir Michael Carlisle, the chairman, for details.
Waiting Times
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by specialty for each trust in the Thames regions the average waiting time for a first appointment with a specialist and the average waiting time from the first appointment to subsequent treatment.
Dr. Mawhinney : Information on waiting times to first out-patient appointment is not yet collected. The last year for which figures are available by specialty on average waiting time from first out-patient appointment to subsequent treatment is 1991-92 and they were collected by district health authority and not by trust.
Prescription Charges
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times prescription charges have been raised since 1979 ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Helen Zeitlin
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what correspondence she has received relating to the case of Dr. Helen Zeitlin ; what action she will take to ensure that a prompt and fair settlement is reached between Dr. Zeitlin, the Alexandra hospital and the health authority ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : Two letters have been received in recent months. In November 1992 Dr. Zeitlin won her appeal against dismissal and was subsequently reinstated. Any current issues relating to her employment are a matter between Dr. Zeitlin and her employer.
Midwives
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the percentage of front line ambulances by region which have a paramedic able to support a midwife in an emergency.
Mr. Sackville : The Government have set a target for every front- line ambulance to have a paramedic by the end of 1995. It is not known how many paramedics are able to support a midwife in an emergency at present, but training in this area is being developed.
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by region how many midwives have worked in the national health service for each of the last five years ; how many midwives by region have direct access to beds in maternity units ; and how many women delivered in a maternity unit are admitted under the management of the midwife.
Column 543
Mr. Sackville : The information regarding the number of midwives working in the national health service for each of the last five years is shown in the table.
Information regarding the number of midwives who have access to beds in maternity units and the number of women delivered in maternity units who are admitted under the management of the midwife is not collected in the form requested.
Hospital and community midwives by region in England 1988-92
At September (excluding agency)
Whole-time equivalent
|1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hospital midwives
Northern |1,060 |1,030 |1,040 |1,070 |1,160
Yorkshire |1,270 |1,280 |1,300 |1,280 |1,260
Trent |1,330 |1,360 |1,400 |1,390 |1,410
East Anglian |610 |600 |600 |580 |550
North West Thames |940 |950 |960 |910 |890
North East Thames |1,300 |1,270 |1,340 |1,350 |1,420
South East Thames |810 |610 |1,070 |1,030 |1,090
South West Thames |830 |840 |790 |860 |1,120
Wessex |910 |910 |900 |900 |890
Oxford |780 |800 |830 |850 |790
South Western |780 |970 |950 |860 |900
West Midlands |1,730 |1,770 |1,850 |1,800 |1,890
Mersey |780 |850 |890 |890 |900
North Western |1,720 |1,650 |1,680 |1,710 |1,760
Special Health Authorities |150 |140 |60 |70 |70
England |14,990|15,040|15,660|15,540|16,090
Community midwives
Northern |260 |260 |240 |240 |240
Yorkshire |340 |350 |350 |340 |340
Trent |490 |490 |480 |490 |490
East Anglian |220 |210 |210 |210 |190
North West Thames |240 |250 |250 |220 |200
North East Thames |280 |300 |270 |240 |240
South East Thames |230 |170 |330 |280 |290
South West Thames |200 |210 |190 |180 |230
Wessex |250 |240 |240 |240 |250
Oxford |180 |180 |180 |180 |180
South Western |240 |240 |280 |330 |340
West Midlands |480 |480 |460 |420 |480
Mersey |240 |230 |230 |220 |220
North Western |460 |460 |470 |490 |440
Special Health Authorities |10 |10 |20 |20 |20
England |4,110 |4,070 |4,200 |4,100 |4,160
-------
Community and Hospital Total |19,090|19,110|19,860|19,640|20,250
Source: HAP(STATS)B non-medical work force census.
Notes:
1. Figures are independently rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time
equivalents.
2. England totals may not equal the sum of components due to rounding.
FHSAs (Dental Services)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family health services authorities have been unable to provide emergency dental services in each month since July 1992.
Dr. Mawhinney : I shall let the hon. Member have such information as is available as soon as possible.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have contacted each FHSA asking for help in finding a dentist in each month since July 1992.
Column 544
Dr. Mawhinney : The information will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many FHSAs have referred patients who have been unable to obtain treatment from a general dental practitioner to (a) the community dental service, (b) the hospital dental service and (c) a salaried dentist, in each month since July 1992.
Dr. Mawhinney : The available information is shown in the table.
Total number of Family Health Services Authorities referring patients to either Community Dental Service, Hospital Dental Service or a salaried dentist since July 1992<1> England Week ending |FHSAs ------------------------------------------ 3 July 1992 |20 10 July 1992 |23 17 July 1992 |19 24 July 1992 |18 31 July 1992 |22 7 August 1992 |26 14 August 1992 |21 21 August 1992 |24 28 August 1992 |25 4 September 1992 |23 11 September 1992 |26 18 September 1992 |23 25 September 1992 |24 2 October 1992 |22 9 October 1992 |24 16 October 1992 |23 23 October 1992 |24 30 October 1992 |26 6 November 1992 |28 13 November 1992 |28 20 November 1992 |27 27 November 1992 |25 4 December 1992 |26 11 December 1992 |27 18 December 1992 |27 25 December 1992 |- 1 January 1993 |- 8 January 1993 |25 15 January 1993 |28 22 January 1993 |31 29 January 1993 |30 5 February 1993 |25 12 February 1993 |26 19 February 1993 |30 26 February 1993 |28 5 March 1993 |27 12 March 1993 |28 19 March 1993 |27 26 March 1993 |25 2 April 1993 |25 9 April 1993 |25 16 April 1993 |25 23 April 1993 |23 30 April 1993 |28 7 May 1993 |26 14 May 1993 |27 21 May 1993 |24 28 May 1993 |26 4 June 1993 |24 11 June 1993 |27 18 June 1993 |25 25 June 1993 |27 2 July 1993 |23 9 July 1993 |25 16 July 1993 |26 23 July 1993 |26 30 July 1993 |25 6 August 1993 |25 13 August 1993 |23 20 August 1993 |26 27 August 1993 |22 3 September 1993 |24 10 September 1993 |25 17 September 1993 |26 24 September 1993 |24 1 October 1993 |25 8 October 1993 |27 15 October 1993 |27 22 October 1993 |26 29 October 1993 |22 5 November 1993 |25 12 November 1993 |26 19 November 1993 |24 26 November 1993 |26 3 December 1993 |27 10 December 1993 |28 17 December 1993 |29 24 December 1993 |- 31 December 1993 |- 7 January 1994 |25 14 January 1994 |29 21 January 1994 |29 28 January 1994 |30 4 February 1994 |31 <1>Data were not collected over the Christmas and new year period.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many FHSAs have appointed salaried dentists ; and how many dentists have been appointed.
Dr. Mawhinney : There are currently 92 salaried dentists employed by 22 family health services authorities.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have given written notice to each FHSA to remove their name from the dental list since July 1992.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is shown in the table. The total number of dentists who have given written notice to family health services authorities to remove their names from the dental list since July 1992 is 297. A total of 347 dentists were added to the lists in the period 30 June 1992 to 30 September 1993.
Number of dentists who have given written notice to remove their name
from the dental list since July 1992, by Family Health Services Authority
England
Family Health |Number of
Services Authority
|dentists
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
England |297
Cleveland |-
Cumbria |-
Durham |-
Northumberland |-
Gateshead |-
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |-
North Tyneside |-
South Tyneside |-
Sunderland |-
Humberside |3
North Yorkshire |-
Bradford |-
Calderdale |16
Kirklees |-
Leeds |-
Wakefield |3
Derbyshire |-
Leicestershire |-
Lincolnshire |-
Nottinghamshire |-
Barnsley |-
Doncaster |-
Rotherham |-
Sheffield |-
Cambridgeshire |-
Norfolk |3
Suffolk |-
Bedfordshire |-
Hertfordshire |-
Barnet |-
Brent and Harrow |-
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow |1
Hillingdon |-
Kensington, Westminster and Chelsea |1
Essex |3
Barking and Havering |29
Camden and Islington |-
City and East London |42
Enfield and Haringey |30
Redbridge and Waltham Forest |-
East Sussex |13
Kent |35
Greenwich and Bexley |21
Bromley |13
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham |13
Surrey |1
West Sussex |-
Croydon |5
Kingston and Richmond |-
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth |16
Dorset |-
Hampshire |2
Wiltshire |-
Isle of Wight |-
Berkshire |-
Buckinghamshire |-
Northamptonshire |-
Oxfordshire |1
Avon |-
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly |1
Devon |1
Gloucestershire |-
Somerset |3
Hereford and Worcester |-
Shropshire |-
Staffordshire |-
Warwickshire |-
Birmingham |-
Coventry |-
Dudley |1
Sandwell |-
Solihull |-
Walsall |-
Wolverhampton |1
Cheshire |-
Liverpool |-
St. Helens and Knowsley |-
Sefton |4
Wirral |1
Lancashire |-
Bolton |16
Bury |-
Manchester |1
Oldham |-
Rochdale |-
Salford |2
Stockport |3
Tameside |1
Trafford |11
Wigan |-
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists who have not given notice to leave the dental list have given written notice to the FHSA to deregister some or all of their continuing care arrangements for adult patients in each month since July 1992 ; how many dentists have deregistered patients ; and how many patients have been deregistered.
Column 547
Dr. Mawhinney : Tables will be placed in the Library which show for each month the number of dentists in contract with each family health services authority who have deregistered adult patients and the total number of adult patients deregistered since July 1992. Where dentists hold contracts with more than one FHSA, the numbers of dentists quoted could include duplications. The information provided weekly by FHSAs since July 1992 shows that in the period up to 4 February 1994, 2,513 dentists gave written notification to deregister 629,318 adult patients.
Despite these notified deregistrations, the total number of adult patients registered with a dentist in England increased by over 1 million--4.96 per cent.--from 20.580 million to 21.601 million over the period 1 July 1992 to 30 November 1993.
Dental Treatment (Costs)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average cost per adult patient for each course of dental treatment in 1992- 93.
Dr. Mawhinney : The average cost per course of dental treatment for an adult patient in 1992-93 was £34.77.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nursing mothers and (b) pregnant women received dental treatment in 1990- 91, 1991-92 and 1992-93 ; and what was the average cost per patient in each case.
Dr. Mawhinney : Information on the number of nursing mothers and pregnant women who received dental treatment in these years is not available. Figures for the number of courses of treatment received by women in these two categories are shown in the table. Data are not available for 1990-91.
The table shows the average cost per course of treatment for nursing mothers and pregnant women in each year. This is defined as the gross fee received by the dentist for the course of treatment. Pregnant women and nursing mothers are exempt from dental charges.
General dental services: number of courses of treatment and average
cost for expectant and nursing mothers<1>
1990-91-1992-93
England
Number of courses Average cost per
of course of
Year |Expectant |Nursing |Expectant |Nursing
|mothers |mothers |mothers (£)|mothers (£)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991-92 |452,555 |665,310 |33.31 |45.24
1992-93 |443,922 |672,609 |31.84 |42.69
<1> Mothers aged 18 and over.
<2> The cost is the gross fee received by the dentist for the course of
treatment.
<3> Dental fees were reduced by 7 per cent. in July 1992.
Self-governing Trusts
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy that staff and their representatives are involved in the agreement and determination of performance-related pay schemes in self- governing trusts.
Dr. Mawhinney : This is a matter for national health service trusts to decide locally.
Column 548
Racal Healthlink Service
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data is transferred between health regions and districts through the Racal Healthlink service.
Mr. Sackville : The Racal Healthlink service was set up primarily to link the primary health care services and associated national bodies : family health services authorities ; the national health service central register ; the Prescriptions Pricing Authority ; and the Dental Practices Board. In general, these bodies exchange information to assist their administrative operations for example, patient registration details and claims for items of service. For regional and district health authorities, although central records are kept about the number of connections and who is connected to Healthlink, records are not kept about the type of data sent between these organisations.
NHS Communications
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data is expected to be transferred through a new NHS national communications network service.
Mr. Sackville : The new national health service-wide communications network will cover the whole range of NHS communications activities : telephone calls, computer networking, radio mobile communications and the electronic transmission of images. Data could be of any of the types currently exchanged on paper.
Patient Records (Confidentiality)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 12 January, Official Report, column 197-98, what plans she has to assure the confidentiality of any patient records which are held on the new network.
Mr. Sackville : The national health service-wide networking programme has established a security project to develop the security policy and associated security mechanisms needed to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all information passing across the new network. This work is being undertaken in full consultation with representatives of the medical profession.
Regional Data Networks
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 12 January, Official Report, column 198, what was the cost of formulating the business case for implementing a national spine to connect regional data networks.
Mr. Sackville : The estimated cost of developing the business case for a national spine facility was £290,000.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 12 January, Official Report, column 198, who is carrying out the work to connect the region-wide data networks ; and what is the cost.
Mr. Sackville : The competitive procurement of nationwide area networking services was initiated recently. It is intended that there will be one provider of the spine connecting region-wide networks and two or three providers of region-wide networks to maintain competitive pressures. The cost will be known when tenders are evaluated.
Column 549
Breast Cancer
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what features of the structure of the health service between England and Wales underlie the different availability of information regarding the percentage of women screened for breast cancer in the last three years between the two countries.
Mr. Sackville : Statistical information relating to the performance of the breast screening programme in England is collected annually by the Department of Health from each of 87 local screening programmes. This information is submitted as a standard statistical return. In Wales, the screening programme is provided from only three screening centres, due to the much smaller population. Each of these screening centres is part of a single organisation, Breast Test Wales. This enables the Welsh Office to acquire information more easily on all aspects of the programme. Breast Test Wales also provides annual statistical returns identical to those used in England.
Alden Hey Hospital, Liverpool
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthopaedic patients are on the waiting list at Alden Hey hospital in Liverpool.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 19 January at column 617.
NHS Appointments (Cornwall)
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the current non-executive directors and members of the Cornwall district health authority, Cornwall community healthcare trust and the Royal Cornwall hospitals trust, together with the dates when they were appointed and the period of their respective appointments.
Dr. Mawhinney [pursuant to his reply, 20 January, c. 793-94] : I regret the information supplied was incorrect. The correct information is as follows :
Column 550
In respect of the Royal Cornwall hospitals NHS trust.Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
The Chairman of the Royal Cornwall hospitals NHS trust is Mr. John Williams. He was appointed on 1 December 1993 and his term of office expires on 30 November 1995.
The non-executive directors of the trust and their terms of appointment are as follows :
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