| Previous Section | Home Page |
Social Deprivation
13. Mr. Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the link between social deprivation and ill health. [22863]
Mr. Sackville: Variations in health status between different socio- economic groups have been documented in Britain since the 1860s and are found across the developed world.
Dermatology Services, London
14. Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her strategy for dermatology services in London. [22864]
Mr. Sackville: It is a matter for local purchasers to determine the most appropriate arrangements for providing dermatology services.
Smoking
15. Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to restrict smoking. [22865]
Column 162
Mr. Sackville: On 7 February 1994 the Government published "Smoke Free for Health", an action plan to achieve "The Health of the Nation" targets on smoking, copies of which are available in the Library. The action plan sets out the full range of measures being taken to reduce smoking.
Sandwell Health Services Authority
16. Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement regarding the conduct of Sandwell family health services authority and Sandwell health plan. [22866]
Mr. Malone: The setting up of Sandwell health plan by Sandwell family health services authority has been the subject of an investigation by the Audit Commission. Its report under section 15(3) of the local Government Finance Act 1982 and the subsequent action proposed by Sandwell family health services authority were discussed at a public meeting of that authority on 30 March 1995.
NHS Pay
17. Mr. Mudie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses she estimates will receive at least a 3 per cent. pay award. [22867]
Mr. Malone: Across the United Kingdom, 321 national health service trusts and directly managed units have made formal offers or made clear to staff their intentions for local pay increases. Of these, some 75 per cent. have been for proposed increases of around 3 per cent. We have been told by the majority of the remaining 164 trusts that they will have made offers by the end of this month.
24. Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what considerations led to the pay offer made to (a) doctors and (b) nurses; and if she will make a statement. [22874]
Mr. Malone: Pay for doctors and nurses is based on the recommendations made by the independent pay review bodies which were accepted in full by the Government.
25. Mr. Canavan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received this year about the pay of nurses and other NHS employees; and if she will make a statement. [22875]
Mr. Malone: A number of representations have been received this year. Correspondence and some petitions have been received and verbal representations have been made.
Patient Care
18. Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS staff currently provides direct care to patients; and what was the position 10 years ago. [22868]
Mr. Malone: The proportion of direct care staff in hospital and community health services has increased from 61.3 per cent. in 1983 to 65.7 per cent. in 1993.
Conflicts of Interest
19. Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she has taken to prevent potential conflicts of interest between those who hold senior posts in NHS trusts and in private sector health service consultancies. [22869]
Column 163
Mr. Malone: The codes of conduct and accountability, which were issued to all national health service board members in April last year, introduced stringent measures to prevent conflicts of interest arising at board level. All NHS boards now maintain a register of members' relevant private interests and these are available for inspection by the public.
District Health Authority Funding
20. Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that district health authorities have equality of funding. [22870]
Mr. Sackville: We remain committed to the principle of weighted capitation as being the fairest way of achieving equality of funding for health authorities.
Emergency Hospital Admissions
21. Mr. Congdon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the recent change in emergency and urgent hospital admissions. [22871]
Mr. Sackville: The number of non-elective admissions has remained constant as a proportion of the total number of admissions for several years.
Consultant Oncologists
22. Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department is taking in respect of the number of consultant oncologists in the NHS. [22872]
Mr. Malone: Establishment of consultant posts is the responsibility of individual employers, who have regard to the needs of the local population and available resources. The specialist work force advisory group advises the Department on the number of higher specialist trainees needed in each specialty to provide an appropriate supply of suitably qualified candidates for consultant posts.
The number of medical staff, including consultants, in oncology is shown in the table.
Hospital medical staff in medical oncology and clinical oncology (radiotherapy) by grade
England-30 September 1993
Whole time
equivalent
Grade |Medical oncology |Clinical oncology|Total
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consultant |40 |200 |240
Senior Registrar |20 |50 |70
Registrar |10 |70 |80
Senior House Officer |30 |100 |130
House Officer |10 |10 |20
Other grades |10 |20 |30
|-------- |-------- |--------
Totals |120 |450 |570
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Heart Surgery, Waiting Lists
23. Mr. Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are dying each year on the waiting list for heart surgery. [22873]
Mr. Malone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply the then Minister for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney), gave the
Column 164
hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) on 19 May 1994, Official Report , column 557 .Community Care
26. Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last met organisations representing carers to discuss the effect of the community care changes. [22876]
Mr. Bowis: I meet frequently with organisations representing carers to discuss a range of matters including community care.
29. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the future time scale for implementing the supervised discharge provisions of the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Bill. [22879]
Mr. Bowis: The Bill which received its first reading on 11 May, would come into force on 1 April 1996. This is intended to allow sufficient time, following Royal Assent, for the necessary regulations to be made and laid and guidance issued to those who will be responsible for implementing the new provisions.
Infertility Treatment
27. Mr. Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services are provided under the NHS for the treatment of infertility; and if she will make a statement. [22877]
Mr. Sackville: Information on the services available under the national health service for the treatment of infertility is contained in "The Effective Health Care Bulletin" on "The Management of Subfertility", August 1992, published for the NHS management executive by a consortium of Leeds and York universities and the research unit of the Royal College of Physicians. A copy is available in the Library.
Local health authorities are responsible for the provision of local health services, including the provision of infertility services. Decisions about the resources to be made available for these services must be left to individual health authorities as they are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice New River health authority has sought from her Department in respect of the most efficacious provision of infertility treatment and diagnosis; [23807]
(2) what contracts her Department has had with New River health authority in respect of infertility treatment and investigation in the United Kingdom. [23808]
Mr. Sackville: The provision of infertility diagnosis and treatment locally is a matter for New River health authority. Guidance on infertility services has been issued by the Department and as far as I am aware New River health authority has not sought any additional advice from the Department. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. David Kleeman, chairman of the authority, for details of local arrangements for fertility services.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what comparative studies her Department has conducted of one type of infertility treatment against another in the United Kingdom; [23806]
Column 165
(2) what comparative studies of one infertility treatment against another in the United Kingdom have been assessed by her Department. [23805]Mr. Sackville: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Couchman) on 18 April, Official Report, column 114.
Health Care, London
30. Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the future of London's health care following the recommendations of the second "King's Fund Monitor". [22880]
Mr. Malone: The Government's plans for London's health care are as set out in "Making London Better", published in February 1993, copies of which are available in the Library, and in a number of statements since that date. These include action to develop higher quality, more accessible primary and community health care for Londoners; action to provide a more balanced hospital service to meet the needs of London's resident, working and visiting population; and action to enhance and foster London's role as a centre of high-quality education and research.
On 10 May, a seven-point pledge was given to the House that there would be no closure until alternative and better services are up and running; that there will be modern emergency services, including an improved London ambulance service; that local health authorities will continue to be held to account for providing comprehensive and effective services in each area, including a proper supply of beds to meet demand; waiting times will improve further; patients charter standards must be met; efforts will continue to recruit and retain the very best doctors and nurses; staff and the public will be involved in the changes so they can see and contribute to objectives; and support will be given to innovation and development in teaching and research.
Primary Care, Ealing
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is to spent on primary health care in the borough of Ealing; what were the figures three and five years ago; and if she will make a statement. [22010]
Mr. Malone: The main elements of primary health care are the demand- led family health services. Expenditure on these services within the borough of Ealing is not separately identifiable from information available centrally. A summary of the total FHS expenditure by the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow family health services authority, whose area of responsibility includes the borough of Ealing, is set out in the following table. Expenditure on the final element of primary health care, the community health services funded by health authorities, is not separately identifiable in data available centrally.
Gross expenditure on family health services within the Ealing,
Hammersmith and Hounslow family health services authority
£ million
|1994-95
|1990-91 |1992-93 |(provisional)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total gross expenditure |78.3 |96.6 |108
1. Gross expenditure includes prescription and dental charge income collected
from patients.
2. Figures include payments made by the Dental Practice Board to dentists in
contract with the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow FHSA. Figures exclude GP
fundholders' management costs and budgets for purchasing secondary care
services, and the FHSA's administrative costs.
3. Figures for 1990-91 and 1992-93 are based on receipts and payments returns
submitted by the FHSA with its annual accounts. The provisional figures for
1994-95 are based on in-year monitoring data.
Access Committee for England
Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the future funding of the Access Committee for England. [23590]
Mr. Bowis: Funding in the current financial year is £105,000. Decisions on further funding will be taken at the appropriate time and will be based on current core grant tapering policy.
Doncaster Healthcare NHS Trust
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to disband Doncaster Healthcare NHS trust. [23864]
Burnley Health Care NHS Trust
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if Burnley Health Care NHS trust acted in accordance with the NHS code of openness in respect of the timescale of release of details of the incident at Burnley general hospital in which ophthalmic patients each lost an eye. [23862]
Mr. Malone: The code of practice on openness in the national health service, which takes effect on 1 June, will increase public access to information held by the NHS. Burnley Health Care NHS trust, in recognising the sensitivity of the incident, issued a press release as soon as treatment of all the affected patients had been completed and the full facts were known. Its action was entirely in keeping with the spirit of the code of practice.
London Initiative Zone
Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital schemes in the London borough of Newham have been allocated funding through the LIZ initiative; and what sums have been allocated to each of these and on what dates. [23924]
Mr. Malone: The London initiative zone capital schemes and sums allocated are as shown in the table.
LIZ Primary Care Capital Funded Projects in Newham
Project name Capital
allocation £000
|1993-94 |1994-95 |1995-96
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newham
Essex Lodge (Primary Care Centre) |25 |65 |0
Shrewsbury Road |285 |483 |0
Improvement Grants to GP premises (various) |279 |259 |0
Star Lane (Primary Care Centre) |470 |500 |80
Stratford Corridor (Primary Care Centre) |310 |0 |300
Cyprus Dock (Resource Centre) |192 |133 |675
Freemasons Road |- |- |40
326 Stratford High Street |- |- |80
140 Claremont Road |- |- |40
50 Upper Road |- |- |150
497 Barking Road |- |- |130
751 Barking Road |- |- |50
85 Stopford Road |- |- |10
125/127 Prince Regents Lane |- |- |250
39/50c Romford Road |- |- |250
17 Turley Close |- |- |300
533 Barking Road |- |8 |0
1 Kennard Street |- |89 |0
Newham GP Forum |- |71 |0
Security improvements to GP surgeries |- |1 |0
|--------|--------|--------
Total Expenditure |1,561 |1,649 |2,355
NHS Estates
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the privatisation of NHS Estates; and if she will make a statement. [23681]
Mr. Sackville: I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Lady Olga Maitland) on 1 December 1994, Official Report, column 825 .
NHS Domestic Cleaning Standards
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to advise NHS trusts to control domestic cleaning standards by introducing the Asda and Tesco control systems. [23935]
Mr. Sackville: National health service trust management determine locally the domestic cleaning standards for each of their units and then monitor to ensure those standards are met. We have recently introduced a patients charter standard which emphasises the need for a clean and safe environment in hospitals.
Star Lane Medical Centre
Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which year funding was allocated from North Thames regional health authority for the proposed Star Lane medical centre, London E16; and where that funding currently resides. [23943]
Mr. Malone: Funds have been set aside for the proposed Star Lane medical centre in 1993 94 and 1994 95. Funds of £500,000 for 1994 95 have been carried over to the 1995 96 financial year and work will begin on the centre in July 1995.
GP Suicides
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many suicides by general practitioners took place in each of the last five years for which figures are available in each family health services authority area; and if she will make a statement. [23678]
Mr. Malone: The information is not available centrally.
Column 168
Gorton Medical Centre
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she intends to take to remedy the situation created by the decision of the High Court that the Manchester family health services authority applied more than £250,000 unlawfully; and if she will as a consequence increase the funding allocation to make possible the building work necessary to Gorton medical centre. [23694]
Mr. Malone: I am considering the implications of the judgement as a matter of urgency. Separately, I understand that Manchester family health services authority will shortly contact the doctors at the Gorton medical centre to advise what financial assistance can be provided to them to improve their premises.
Child Labour
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers she proposes for local authorities to cope with the problem of child labour. [24031]
Mr. Bowis: Local authorities have sufficient powers under existing legislation to deal with any instances of illegal employment of children that may occur.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives arising from the UN Year of the Child and the UN Year of the Family have been instituted to deal with the issue of child labour. [24032]
Mr. Bowis: I am aware of no initiatives in the United Kingdom on child labour arising from either of these years.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources are available to reduce the use of child labour; and what resources were made available in each of the last five years. [24034]
Mr. Bowis: It is for local authorities to devote resources to this activity as they think necessary.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made by her Department of the numbers of children currently illegally working; what assessment her Department has made of the extent of child labour for each of the last five years; and what comparable information she has about other European countries. [24030]
Mr. Bowis: I am not aware of any significant evidence that the illegal employment of children is a widespread problem. We have no information about the situation in other European countries.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussion on child labour took place at the recent UN conference on poverty in Copenhagen; and what contribution the Government made in this regard. [24033]
Miss Widdecombe: I have been asked to reply.
The world summit for the social development identified family poverty as a main cause of child labour. The Government demonstrated their commitment to international action in this area by endorsing recommendations to ensure the protection of working children and to promote the elimination of child labour.
Rural White Paper
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the net annual financial saving, or
Column 169
cost, of her Department's submission for the proposed White Paper on the rural economy. [24329]Mr. Sackville: Proposals for the rural White Paper remain subject to continuing collective consideration and discussion. The cost of measures contained in the White Paper will be taken into account in the public expenditure survey.
Census Questions
Ms Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys includes questions in the next census to record the number of hours which women and men spend doing unpaid household, caring and voluntary work and to record household income. [24394]
Mr. Sackville: The census offices in Great Britain--Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and the General Register Office for Scotland--have started to consult users about information needs for the next census which is being planned for 2001. Some support has already been expressed both for a question on income, and for a question on unpaid work such as housework, voluntary work, and caring for others.
Users have requested more new and revised questions than can be accommodated on the form without placing an undue burden on the public and a preliminary assessment is being made on whether the census is the most appropriate means of collecting the required information. Questions for which there is likely to be a good case will be tested for acceptability to the public, and for the ability of the public to respond with data of a quality adequate to meet users' needs, in a programme which will run over the next three years.
Formal business cases for including particular questions will be considered in early 1998. The Government's proposals will be published later that year, and the final selection of questions will be approved by Parliament.
Exeter and North Devon Health Authority
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the full legal costs incurred by the Exeter and North Devon health authority and its predecessor authorities (a) in its dispute with Mrs. Carol Rudd and (b) in the cases of (i) Mrs. Mikibbin, (ii) Mrs. Gerlach and (iii) Mrs. Filer Cooper; what reports she has called for into these cases; to what extent the payment of costs complied with her Department's guidelines; and if she will make a statement. [24706]
Mr. Malone: This is a matter for the Exeter and North Devon health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mrs. R.A. Day, chairman of the health authority, for details.
Hospital Matrons
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trust and non-trust hospitals use the title matron; and if she will make a statement. [23166]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally. The exact titles and responsibilities of senior nurses are for local decision. The title "Matron" may be used if appropriate.
Column 170
Fluoridation
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which European Union countries currently have artificial fluoridated public water supplies; and which European Union countries have abandoned artificial fluoridated public water supplies in the last 20 years. [23733]
Mr. Malone: This information is shown in the table.
Water fluoridation in Europe
|If discontinued in
|Current status |last 20 years
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austria |Natural only |-
Belgium |Natural only |-
Denmark |Natural only |-
Finland |Natural only |Kuopio fluoridated 1959 to 1992
France |Natural only |-
Germany |Natural only |Schemes in GDR ceased on reunification
Greece |Actively pursuing |-
Ireland |Mandatory, approx 70 per cent. coverage|-
Italy |Actively pursuing |-
Netherlands |Natural only |Artificial fluoridation 1953 to 1973
Spain |Approx. 2 million people
|receive artificial
|fluoridated supplies,
|actively pursuing
|extending coverage |-
Sweden |Natural only |-
United Kingdom |Approximately 10 per
|cent. coverage, actively
|pursuing extending
|coverage to approx.
|25 per cent. |-
Luxembourg |No data |No data
Portugal |No data |No data
Source:
British Fluoridation Society-12 May 1995.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether water companies that add fluoride to the public water supplies are indemnified by her Department for legal claims of negative health effects. [23734]
Mr. Malone: The Department of Health, subject to Treasury approval, offers water undertakers wide indemnities against civil liabilities, including costs and expenses in connection with any proceedings, in connection with the fluoridation of the water supply, provided that the actions of the water undertaker are within the terms of the agreement with the health authority.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent of medical research on the long-term benefits of artificial fluoridated water supplies for (a) children and (b) adults, based on detailed studies of the dental records of communities with added artificial fluoridated public water supplies and communities without added artificial fluoridated public water supplies but with similar economic and social backgrounds. [23736]
Mr. Malone: Our assessment is that it has been shown conclusively that water fluoridated at one part per million can result in a 50 per cent. reduction in tooth decay in children and also helps adults to keep their teeth longer.
Column 171
A number of studies have been carried out into the long term benefits of artificially fluoridated water supplies for both children and adults in comparable fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas of similar social and economic backgrounds. Summaries of such studies and their findings are set out in the recent book "One in a Million: Water Fluoridation and Dental Public Health", published jointly by the Public Health Alliance and the British Fluoridation Society, pages 8 to 18, copies of which are available in the Library.Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions her Department gives to the manufacturers of dental products containing fluoride concerning (a) the need for adults and children to be informed of the potential harm of such products if consumed in excess and (b) the suitability of such products for young children. [23738]
Mr. Malone: The Department of Health is responsible for regulating those dental products containing fluoride and regarded as medicinal. Medicinal products are granted licences on the basis of quality, safety and efficacy. The dangers of excess consumption and the products' suitability for young children are addressed in the licence.
Dental products containing fluoride include toothpaste, gels, mouthwashes, tablets and drops. Some of these products are medicines and come under the responsibilities of the Department of Health, while others are cosmetics and are regulated by the Department of Trade and Industry.
| Next Section
| Home Page |