| Previous Section | Home Page |
Column 921
he will list the number of reported cases of listeria associated with pregnancy (a) for each year from 1985 and (b) for the latest available date. [34223]Mr. Bowis: The number of cases of pregnancy associated listeriosis reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service in England and Wales between 1985 and 1995 is as follows:
1985: 59
1986: 42
1987: 105
1988: 122
1989: 117
1990: 26
1991: 33
1992: 25
1993: 20
1994: 25 (provisional data)
1995: 1 (provisional data for first quarter)
Note:
These figures include a few cases from Northern Ireland.
Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has held with the World Health Organisation regarding listeria in food in the last five years. [34231]
Mr. Sackville: The Department maintains on-going contact with the World Health Organisation on food safety issues but has not held any specific discussions about food-borne listeriosis in the last five years.
Radiation Tests (Compensation)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many claims for compensation his Department has received relating to radiation tests on humans since 1965; and if he will make a statement. [34477]
Mr. Bowis: The Department is not aware of any such claims.
World Wide Web
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the work his Department has carried out in the last 12 months in making information about his Department available to the public via the Government world wide web server known as "www.open.gov.uk" and his plans and policies to make additional and new information available electronically on the server in the next 12 months. [34678]
Mr. Bowis: A selection of departmental information sources have been made available on the Government world wide web server--"http: //www.open.gov.uk./doh/dhhome.htm"--since 20 June, including details of its strategic aims and objectives, national health service developments, departmental publications, progress on "The Health of the Nation" initiative and telephone inquiry services. These Internet home pages, currently under trial for six months, are being revised as new information becomes available. Following the end of the trial, a decision will be taken on whether to extend the current range of information services made available over the Internet.
Column 922
Cancelled Operations
Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regular monitoring his Department requires by hospitals, trusts or health district of the occasions when, prior to cancellation of an operation, a patient (a) arrives at hospital but is not admitted to a bed, (b) is admitted but undergoes no preparation and is not prohibited from food and drink and (c) is prepared for an operation or is prohibited from taking food and drink. [34362]
Mr. Bowis: None. Trust are required to monitor the number of occasions operations are cancelled on the day the patient is due to come into hospital or after the patient has been admitted and the occasions when a new date is not given within one months of the cancellation.
Infant Mortality
Sir Peter Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the rate of infant mortality as a percentage of live births for each of the years (a) 1975, (b) 1979, (c) 1983, (d) 1987, (e) 1991 and the latest 12 months for which statistics are available. [34726]
Mr. Bowis: The information is shown in the table.
Infant mortality rate as a percentage of live births
for the years 1975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991
and 1994, England and Wales.
Year |Percentage of live
|births
---------------------------------------------------------
1975 |1.57
1979 |1.28
1983 |1.01
1987 |0.92
1991 |0.74
1994 |0.62
Epilepsy Research
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has carried out into a comparison of lamotrigine and valproate monotherapy in patients with primary generalised seizures; with what findings; and if he will make a statement; [34728]
(2) what research his Department has carried out into epilepsy; with what findings; and if he will make a statement. [34729]
Mr. Bowis: I am not aware of any published or current research comparing lamotrigine and valproate in monotherapy in patients with primary generalised seizures.
The main agency through which the Government fund medical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Visually Impaired People
Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for health which institutions and organisations currently provide training for rehabilitation and mobility workers for visually impaired people; how many places on such courses are presently available; and how these institutions and organisations are funded. [35008]
Column 923
Mr. Bowis: Training for rehabilitation and mobility workers for visually impaired people is currently provided by the university of Central England and by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. The university of Central England provides 16 places on the course for the diploma of higher education in rehabilitation studies and six on the course for the certificate of qualification in orientation and mobility with visually impaired children and young persons. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association provides 33 placed on its diploma of higher education in rehabilitation studies courses in England and six places in Scotland.
I understand that the courses at the university of Central England are partly funded by the university with funds from the Higher Education Funding Council, supplemented by an annual grant from the Royal National Institute for the Blind, and also from income from student fees. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is a registered charity whose objects include promoting the welfare of all blind people. Courses are funded partly by the charity and also from income from student fees. Tuition fees for some students are met by local authorities, or their agents under contract to them for the provision of visual disability services. The Department's social services training support programme includes a specific sub-programme for visual disability training. Under the sub-programme, up to 70 per cent. of the tuition fees may be met by the Department of Health and the remainder by the sponsoring local authority.
Renal Services
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the consultation period ended for the review of renal services; when his Department intends to publish these findings; and if he will make a statement. [35377]
Mr. Bowis: The renal review was an internal review for the Department of Health and it has not been issued for formal consultation. Ministers are currently considering the review.
Smoking
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration his Department has given to the relationship between long- term smoking among women and the risk of developing breast cancer; what plans his Department has to introduce new warnings on tobacco products and advertisements informing female smokers of the risk of breast cancer; and if he will make a statement. [35264]
Mr. Bowis: The Department of Health is aware of published evidence that smoking seems to increase the risk of developing breast cancer to a modest extent among women who have smoked for more than 30 years.
Government health warnings, which appear on all cigarette packets, include a statement warning smokers that smoking causes cancer. The Department of Health has no plans to change the health warnings. Cigarette smoking and breast cancer. Bennicke, K. Conrad, C. et al. BMJ Vol 310 pp 1431 1433, copies of which are available in the Library.
Column 924
Community Nurses
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a breakdown by region of the health visitors, district nurses and school nurses by each income band for September 1993 and the latest date for which information is available. [33251]
Mr. Sackville: This information is not available centrally.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a breakdown by region of the population numbers per health visitor on September 1992 and September 1993 and for the latest date for which information is available; and what is the number of health visitors (a) per under five and (b) per over 65 years in each region. [33253]
Mr. Sackville: The available information will be placed in the Library.
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community nurses were employed by each health authority and, where relevant, by each trust within London in each year since 1987. [33252]
Mr. Bowis: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Community Care Services
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his assessment of the percentage of NHS beds blocked due to unavailability of community care services; and if he will make a statement. [34258]
Mr. Bowis: I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for South Colchester and Maldon (Mr. Whittingdale) on 22 June, column 342 .
Drugs (Payments)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the figures for disbursements by the Prescription Pricing Authority in England for 1992 93 in respect of payments for drugs to dispensing doctors and drugs supplied by prescribing doctors in terms of the (a) net ingredient cost, (b) discounted cost, (c) VAT, (d) container allowance, (e) dispensing fees, (f) on costs and (g) in total. [34260]
Mr. Malone: Payments made by family health services authorities for 1992 93 were as follows:
Payments made to Chemists and Appliance
Contractors for
prescriptions dispensed
|£000
----------------------------------------
Net ingredient cost |2,697,766
Discounted cost |2,448,332
VAT |5,731
Container allowance |18,817
Dispensing fees |463,987
On cost |111,175
Total |3,063,110
Payments made to Dispensing Doctors
for prescriptions dispensed
and items personally administered
|£000
------------------------------------
Net ingredient cost |190,558
Discounted cost |177,189
VAT |30,890
Container allowance |1,140
Dispensing fees |26,239
On cost |20,007
Total |255,527
Payments made to Non-dispensing
Doctors for items personally
administered
|£000
----------------------------------
Net ingredient cost |37,145
Discounted cost |36,952
VAT |6,518
Container allowance |356
Dispensing fees |9,122
On cost |3,899
Total |56,859
Immunisation (Tuberculosis)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider targeting immunisation vaccination for tuberculosis at high- risk groups; and if he will make a statement. [34262]
Mr. Bowis: The Department's recommendation for Bacille-Calmette Gue rin immunisation against tuberculosis are contained in the United Kingdom health departments' memorandum "Immunisation against Infectious Disease", copies of which are available in the Library. In addition to the schools' immunisation programme, BCG immunisation is already recommended for certain high-risk groups which include certain contacts of cases, immigrants from countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and their infants wherever they were born, certain health care and veterinary staff and some overseas travellers.
Dental Services
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress that has been made on the consultation and implementation of the Government's proposals for NHS dentistry as announced in April. [34257]
Mr. Malone: The Government are working closely with the General Dental Services Committee on the detailed development of the reform proposals that I announced to the House on 5 April, Official Report, columns 1213-15 . We are making good progress and aim to move to implement the reform measures in due course.
Long-term Health Care
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage of the population requiring long-term health care for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; what is his estimate of the
Column 926
percentage of the population requiring long- term health care for each of the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [34259]Mr. Bowis: People with long-term health care needs are supported by a wide range of services purchased by the national health service, including in-patient hospital care, general practitioner and primary care support, and continuing care in hospital or an alternative facility. Information on the percentage of population receiving these services who have continuing health care needs is not aggregated centrally.
Day Care (Elderly)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are issued by his Department to health authorities on what day care facilities should be provided for the elderly; and if he will make a statement. [34261]
Mr. Bowis: The national health service executive wrote to health authorities in February 1995 drawing their attention to two publications from the Royal College of Physicians and British Geriatrics Society entitled "Geriatric Day Hospitals--their role and guidelines for good practice" and "Clinical audit scheme for geriatric day hospitals". Health authorities were asked to ensure that these documents inform their strategic planning and purchasing processes for services for elderly people. Copies are available in the Library.
NHS Organ Donor Register
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have joined the NHS organ donor register; and if he will make a statement. [34263]
Mr. Bowis: Since the national health service organ donor register was launched on 6 October 1994, over 1.5 million people have joined the register, of which around 400,000 of these were transferred from the existing lifeline Wales register. We shall continue to promote the NHS organ donor register and to support publicity campaigns for this important initiative to encourage organ donation.
Food Safety
Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions and advice his Department has been involved with regarding food safety issues with members of the medical profession in the last five years; [34227]
(2) what discussions and advice his Department has been involved with regarding concerns over listeria in food, with members of the medical profession in the last five years. [34228]
Mr. Sackville: The Department maintains on-going contact with the medical profession of food safety issues, including food-borne listeriosis. The Department also receives expert advice on microbiological food safety from the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food which includes members of the medical profession.
Column 927
Transplant Surgery
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in England and Wales are awaiting transplant surgery for each organ in each health region for the latest year for which information is available. [34646]
Column 928
Mr. Bowis: The tables show the information for the year ending 31 December 1994, and the same information as at 12 July 1995. There is considerable variation between the numbers waiting in each region because heart, lung and liver transplants are funded
supra-regionally.
Column 927
Table 1: Number of patients on the national United Kingdom Transplant Support Services Authority transplant
waiting list
at 31 December 1994 by region of registration
Organ
|Kidney and
Region |Kidney |Pancreas |pancreas |Heart |Lung |Heart/Lung|Liver
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern and Yorkshire |471 |0 |15 |35 |78 |20 |16
Trent |431 |0 |0 |33 |10 |1 |0
Anglia and Oxford |317 |0 |2 |21 |10 |37 |14
North Thames |837 |0 |3 |102 |71 |111 |20
South Thames |573 |1 |0 |22 |1 |0 |14
South West |441 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0
West Midlands |484 |0 |3 |14 |7 |1 |36
North West |573 |2 |19 |43 |16 |15 |0
Wales |92 |1 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0
Total |4,219 |4 |45 |270 |193 |185 |100
Table 2: Number of patients on the national United Kingdom Transplant Support Services Authority transplant
waiting list
at 12 July 1994 by region of registration
Organ
|Kidney and
Region |Kidney |Pancreas |pancreas |Heart |Lung |Heart/Lung|Liver
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern and Yorkshire |469 |0 |17 |43 |86 |17 |17
Trent |433 |0 |0 |41 |12 |1 |0
Anglia and Oxford |359 |0 |2 |13 |11 |30 |24
North Thames |855 |1 |6 |107 |74 |110 |23
South Thames |595 |1 |0 |29 |2 |1 |34
South West |468 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
West Midlands |509 |1 |7 |19 |6 |5 |38
North West |578 |0 |14 |43 |21 |11 |0
Wales |108 |1 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0
Total |4,374 |4 |48 |295 |212 |175 |136
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the numbers of (a) doctors and (b) nurses who do not take on NHS posts after completing their training. [34786]
Mr. Malone: This information is not available centrally.
NHS Staff
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department or the NHS executive hold on (a) managerial and (b) general practitioner posts that are vacant. [34783]
Mr. Malone: None. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 June, Official Report , column 361, about general practitioner vacancies.
Consultants (Early Retirement)
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants have taken early retirement in each region in each quarter over the last five years. [34787]
Column 928
Mr. Malone: Regional information is not available centrally.
Waiting Times
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each region waiting (a) more than six months for an out-patient appointment and (b) more than 18 months for in-patient or day care treatment belong to (i) general practitioner fundholder practices and (ii) non-general practitioner fundholder
practices. [34825]
Mr. Malone: This information is not available centrally.
GP Fundholding
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each region belong to (a) general practitioner fundholder practices and (b) non-general practitioner fundholder practices. [34894]
Mr. Malone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 15 March, Official Report , columns 579 80 , and to the
Column 929
reply I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 24 May, Official Report , columns 595 96.Nursing Posts
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by region the number of nursing posts in each specialty that have been vacant in each of the last three years. [34782]
Mr. Bowis: Information on the number and rate of nursing vacancies in the national health service is collected by the Office of Manpower Economics and is reproduced in the reports produced by the Review Body for Nurses, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine, copies of which are available in the Library.
Medicines Control Agency
Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings the Medicines Control Agency has recently held with (a) health food manufacturers, (b) consumers organisations, (c) pharmaceutical companies and (d) nutritional therapists to discuss European companies and policy on dietary supplements; and what plans he has as a result to change his Department's policy on the forthcoming European Commission consultation document on dietary
supplements. [35096]
Mr. Bowis: The Medicines Control Agency has not, and does not, hold meetings with any organisations to discuss policy on dietary supplements as its regulatory responsibility is for medicinal products.
Consultants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department and its agencies have spent on computer consultancy in each of the last five years and what is the expected expenditure over the next five years.
Mr. Bowis [holding answer 12 July 1995]: The total expenditure on computer consultancy by the Department and its agencies in each of the last five years was:
1990 91: £10.25 million
1991 92: £12.57 million
1992 93: £13.65 million
1993 94: £13.25 million
1994 95: £14.51 million
Expenditure over the next five years will depend on future requirements and the outcome of a market-testing exercise presently being undertaken by the Department.
NHS Staff
Mrs. Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number and how much money has been expended on administrative staff, including general and senior managers and clerical and secretarial staff, in each of the last five years (a) in total and (b) by district health authority, family health services authority, regional health authority, and his Department. [26285]
Mr. Malone [holding answer 25 May 1995]: The available information of health authorities will be placed in the Library. For the total numbers of staff for the last five years, I refer the right hon. Member to the statistical
Column 930
bulletins, copies of which are in the Library. For the total costs of staff for the year 1989 90, 1990 91, 1991 92 and 1992 93, I refer the right hon. Member to the health and personal social services statistics for England 1994 edition, copies of which are in the Library. The total cost of staff as requested for 199394--provisional--is £2,277,566,000.
Data on staff numbers for district health authorities cannot be provided for 1989 and 1990 because the aggregate figures collected for those years do not identify staff in DHA headquarters separately. The 1993 figures cannot be provided because some DHA HQs could not be disaggregated from the whole DHA figure. No data are available for 1991 or 1992 because the figures for DHAs, regional health authorities and family health services authorities cannot be disaggregated.
FHSAs were created in September 1990, replacing family practitioner committees. Since 1990, it has not been possible to identify the numbers and categories of staff employed by individual FHSAs. Details of the total number and the amount of money expended on administrative staff in my Department are provided in tables 12 and 13 of the Department's annual report, Command Paper 2812, copies of which are available in the Library.
| Next Section
| Home Page |