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Accident and Emergency Units, Durham
Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the cost of upgrading the accident and emergency department in Dryburn hospital, Durham; and how many extra full-time staff will be employed there; [17215]
- (2) how much will be saved as a result of the closure of the accident and emergency department at Shotley Bridge hospital, Durham. [17216]
Mr. Horam: This is a matter for North Durham acute hospitals national health service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact the trust chairman, Mr. C. P. Douglas, for details.
Infant Mortality
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the infant mortality rates in (a) East London/City, (b) Redbridge and Waltham Forest and (c) Kingston and Richmond; and what factors underlie the disparities between these figures; [17428]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the factors underlying significant variations in infant mortality rates in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) London. [17427]
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Mr. Horam: The infant mortality rates requested are as shown in the table:
| Location | Rate per 1,000 live births |
|---|---|
| East London and The City Health Authority | 8.8 |
| Redbridge and Waltham Forest Health Authority | 6.7 |
| Kingston and Richmond Health Authority | 3.1 |
The infant mortality rate for England and Wales as a whole has halved over the last 15 years and is now at the lowest level ever achieved. All parts of the country have benefited from this reduction, but variations in infant mortality, which have been apparent since the 1950s, have persisted. Last October, we asked health authorities to act on the recommendation of a report commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer, "Variations in Health: What can the Department of Health and the National Health Service do?", copies of which are available in the Library. We have also allocated £2.4 million in 1996 for research into the causes of variations in health and the needs of particularly vulnerable groups of the population.
Lung Cancer
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the average annual cost to the NHS for treating all people suffering from (a) lung cancer and (b) mesothelioma over the last five years; [17221]
- (2) what is the current average cost to the NHS for treating each person suffering from (a) lung cancer and (b) mesothelioma over the course of their illness. [17220]
Mr. Horam: This information is not available centrally.
Construction Skills Certification Scheme
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to ensure that personnel on its construction sites have construction skills certification scheme accreditation. [17438]
Mr. Horam: There are no current plans to issue guidance about the construction skills certification scheme, which is a voluntary register operated by the construction industry training board.
Aging Study
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was his Department's input into the Medical Research Council's cognitive function and aging study; and if he will make a statement. [17512]
Mr. Malone:
The cognitive function and aging study is a large, multi-centre study of the prevalence, incidence and natural history of declining cognitive function and dementia in old age. The Department has contributed £100,000 per year over seven years. In addition to the financial support, the Department has a presence on the project's steering group.
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Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what sums were paid out by the national health service to patients or their relatives as compensation, in each of the last five years for which information is available. [17714]
Mr. Horam:
The information requested is not separately identifiable from central returns.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters he received from the general public during 1995 on difficulties in obtaining treatment from NHS dentists. [17656]
Mr. Malone:
During 1995 the Department of Health received some 243 letters from members of the public which were concerned with difficulties in gaining access to national health service dentists.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay his Department's decision to advise the United Bristol Healthcare NHS trust that an arterial switch operation scheduled to be performed at the Bristol royal infirmary on 12 January 1995 should not take place as planned. [17716]
Mr. Horam:
My Department did not advise that the operation should not take place. It would not be appropriate for my Department to become involved in matters of clinical judgment. Concern was expressed to my Department about the advisability of operating in view of concerns expressed previously by some members of staff of the Bristol royal infirmary about the performance of complex paediatric open heart operations including the "switch". The United Bristol Healthcare NHS trust was informed about the expressions of concern and asked to ensure that the concerns were taken into account when deciding whether the operation should proceed.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received from Professor G. Angelini since 1990 about the performance of neo-natal arterial switch operations at Bristol royal infirmary. [17715]
Mr. Horam:
Professor Angelini expressed concern in the summer of 1994 about the results of an audit of performance of complex paediatric cardiac procedures including the neo-natal switch operation. These concerns were communicated to the United Bristol Healthcare NHS trust by my Department.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received during the last five years from the supra-regional services advisory group about the performance of paediatric cardiac operations at Bristol royal infirmary. [17713]
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) men and (b) women in the United Kingdom aged 15 to 20 years smoke; and if he will make a statement. [17522]
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Mr. Horam:
Information is not readily available in the form requested, but it is estimated that, among persons aged 16 to 20 in the United Kingdom, 31 per cent. of men and 27 per cent. of women smoke cigarettes.
Mr. Wicks:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to issue guidance to social services departments regarding the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of this notice relative to the date of the Act coming into force. [17547]
Mr. Bowis:
Policy and practice guidance to accompany the Act was distributed to local health authorities on 28 February 1996, copies of which will be placed in the Library. Draft versions were issued on 10 October 1995--some six months before the Act comes into force.
Mr. Wicks:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the number of carers in the United Kingdom; and how many are providing care for 20 hours or more each week. [17567]
Mr. Bowis:
It is estimated that the number of carers in the United Kingdom in 1990 was 6.8 million, of whom 1.5 million provide care for more than 20 hours each week.
Ms Harman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 14 February, Official Report, column 601, how many withdrawals of approval for post have been made by postgraduate deans in each of the last five years. [17941]
Mr. Malone:
This information is not available centrally.
Ms Harman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received and what evidence he has assessed that the waiting list initiative has led to longer waits for urgent cases. [18061]
Mr. Horam:
We have no evidence that the waiting list initiative has led to longer waits for urgent cases. Half of all admissions to hospital are immediate. Of those patients who go on to a waiting list, those who need urgent treatment are given priority. Decisions on when to admit patients are for doctors and must be based on their assessment of patients' clinical need.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals have closed since 1978 in the London borough of Wandsworth. [16062]
Mr. Horam:
This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Harry Cowd, chairman of Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority, for details of hospital closures in the area.
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