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NHS Staff Shortages
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what categories of qualified staff he has identified as being in short supply in respect of NHS hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [19257]
Mr. Malone: For nurses, midwives and health visitors we agree with the findings of the national pay review body, which weighed carefully all the evidence presented and was not convinced that there is a general nationwide shortage of nursing staff. The Government accept that there are local difficulties and problems with particular specialties for some non-medical staff and drew attention to these in the 1995 annual planning guidance. Training commissions are likely to rise again in 1996-97. The Government welcome the pay review body's view that local pay may be part of the solution to these problems.
In relation to professions allied to medicine, the Government accept that demand exceeds supply in some areas for some professions allied to medicine. Good employers will concentrate on establishing flexible recruitment and retention policies and training commissions are likely to rise again in 1996-97.
In respect of the medical work force we are aware of the difficulties in recruiting to consultant posts in certain specialties. In 1996-97, £5.7 million will be provided to help create at least 300 new specialist registrar posts and to improve access to training for doctors wishing to become consultants. The available resources will be targeted where needs are greatest. Where there are isolated problems local problems of recruitment and retention, moves towards local pay determination will encourage employers to use pay flexibility to tackle them.
In the long term, the Government have accepted the recommendations of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee to increase the medical student intake target by 500-11 per cent.--to reach, 4,970 by 2000.
12 Mar 1996 : Column: 585
Mr. Alton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Heath what is the average time of waiting between a child being referred for speech therapy, an assessment taking place and referral for treatment. [19741]
Mr. Bowis:
This information is not available centrally.
Mr. Alton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children and adults are currently in receipt of speech therapy in the city of Liverpool; how many requests for treatment are outstanding; how many assessments are undertaken each month; what is the ration of speech therapists to patients in need of speech therapy; what funding is currently available for paediatric and adult services; what is the shortfall between demand and provision of services; and if he will make a statement. [19761]
Mr. Bowis:
The number of new episodes of care (initial contacts) for speech and language therapy in 1994-95 delivered at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital national health service trust, the Royal Liverpool Children's national health service trust, Broadgreen Hospital national health service trust and the North Mersey Community national health service trust was 4,348.
| Age group | Number |
|---|---|
| 0-2 | 486 |
| 3-4 | 971 |
| 5-9 | 988 |
| 10-15 | 227 |
| 16-54 | 435 |
| 55-64 | 255 |
| 65-74 | 388 |
| 75-84 | 422 |
| 85 and over | 176 |
| Total all ages | 4,348 |
The other information is not available centrally.
12 Mar 1996 : Column: 586
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health authorities among the 68 whose plans anticipate the development of comprehensive mental health services before the end of 1996-97 which (a) will and (b) will not be providing local secure units. [19820]
Mr. Bowis:
The regional offices of the national health service executive will be closely monitoring the progress of all health authorities towards developing the full spectrum of care required for a comprehensive mental health service. This includes commissioning of care for patients in local units, or access to specialist secure units which may be located out of the patient's home area.
Mr. Barron:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which national health service ambulance trusts currently maintain Tri-Star vehicles of the chassis type alleged to exceed allowable load ratings; and, for each trust (a) how many of such vehicles are in use and (b) how long such vehicles have spent withdrawn from service in each of the last three years; and what are the corresponding figures for (i) other Tri-Star vehicles and (ii) non-Tri-Star vehicles. [19688]
Mr. Horam:
The East Anglian ambulance national health service trust and/or its predecessors have purchased 39 Tri-Star vehicles, of which 19 have been withdrawn from service since January 1995 pending precautionary modifications to the chassis. The remaining 20 were different versions of the vehicle and continue in use. Other information requested is not available centrally.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number and percentage of discharges of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia by length of stay from 1984 until latest available date [19822]
Mr. Bowis:
The available information is shown in the table.
12 Mar 1996 : Column: 585
| (24)1984 | (24)1985 | (24)1986 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | |
| Total | 30,080 | 100 | 30,600 | 100 | 30,400 | 100 |
| Under 1 week | 4,220 | 14 | 4,560 | 15 | 4,320 | 14 |
| 1 week--under 1 month | 11,030 | 37 | 11,440 | 37 | 11,260 | 37 |
| 1 month--under 2 months | 6,460 | 21 | 6,410 | 21 | 6,310 | 21 |
| 2 months--under 3 months | 2,470 | 8 | 2,560 | 8 | 2,550 | 8 |
| 3 months--under 6 months | 2,440 | 8 | 2,450 | 8 | 2,510 | 8 |
| 6 months--under 1 year | 1,330 | 4 | 1,290 | 4 | 1,390 | 5 |
| 1 year--under 2 years | 720 | 2 | 560 | 2 | 610 | 2 |
| 2 years--under 5 years | 530 | 2 | 440 | 1 | 400 | 1 |
| 5 years or more | 900 | 3 | 890 | 3 | 1,030 | 3 |
Source:
1984 to 1986: Mental Health Enquiry.
(24) Data for 1984 to 1986 are taken from the Mental Health Enquiry and are on a different basis to those for subsequent years--they include patients diagnosed as suffering from paranoia. There were 3,040 such patients in 1984. Data from 1987-89 are unreliable.
12 Mar 1996 : Column: 585
| 1990-91 | 1991-91 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | |
| Total | 29,760 | 100 | 29,910 | 100 | 31,210 | 100 | 29,750 | 100 |
| Under one week | 4,620 | 16 | 4,770 | 16 | 5,170 | 17 | 5,070 | 17 |
| One week-under one month | 10,620 | 36 | 10,690 | 36 | 11,160 | 36 | 10,240 | 35 |
| One month-under two months | 5,540 | 19 | 5,730 | 19 | 5,940 | 19 | 5,810 | 19 |
| Two months-under three months | 2,460 | 8 | 2,560 | 9 | 2,800 | 9 | 2,640 | 9 |
| Three months-under six months | 2,850 | 10 | 2,750 | 9 | 2,910 | 9 | 2,990 | 10 |
| Six months-under one year | 1,430 | 5 | 1,470 | 5 | 1,420 | 5 | 1,350 | 5 |
| One year-under two years | 590 | 2 | 560 | 2 | 590 | 2 | 580 | 2 |
| Two years-under five years | 460 | 2 | 480 | 2 | 380 | 1 | 290 | 1 |
| Five years or more | 1,190 | 4 | 900 | 3 | 860 | 3 | 460 | 2 |
Source:
1990-91 and subsequent years: Hospital Episode Statistics.
12 Mar 1996 : Column: 587
12 Mar 1996 : Column: 587
Anabolic Steroids
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of fatalities caused by the use of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in each year since 1979. [19314]
Mr. Bowis: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mental Health Information
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what form the quarterly monitoring of mental health information by the NHS executive will take. [19821]
Mr. Bowis: In 1996-97, the Department will continue to monitor levels of hospital and community activity for the mentally ill. In the coming year, this is to be complimented by monitoring indicators related to specific aspects of policy including care planning; readmission rates; mentally disordered offenders; and supervised discharge.
Dr. Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the 68 health authorities whose plans anticipate the development of comprehensive mental health services before the end of 1996-97 will have 24-hour nursed care in the community available for those residents who need it within that time scale. [19819]
Mr. Bowis: The regional offices of the national health service executive will be closely monitoring the progress of all health authorities towards developing the full spectrum of care required for a comprehensive mental health service.
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