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Hospital Beds, Doncaster
Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private hospital beds registered with the Doncaster health authority there were within the Doncaster metropolitan borough in each year since 1979; and how many there are currently. [27430]
Mr. Horam: There were 42 beds registered with the Doncaster health authority in private hospitals or clinics within the boundaries of Doncaster metropolitan district in 1993-94 and 36 in 1994-95. Information is not available centrally for years before 1993-94.
HIV
Mr. Merchant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to keep the general population informed about the continuing risks from HIV. [27398]
Mr. Horam: The Health Education Authority has an on-going programme in this area, including its recent winter campaign aimed at young people.
2 May 1996 : Column: 606
Factor 8
Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has commissioned into factor 8; where it is based; who does it; what it costs; and when it started; [27711]
- (2) what evidence he has evaluated based on research into factor 8 otherwise than in the United Kingdom. [27712]
Mr. Horam: The Department has not commissioned any current research on factor 8. Research findings from abroad, as well as from the United Kingdom, are kept under review when any relevant decision are taken by the Department.
Breast Cancer
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued on the recommended waiting time for breast cancer patients between surgery and the start of radiotherapy treatment; and what percentage of patients at the Yorkshire regional centre at Cookridge, Leeds begin within that time. [26490]
Mr. Horam: The Department has not issued guidance on a recommended waiting time for such treatment.
Yorkshire Regional Centre, Cookridge
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients were treated at the Yorkshire regional centre in each of the financial years from 1991-92 to 1995-96; and what were the numbers who began their treatment in each three month period from April 1994 to April 1996; [26491]
- (2) what is the current waiting list for starting radiotherapy treatment at Cookridge; and what it was on (a) 1 April 1994, (b) 1 October 1994, (c) 1 April 1995 and (d) 1 October 1995; [26492]
(3) how many linear accelerators for breast cancer radiotherapy treatment are available at the Yorkshire regional centre at Cookridge; [24693]
(4) what assessment he has made of the number of additional staff necessary to match the present demands on the service at the Cookridge centre; and what plans he has to meet these needs. [24696]
Mr. Horam: These are matters for United Leeds Teaching Hospitals national health service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. David Hall, chairman of the trust for details.
Linear Accelerators
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time between the completion of a purchasing agreement for a linear accelerator and its commissioning after installation. [24694]
Mr. Horam: The average waiting time between the completion of the purchasing agreement for a linear accelerator and its commissioning after installation is not available centrally. However, factors which could affect the waiting time are the complexity of the particular linear accelerator under consideration and the availability of local scientific and technical expertise.
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Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what requests from the Cookridge centre for linear accelerators are currently under consideration by Northern and Yorkshire Health and when is completion of the purchasing agreement is expected. [24695]
Mr. Horam: An outline business case has been submitted to the national health service executive's Northern and Yorkshire regional office from the United Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust for provision of two linear accelerators, one new simulator and associated building work at Cookridge hospital.
Further consideration is now being given to the business case in the light of the recommendations of the Leeds acute services review, which was published recently.
Xenotransplantation
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that no xenotransplantation trials involving human recipients should proceed until an advisory committee on xenotransplantation has been set up. [27886]
Mr. Horam: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health last year established an advisory group on the ethics of xenotransplantation, with the following terms of reference:
"In the light of recent and potential developments in xenotransplantation, to review the acceptability of and ethical framework within which xenotransplantation may be undertaken and to make recommendations."
Read Codes System
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the original proposed date and location of the launch of the Read codes system for coding and classification in the NHS; and what form the launch was planned to take. [27625]
Mr. Horam: The scheduled date for the launch was October 1995, to be held in London. The purpose was to announce the successful completion of the terms projects and to report early results from pilots.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has received from the project board running the Centre for Coding and Classification at Loughborough into the development of Read codes on the length of time it would take to produce a service strength product for use within the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [27626]
Mr. Horam: Version 2 of Read is already in widespread use. Version 3 will reach service strength at different dates for different application areas. For the majority of specialities in the acute sector, service strength is expected by the end of this year. The centre's supervisory board which meets quarterly receives regular reports on all developments and has approved the timetable.
2 May 1996 : Column: 608
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each financial year the expenditure on capital and revenue on the development of Read codes; how many hospitals are participating in the pilot exercise and what their response has been to date; when he proposes to submit the project for independent evaluation; and if he will make a statement. [27829]
Mr. Horam: The cost of developing version 3 of the Read codes is as follows:
| Revenue | Capital | |
|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | £1.1 million | Nil |
| 1993-94 | £2.1 million | Nil |
| 1994-95 | £0.5 million | Nil |
| Total | £3.7 million |
| Revenue | Capital | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994-95 | £0.7 million | Nil |
| 1995-96 | £0.7 million | Nil |
| Total | £1.4 million |
The version 3 Read code partnership programme commenced in mid-1995 and involved 14 sites--a further 30 sites have expressed interest in participating in the programme. We are aware of an additional 15 non-partnership sites which are using or about to use version 3 of the Read codes. These assessments in use comprise evaluation. An evaluation beyond this is not planned.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the representations from other Government Departments in relation to the urgency of the re-evaluation of the Read codes system and the Centre for Coding and Classification in Loughborough. [27828]
Mr. Horam:
Contacts with Government Departments in Scotland and Wales on Read codes are long standing and continuing.
On 7 March, the Welsh Office expressed concerns about the project at Withybush hospital. Several meetings have since taken place and these concerns have been addressed. The project is continuing.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the directives which have affected his Department in each of the past three years and (a) the United Kingdom legislation introduced as a result of the directives, (b) the United Kingdom legislation which goes beyond the minimum standards set out in the directives and (c) the clauses within each piece of United Kingdom legislation which amplify the minimum standards set out in the directives. [27077]
2 May 1996 : Column: 609
Mr. Horam
[holding answer 29 April 1996]: In the last three years, three directives have affected this Department. These, and the implementing legislation, are as follows:
| Directive | Implementing Legislation |
|---|---|
| 93-39 New Licensing system for human medicines | The Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisation etc.) Regulation 1994 (SI 1994 No 3144) |
| 93-42 Council Directive on Medical Devices | Medical Devices Regulations 1995 (SI 1994 No 3017) The Active Implantable Medical Devices (Amendment and Transitional Provisions Regulations) (SI 1995 No 1671) |
| 93-43 Hygiene of foodstuffs | Food safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No 1763) |
None of the implementing legislation amplifies the minimum standards set in the directive.
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