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Consultants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the actions his Department has taken on each of the recommendations contained in the Cabinet Office report on the Government's use of external consultants. [10161]
Mr. Horam: The Department's response to the Cabinet Office report on the use of external consultants is set out in the detailed action plan sent to the Cabinet Office in 1994. Copies will be placed in the Library.
All the actions stated in this plan have now been implemented.
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those hospitals in which ECT treatment has been given to patients aged over 18 years without their specific consent since 1 April 1994 and the number of patients so treated in each hospital listed. [10254]
Mr. Burns: Information on the number of electroconvulsive therapy treatments given without specific consent is not available centrally.
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Wheelchair Initiatives
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress towards the implementation of the wheelchair initiatives announced by his Department in February 1996. [9989]
Mr. Burns: Both initiatives are now under way. Wheelchair services are supplying, or are about to supply, a powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair to severely disabled people who meet their local eligibility criteria. We have recently issued guidance to the national health service on the detailed arrangements for the phased introduction of the voucher scheme.
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Health Authority
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the effect of the projected reduction in the purchasing budget of the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham health authority on the number of (a) patient treatments and (b) operations in the current financial year; and if he will list them by category and hospital; [10433]
- (2) what resources he plans to transfer to Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham health authority in the current financial year. [10434]
Mr. Horam: The hospital and community health services general revenue allocation for Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham health authority in 1996-97 is £390 million which represents a real terms increase of £2.5 million, and a cash increase of £12.8 million.
In addition, the health authority has received £4 million in short-term funding to support it during a period of major structural and strategic change and £1.4 million from the mental health challenge fund.
There has been no reduction to the purchasing budget of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham health authority. The integrated hospital and community health services revenue allocation for 1997-98 is £441 million, which represents a real terms increase of £9.4 million, and a cash increase of £18 million. This includes a general revenue allocation of £420.6 million which represents a real terms increase of £7.6 million, and a cash increase of £15.9 million.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he received a letter from the forums of general practitioners of Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham and their local medical committee dated 5 November concerning local health provision; when he (a) acknowledged and (b) replied to it; and if he will place copies of the correspondence in the Library. [10709]
Mr. Malone:
An advance copy of the forums' letter was received by the Department of Health on 6 November 1996, and the text of the open letter as signed by local general practitioners was received on 15 November. A copy of the letter was received from the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Sedgemore) on 26 November and acknowledged the same day. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health replied to the hon. Member on 23 December. Copies of the correspondence will be placed in the Library.
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Sir Julian Critchley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the work of his Department's standing group on health technology in respect of carcinoma of the prostate in relation to health technology assessment. [10760]
Mr. Horam:
The Department of Health's standing group on health technology commissioned research on the detection, management and screening for carcinoma of the prostate which was recently reported. The findings have been referred to the Department's national screening committee for advice. I will consider the findings following receipt of this advice.
Sir Julian Critchley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the national health services's policy towards staffing levels in hospitals with casualty and emergency departments over the Christmas and new year holiday periods. [10762]
Mr. Horam:
National health service trusts should ensure that appropriate staff cover is maintained over holiday periods.
Mr. Chris Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the increase in NHS research and development spending related to primary care announced in his White Paper, "Primary Care: Delivering the Future" will be new funding. [10793]
Mr. Malone:
Our aim is to double the existing proportion of national health service research and development directly related to primary care. The total level of NHS research and development spending is reviewed annually in the light of the needs and priorities of the NHS overall.
Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a paper listing in relation to each of the World Health Organisation's health for all targets (a) Government actions to attain the target, (b) the current deadline for meeting the target, (c) indicators used by his Department to monitor progress towards meeting the target and (d) current performance and target performance in terms of those indicators. [10797]
Mr. Malone:
The World Health Organisation carries out regular evaluation exercises on progress towards the achievement of its health for all targets. I will place in the Library copies of the United Kingdom report sent to WHO as part of the second evaluation exercise carried out in 1994. We are currently taking part in the third evaluation exercise which is expected to be completed later this year.
Mr. Chris Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the resources implications of nurse prescribing. [10792]
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Mr. Malone:
Indications from the evaluation suggest that the net revenue costs of nurse prescribing will be broadly neutral and that there will be clear benefits for patients.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the percentage of NHS beds in the acute sector used for private patients in each health authority area in (a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987, (d) 1992 and (e) 1996; and if he will make a statement. [9872]
Mr. Horam:
The information requested is not available.
Ms Jowell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the NHS executive in each of the last three years on (a) conference registration fees,
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(b) lease cars for senior management, (c) air travel, (d) hospitality and (e) business travel within the United Kingdom. [8485]
Mr. Malone
[holding answer 12 December 1996]: Available information is given in the table. Information on conference registration fees is not collected separately. The 1995-96 figures take account of the transfer into the national health service executive of responsibilities, and 292 people, from other parts of the Department of Health during 1995-96.
| £000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
| Lease cars for senior management | 68 | 34 | 22 |
| Air travel (internal United Kingdom and overseas) | 68 | 101 | 114 |
| Hospitality (includes working lunches) | 89 | 85 | 144 |
| Business travel within the United Kingdom (excludes air travel) | 995 | 1,430 | 1,781 |