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New Hospital (Peterborough)
34. Mrs. Brinton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make a decision on the building of a new hospital for Peterborough. [437]
Mr. Milburn: Peterborough Hospitals National Health Service trust has selected its preferred private sector partner and is working towards the submission of the full business case for the redevelopment of the Edith Cavell site under the private finance initiative.
Hospital Trust Decisions (Review)
35. Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he proposes to review the decisions of hospital trusts to (a) close hospitals and (b) dispose of hospital lands. [439]
Mr. Milburn: We shall be considering the current arrangements for consultation on major services changes in due course. There are no plans to change the current arrangements for disposal of hospital land.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
36. Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department intends to continue to appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in favour of those victims of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease caused through the use of human growth hormone; and if he will make a statement. [440]
Ms Jowell: The appeal is by the plaintiffs and not by the Department.
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projections he has evaluated in respect of the number of new variant CJD cases over the next two years. [294]
Ms Jowell:
It will be three or four years before we have enough information about new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease to make any reliable prediction of future numbers of cases.
20 May 1997 : Column: 58
37. Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for the provision of long-term care; and if he will make a statement. [441]
Mr. Boateng:
The Government intend to examine in detail, as heralded in our manifesto, provisions for long-term care of the elderly. We will make a further statement on this once the form of that examination and its content have been settled.
38. Mr. Ronnie Campbell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the PFI in relation to the health service. [442]
Mr. Milburn:
Our manifesto emphasised the crucial part we expect public/private partnerships to play in our spending plans. Our policy is to improve the private finance initiative in the national health service by taking forward the proposals set out in our 12-point plan in our business manifesto and we have already introduced the NHS (Private Finance) Bill which aims to ensure that NHS trusts have the statutory power to enter into PFI contracts. This will provide the private sector with the reassurance it needs to enter into PFI contracts and enable the major whole-hospital PFI schemes which have already signed commercial contracts to proceed to financial close.
39. Mr. Butterfill:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to involve the private sector in the provision of NHS services to the public. [443]
Mr. Milburn:
The Government's priority is to develop the national health service as a public service meeting the needs of its patients. We view the role of the private sector in the provision of NHS services in that light. We have already introduced a Bill that removes any shadow of doubt regarding NHS trusts' powers to enter into private finance initiative-type contracts.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review accident and emergency provision in hospitals in north London. [412]
Mr. Dobson:
As my hon. Friend knows, before the election we gave an undertaking to review health care in London to ensure that it will meet the needs of Londoners. Details of that review will be announced shortly. It will of course cover accident and emergency services.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has regarding Arnold Lodge secure unit, Leicester; what plans he has to visit the unit; and what representations he has received relating to the unit. [271]
Mr. Boateng:
The key proposals for the future of Arnold Lodge medium secure unit, Leicester, are contained within the action plan arising from the full independent review of the facility recently undertaken. The plans will improve the quality of the environment and provision of care. It will be a matter for purchasers of the service in conjunction with Leicestershire Mental Health Services national health service trust to determine the future of the service.
20 May 1997 : Column: 59
At present, we have no plans to visit the unit and have received no representations.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he proposes to take in respect of recommendations contained in his Department's report on Arnold Lodge secure unit, Leicester; and what is the timetable for their implementation. [274]
Mr. Boateng:
As a result of the full independent review of Arnold Lodge medium secure unit, Leicester, an action plan has now been submitted to Leicestershire health authority which contains over 100 recommendations.
The recommendations fall into 12 key areas ranging from security, risk management, policy and practice. The majority of these recommendations are to be implemented by the end of June 1997. A new management team has been established which has prioritised and actioned the most immediate issues. Furthermore, a capital sum of £0.5 million has been identified by the NHS executive Trent for a package of security measures. These will be implemented over the next few months.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary for Health will oversee the process through the regional office which manages the performance of Leicestershire health authority and monitors the performance of the Leicestershire Mental Health Services NHS trust.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regional mental health secure units there are; and how many staff they employ. [273]
Mr. Boateng:
There are 34 medium secure units nationally providing a total of 1,509 medium secure places. The number of staff employed in medium secure units is not collected centrally.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the costs to the NHS of geriatric and psychiatric patients being moved to alternative accommodation from the reduction in the average length of stay of patients in psychiatric and geriatric provision in Cumbria. [25]
Mr. Boateng:
It is the responsibility of each health authority to determine the pattern of provision of health services for its local population in the light of local needs and the availability of resources.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the operation of the dental access fund. [262]
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the 1996-97 deficit for each London NHS trust; and what is his estimate for the current financial year. [512]
20 May 1997 : Column: 60
Mr. Milburn:
The information requested for 1996-97 on all London trusts is shown in the table. Plans for 1997-98 are still being agreed.
20 May 1997 : Column: 61
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