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Medical Negligence
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to take steps to limit the amount of NHS money which is to be paid out to patients who sue for negligence or medical accidents; and what plans he has for a no-fault medical accident compensation scheme.[3405]
Mr. Milburn: The Government have every sympathy with those who suffer adversely as a consequence of clinical treatment. Where negligence can be shown to have caused this it seems only right that compensation should be available, and the Government is currently exploring alternatives to litigation which might offer a quicker and cheaper way of dealing with clinical negligence claims. However, it is a longstanding principle that compensation should be paid by the National Health Service only when there is evidence that negligence has been involved.
Children (Care)
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve services for children who are looked after by local authorities; and by what means young people in care will be consulted about proposed changes. [3401]
Mr. Boateng: The Children Act 1989, and other relevant legislation, gives local authorities the responsibility for looking after children in public care.
The Department supports them in their role in a variety of ways, for example: statutory guidance; professional and practice guidance; and the "Looking After Children" system and materials which provides local authorities who chose to use it with a framework to capture information about the development of individual children to ensure that their needs are properly met within a care plan which involves the child, their families and carers. The Department also commissions and disseminates a range of research.
A reports is expected in the summer from Sir William Utting on safeguards for children living away from home, including those in public care. In considering Sir William's report the Government will take the opportunity of discussing with local authorities and other interests, including those representing children, what further steps might be usefully taken to improve services for children who are looked after by local authorities.
Mr. Dawson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were looked after by local authorities in England and Wales on 1 April 1997 broken down by local authority and type of placement; how many children left care in each authority in 1996-97; and how many of those moved to secure tenancies in (a) the public housing sector and (b) the private housing sector. [3400]
Mr. Boateng:
Information on the number of children looked after by each local authority in England at 31 March 1995, including types of placement and the
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number of children who ceased to be looked after, is given in Tables 1 and 4 in the publication "Children Looked After by local authorities, year ending 31 March 1995, England", copies of which are available in the Library. The corresponding figures for the year ending 31 March 1996 are due to be published in August 1997. Local authorities have until 30 June 1997 to return their data on children looked after at 31 March 1997 to the Department of Health; this information is therefore unavailable at present.
Information on the subsequent accommodation of young people who have ceased to be looked after is not collected centrally.
Statistics on children looked after in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement regarding his Department's policy towards compensation payments to women who claim to have been injured through receiving radiotherapy treatment; and what steps his Department is taking to investigate the causes of this problem. [3394]
Mr. Boateng:
The Government have every sympathy with women who have suffered adverse side-effects as a consequence of radiotherapy treatment. However, it is a longstanding principle that compensation should be paid by the National Health Service only when there is evidence that negligence has been involved.
The following action has been taken to help women with damage as a result of radiotherapy for breast cancer:
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what levels of asthma have been recorded in the Torbay parliamentary constituency in each year since 1987; and what the national average levels of asthma were in each year since 1987. [3781]
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Ms Jowell:
According to the available data provided by South and West Devon Health Authority, in-patient finished consultant episodes for asthma in the borough of Torbay are as follows:
In May 1994 the Department issued guidance entitled "Quality Assurance in Radiotherapy--A Quality Management System for Radiotherapy".
The Royal College of Radiologists at the Department's request, convened a small group of professionals and lay people in Autumn 1994 to consider guidelines for care of women who have suffered tissue damage following radiotherapy for breast cancer. This report was issued to the NHS by the Department in October 1995.
The Royal College of Radiologists carried out a confidential clinical review of 126 women who had suffered injury following radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer at 15 centres in the period 1980-1993. The report makes recommendations on the management of breast cancer, particularly on radiotherapy, and for further research.
With regard to those suffering adverse effects following pelvic radiotherapy for gynaecological cancers, in 1996, a Working Group, which includes representatives from a number of Royal Colleges, voluntary organisations and the Department, was set up to consider the preparation of patient information leaflets concerning possible adverse effects following pelvic radiotherapy and to raise awareness generally. A sub-group is also considering issuing guidelines for health professionals on the care of women suffering adverse effects as a result of pelvic radiotherapy.
| Asthma in any diagnostic position | Asthma as the main diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 484 | 233 |
| 1994-95 | 570 | 236 |
| 1995-96 | 785 | 217 |
| 1996-97 | 796 | 243 |
Nationally, there is no comprehensive data on the number of people with asthma.
According to data collected by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the mean weekly incidence of new general practitioner episodes of asthma per 100,000 population in England for each year since 1987 was as follows:
1987: 27.2
1988: 33.3
1989: 34.0
1990: 37.3
1991: 46.3
1992: 48.3
1993: 50.3
1994: 49.2
1995: 40.3
1996: 38.2.
Silicone Breast Implants
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will implement a moratorium on the use of silicone breast implants until the review on their use has been completed; and if he will introduce an immediate directive ensuring that all plastic surgeons only operate when the patient has given their informed consent. [2300]
Mr. Boateng [holding answer 6 June 1997]: An independent expert group has on two occasions (in 1992 and 1994) found no evidence of a link between silicone breast implants and connective tissue disease. In view of the renewed concerns of patients the Department of Health has now set up a further review (May 1997). This will look particularly at issues relating to preoperative advice and counselling to patients. However, the scientific evidence does not currently suggest the need for a moratorium or immediate directives to plastic surgeons. Further action will be considered in the light of the review findings.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the names of the experts on the panel of the review of the use of silicone breast implants. [2301]
Mr. Boateng [holding answer 6 June 1997]: The names of the members of the Independent Review Group are as follows:
Professor R. D. Sturrock (Chairman): Professor of Rheumatology
Professor R. Batchelor: Professor of Immunology
Professor Alan Silman: Professor of Epidemiology
Mr. T. M. Milward: Consultant Plastic Surgeon
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Professor J. P. Sloane: Professor of Histopathology
Professor D. R. London: Formerly Professor of Medicine.
PRIME MINISTER
National Lottery
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister when his office briefed the media about his opinion of bonuses to Camelot directors. [3776]
The Prime Minister: On 28 May.
Royal Commissions
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) reviews and (b) Royal commissions the Government have established; and how many of each it plans to establish in the next year. [3026]
The Prime Minister: Significant reviews which we have announced include:
- A comprehensive spending review;
- A strategic defence review;
- A review of the bureaucratic burden on teachers;
- A review of detailed criteria used in considering license applications for the export of conventional weapons;
- A review of the law relating to surrogacy;
- A review of the law relating to silicone breast implants;
- a review of proposed NHS private finance initiative schemes;
- A review of the breast cancer screening service in Devon and implications for the breast cancer screening programme as a whole;
- A review of the arrangements for celebrating the Millennium;
- A review of the National Lottery, leading to the publication of a White Paper;
- A review of film policy;
- A review of steps which might be taken to strengthen local democratic control of the three public water authorities in Scotland;
- Scottish Enterprise has been asked to bring forward its planned review of strategy to encourage a more effective, responsive and accountable enterprise network in Scotland;
- A review of the way in which social rented housing is supported in Scotland;
- A review of the Skye Bridge tolling arrangements;
- A fundamental review of transport policy leading to the publication of a White Paper on our long term strategy for an integrated transport policy;
- A review of the arrangements for enforcing the rules on the welfare of animals exported live to the continent;
- A review of the case for inoculation as a substitute for the quarantine of animals;
- A review of the international development policies leading to a publication of a White Paper in the Autumn;
- A review of economic regeneration in Wales;
No Royal Commissions have been established.
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The announcements of any further reviews will be made when those reviews are initiated.
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