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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 7 July 1997
HEALTH
Information Technology
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for (i) increasing the use of information technology in communications and information management in the health service and (ii) achieving better value for money and functional effectiveness in these investments. [6069]
Mr. Milburn: The role of information technology in the National Health Service is currently under consideration.
HIV Tests
Dr. Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances HIV tests may be carried out on health professionals without their explicit and informed consent. [6593]
Mr. Milburn: HIV tests should not be carried out on health professionals without their explicit and informed consent. In very rare and exceptional circumstances where there is a serious public health risk, a magistrate may, on the application of the local authority supported by a certificate from the local authority's medical adviser, order that a person believed to have suffered or to be suffering from a specified disease, including AIDS, or carrying an organism capable of causing the disease, be medically examined and tested.
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) annual and (b) other disclosure he proposes in respect of profits made by consortiums involved in NHS PFI schemes. [6554]
Mr. Milburn: The private sector companies which comprise a consortium involved in a Private Finance Initiative project with a National Health Service trust usually establish a new corporate entity known as a "special purpose vehicle". This is a limited company whose sole purpose and activity will be to sign the contract and take on the responsibilities under that contract. As a limited company it must observe the provisions of the Companies Acts and publish annual accounts; these must be lodged with the Registrar of Companies where they are available for public inspection.
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if consortiums involved in NHS PFI schemes for NHS trusts are restricted in their ability to market or promote private health insurance. [6552]
Mr. Milburn:
There is no specific national policy in place which restricts consortia involved in private finance initiative projects with National Health Service trusts from
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marketing or promoting private health insurance. However, all NHS trusts must ensure that the interests of NHS patients remain paramount and that the public service values of accountability, probity and openness underpin all decisions they take, as set out in the guidance documents "Code of Conduct and Accountability" (1994) and "Standards of business conduct for NHS staff" (1993). Particular emphasis is placed based on identifying and avoiding possible conflicts of interest and inducements.
Individual NHS trusts are required to draw up a local code of conduct and accountability which must be based on the national guidelines and take into account local circumstances.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources the Government are providing to implement the recent agreement on junior doctors' hours. [6592]
Mr. Milburn:
In 1997-98 £1.6 million central funding has been provided to support local medical workforce advisory groups and New Deal task forces, who will work together to reduce junior doctors' hours.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government intends to make funding the implementation of the Calman report on higher specialist training a priority for purchasing authorities. [6595]
Mr. Milburn:
Implementation of the reforms of higher specialist training was agreed by the previous Government in December 1993 on the basis that it would be managed at a pace and in a manner which minimised additional costs and enabled these to be absorbed. Continuing the phased implementation of the specialist registrar grade is a specific objective for health authorities and National Health Service trusts in the Priorities and Planning Guidance for the NHS: 1997-98.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what are the terms of reference of the fundamental review of NHS spending; [6542]
(3) what is the role of the Treasury in the fundamental review of NHS funding; [6543]
(4) what is the timetable for reporting the conclusions of the fundamental review of NHS spending. [6483]
Mr. Milburn:
My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, in his statement to the House on 11 June, column 1143, said that terms of reference for Departmental reviews would be published shortly; that the review would take 12 months to complete, and its conclusions would inform a new set of public spending plans for the rest of this Parliament. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, said to the House on 25 June, column 916, that the review would involve Health Department officials, National Health Service staff
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and people from outside both services, and that Ministers would be involved at all stages. Treasury officials are also involved in the review.
Mr. Tony Colman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the health authority funding arrangements. [6419]
Mr. Milburn:
An announcement will be made in due course.
Ms Kelly:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the annual cost of prescription fraud in Bolton, West; [6473]
(3) what estimate he has made of the savings which will be made in Bolton West due to the proposed measures to tackle prescription fraud. [6471]
Mr. Milburn:
The report of the Efficiency Scrutiny into Prescription Fraud, which was published last month, estimated levels of prescription fraud in England and Wales as £85 million to £115 million per year. It is estimated that the loss of revenue from patient charge evasion in Bolton Family Health Services Authorities in 1995-96 was approximately £0.1 million. We are not able to estimate the level of other forms of prescription fraud for the period.
While we are in the process of implementing a number of measures aimed at reducing the level of prescription fraud as well as improving its detection, it is impossible to estimate the amount of savings that will result in particular health authorities.
Guidance on the secure handling of prescriptions has been issued to all hospitals. We do not hold centrally information on the measures being taken by Bolton National Health Service Trust to tackle prescription fraud, but my hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of the Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust, Mrs. Peacock, Royal Bolton Hospital, Minerva Road, Farnworth, Bolton BL4 OJR.
Mrs. Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on prescription policy, with special reference to the continuing availability of vitamin and dietary supplements on prescription. [6418]
Mr. Milburn:
Any vitamins and dietary supplements which are licensed as medicines under the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations Etc) Regulations 1994 and the Medicines Act 1968 may be prescribed on the National Health Service by general medical practitioners unless they are listed in schedule 10 to the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992. Unlicensed vitamins and dietary supplements, unless they are listed in this same schedule, may also be prescribed on the NHS by general practitioners but such prescriptions may be subject to challenge by health authorities who may, subject to an appeals mechanism, require the practitioner to pay for them.
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Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Government plans to implement the medical work force standing advisory committee recommendation on increasing medical student numbers. [6591]
Mr. Milburn:
The Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee's second report (June 1995) recommended an increase in medical student intake to 4,970 by the year 2000. This is currently being implemented by the Higher Education Funding Councils ahead of schedule and within existing undergraduate medical schools. Figures are provided in the table.
(2) which (a) ministers and (b) officials of his Department sit on the fundamental review of NHS spending panel; [6544]
(2) what measures Bolton NHS Trust has taken to tackle prescription fraud; [6472]
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target | 4,119 | 4,119 | 4,119 | 4,470 | 4,470 | 4,736 | 4,834 |
| Actual | 4,320 | 4,449 | 4,531 | 4,778 | 4,699 | 4,820 | n/a |
Source:
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
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