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Wheelchairs
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the actions he proposes to take to ensure that guidance issued to health trusts on the allocations of power-assisted wheelchairs to severely disabled children is properly implemented. [6737]
Mr. Boateng: The Health Service Guidance about powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs, which was issued in May 1996, states clearly that the National Health Service should provide powered chairs for severely disabled people, including children, who could benefit from them. It is the duty of the health authority to assess local needs and determine local eligibility criteria for the supply of powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs, within the broad national framework set out by the NHS Executive. One of the criteria is that the disabled person should be able to handle the chair safely. It is therefore a matter of local decision whether individual disabled children are deemed to be capable of handling a powered chair safely. Health authorities are not allowed to refuse to supply a powered wheelchair solely on age grounds.
NHS Doctors
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors were in the service of the NHS in 1996; and how many he estimates the service will require in each of the next five years. [6745]
Mr. Milburn: The statistics from the Department of Health Census of Hospital Medical and Dental Workforce of 30 September 1996 should be published at the end of July. The number of doctors working in general medical services on 1 October 1996 are given in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Unrestricted principals | 26,855 |
| Restricted principals | 115 |
| Assistants | 662 |
| Trainees | 1,305 |
| All practitioners | 28,937 |
7 Jul 1997 : Column: 311
SWAG recommended an additional 1,500 higher specialist trainees for 1996-97. For 1997-98, SWAG's recommended increases were within a range of 250 to 850.
NHS Trusts and Health Authorities
Mr. Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will name each member of each NHS trust and health authority in Nottinghamshire; when they were appointed; and when their appointment terminates. [6794]
Mr. Milburn: The information requested is as follows:
7 Jul 1997 : Column: 312
Surrogacy
Miss Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the review of the law on surrogacy; and if the public and interested bodies will be able to make submissions to the review team. [6433]
Ms Jowell: We expect the review team to issue a consultation document to a wide range of interested bodies later this summer, with copies being available to anyone else who asks for it. We shall make an announcement about the availability of the document and details of how to obtain a copy at the time it is issued. Following a sufficient period to allow responses to be made, we expect to receive the team's report early next year.
Trust Boards
Sir David Madel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many working days notice were given to hon. Members to make suggestions to him as to appointments to trust boards; and if he will make a statement. [6775]
Mr. Milburn:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health's letter to hon. Members inviting nominations for appointments to trust boards was an addition to the normal consultation processes, designed to widen the field of candidates to include more members of the local community. His letter of 26 June asked for nominations to reach him by 7 July, allowing seven working days in which to respond.
7 Jul 1997 : Column: 313
Mr. Berry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many disabled people are employed by each hospital trust in England and Wales. [7059]
Mr. Boateng:
All employers in the National Health Service with over 20 staff must comply with the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, which changed the definition of disability from that previously used. We are working with the NHS to consider how to monitor both the letter and the spirit of the law. Historic figures under the previous definition of disability are available in the annual "Employment Gazette/Labour Market Trends", copies of which are available in the Library.
Mr. Tyrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's definition of rural for the purposes of health care provision; and if the definition used is the same as that set out on page 9 of the Department of Health publication of November 1996, Developing Health and Social Care in Rural England. [6960]
Mr. Milburn:
There is no generally used definition of "rural" for the purposes of health care provision.
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