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Dental Access Fund
Mr. Burnett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government proposes to repeat the provision of the dental access fund for 1997-98. [12755]
Mr. Milburn:
No. On 9 September, we announced the "Investing in Dentistry" initiative, which makes available up to £9 million in 1997-98 to help dentists expand
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existing or set up new practices in areas of the country where there are particular problems with the availability of national health service dental services.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State of Health what steps he took to consult NHS trusts before issuing his instructions to hold board meetings in public. [12797]
Mr. Milburn:
In reaching his decision, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health took account of the fact that all health authorities and a significant proportion of national health service trusts already hold board meetings in public.
Mr. Norman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from NHS trust boards following his instructions to hold board meetings in public; and if he will publish the content of these submissions. [12796]
Mr. Milburn:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has received a number of letters about trust board meetings, both in favour and against. It is for those making the representations to decide whether they should be published.
Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State of Health how many ambulance service personnel have taken early retirement on health grounds in each of the last five years; and what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the subject; and if he will make a statement. [12775]
Mr. Milburn:
In the five-year period up to 24 February 1997, the national health service pension scheme awarded ill-health retirement benefits to 2,576 ambulance personnel retiring from NHS ambulance trusts in England and Wales. A year-on-year breakdown is not available.
In the last five years, the Department of Health has not commissioned any research on ambulancemen retiring early from the NHS on health grounds.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average number of items prescribed to individuals aged 65 years and over in each year since 1985. [12794]
Mr. Milburn:
The information requested is available in the statistical bulletins, Statistics of prescriptions dispensed in the Family Health Service Authorities: England 1985 to 1995, (statistical bulletin in 1996/17 July 1996) and Statistics of prescriptions dispensed in the community: England 1986 to 1996, (statistical bulletin 1997/15 July 1997), both of which are available in the Library. Before 20 October 1995, the term "elderly people" meant women aged 60 years or over and men aged 65 and over. Since then, however, men aged 60 and over are also included in this group, but the population figures for 1995 are still for men aged 65 years and over and women aged 60 and over. The 1985 to 1990 prescription data are based on fees, while 1991-1995 prescription data are based on items.
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Dr. Brand:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reimburse general practitioners for testing for H. pylori. [12780]
Mr. Milburn:
Under the terms of a general practitioner's cost plus contract, all expenses incurred in the delivery of general medical services are reimbursed either directly to the general practitioner who incurs the cost or indirectly, at the average for the profession as a whole, through fees and allowances.
General practitioners are free to use any of the test kits for H. pylori if they feel it clinically appropriate, and the profession will receive reimbursement for their costs through fees and allowances.
The Government have no plans to change these arrangements.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United Kingdom resulted from contaminated implements during surgical procedures. [12493]
Ms Jowell:
In the United Kingdom two incidents involving a total of three patients are known where Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is presumed to have been transmitted by neurosurgical instruments. Both incidents occurred in the 1950s.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his Department's latest figures for trends in suspected and confirmed cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United Kingdom. [12492]
Ms Jowell:
The latest figures on the number of cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, including new variant CJD, in the United Kingdom were published in a Department of Health press release on 6 October 1997, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
The fifth annual report of the national Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease surveillance unit published on 15 September 1997 showed that there has been an increase in the number of cases of classic sporadic CJD recorded in England and Wales for the period 1970 to April 1996, with the greatest increase reported in those over the age of 75. Substantial increases in the reported incidence of classic CJD have also been observed in other countries which monitor the disease, including countries where bovine spongiform encephalopathy is rare or absent. These increases are most likely to reflect improved case ascertainment, especially in the older age groups, rather than a real increase in the disease.
Dr. Brand:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the outcomes of the appeals process for fundholder budget allocations for the past five years by regional office, showing how many appeals found in favour of (a) GP fundholders and (b) regional offices for each area. [12486]
Mr. Milburn:
When a fundholding practice receives its proposed budget offer for the coming year, the regulations require it to notify the health authority whether or not it
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accepts the offer. Although this is not a formal appeals process established by regulations, in practice most rejections are treated as appeals by regional offices. Similar procedures were followed before April 1996, when regional health authorities were responsible for budget offers.
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principally in favour of | Principally in favour of | |||
| GPFH | RO | GPFH | RO | |
| Northern and Yorkshire | 2 | 8 | 10 | 31 |
| Trent | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Anglia and Oxford | -- | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| West Midlands | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| South and West | 1 | 11 | 8 | 16 |
| North Thames | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| South Thames | 5 | 27 | 1 | 38 |
| North West | -- | -- | -- | 2 |
| Total | 12 | 54 | 23 | 98 |
These figures are not strictly comparable between regions due to different methods of dealing with likely problems in the setting of budgets. Some regions have a policy of addressing differences between the policy of the health authority and the fundholder to resolve disputes before a formal offer is made. In addition where a multifund (where a larger number of fundholders join together to apply the budget) have appealed en-masse, this might be counted as one appeal, or as individual appeals.
Often an appeal has no definite resolution for either side--elements of both arguments my be accepted, and the decision does not, in reality, come down one way or another. However, where a decision by the RO has been largely in favour of the GPFH this is reflected in the table.
Source:
NHS Executive Regional Offices
Maternity Services (North Staffordshire)
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what changes in procedures to maternity services have been introduced in north Staffordshire in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement; [12350]
- (2) if he will investigate staffing levels at the North Staffordshire maternity unit during holiday periods, weekends and between 5 pm and 9 am weekdays; and if he will make a statement; [12351]
(3) what investigations have been undertaken into maternity services and procedures in north Staffordshire. [12766]
Ms Jowell:
Following concerns expressed by staff working within the trust, North Staffordshire Hospital NHS trust conducted a management review of maternity services, which reported in May 1997. As a result of this review, a number of improvements have been implemented by the trust to both procedures and staffing arrangements, including the introduction of a new model of woman-centred care, additional staff in community midwifery, and improved cover arrangements at labour suites. There are no reductions in staffing at weekends or on bank holidays. All these changes are aimed at improving maternity services for patients.
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