| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
HEALTH
Aspirin and Paracetamol
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the increase in the retail price for aspirin and paracetamol following the new Department of Health guidelines on pack size; and if he will make a statement. [57872]
Ms Jowell:
The Department has received a number of letters from hon. Members and from members of the public since the introduction of new pack sizes for most aspirin and paracetamol products which became a statutory requirement on 16 September 1998.
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 557
Mr. Gorrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases in England and Wales in each of the past five years individuals have had to spend more than one night in hospital because of aspirin poisoning. [59637]
Mr. Hutton:
Information on the number of finished consultant episodes in National Health Service trusts in England with a primary diagnosis of poisoning by aspirin is shown in the table.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 1,374 |
| 1994-95 | 1,328 |
| 1995-96 | 1,503 |
| 1996-97(13) | 1,439 |
| 1997-98(13) | 1,505 |
(13) For 1996-97 and 1997-98 no adjustments have been made for shortfalls in data
Source:
Hospital Episodes Statistics
Mr. Gorrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons soluble and effervescent products are exempt from the regulations restricting the number which may be sold in one package to 32; and for what reasons dispersible products are not exempt. [59639]
Ms Jowell: The new measures for aspirin and paracetamol are aimed at reducing toxicity in overdose by limiting pack size for solid (tablet and capsule) formulations available over the counter.
Effervescent and some soluble formulations (which contain at least 75 per cent. carbon dioxide-forming ingredients) are exempt from the new pack size restrictions because they are difficult to swallow in quantity. These tablets will foam, making it difficult to take more than a small number. Powders, granules and suppositories are also exempt for similar reasons.
Dispersible and some soluble preparations are not exempt because, although designed to be dissolved in water, they can easily be swallowed in solid form and so there is potential for abuse.
Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the completion of a full business case to replace Loughborough's general hospital through a private finance initiative. [57742]
Mr. Milburn:
The National Health Service Executive is expecting to receive a revised full business case from Fosse Health NHS Trust for the scheme to replace Loughborough's General Hospital under the private finance initiative in the next month. It is understood that the best and final offer from the private partner was submitted on 3 November 1998 and the trust are currently considering the case in the light of this information.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrative staff were employed by the NHS (a) in May 1997, (b) in May 1998 and (c) in September 1998. [58250]
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 558
Mr. Milburn:
The number of clerical and administrative staff employed by the National Health Service in England as at 30 September 1997 was 131,860 whole-time equivalents. Figures relating to other times of the year are not collected centrally. Figures for September 1998 are currently being collected and will be published in due course.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes he proposes to the NHS capitation formula. [58343]
Mr. Milburn:
There were three changes to the target setting process for 1999-2000 health authority allocations:
No further changes will be made to the target setting process at least until 2001-02. This is because on 10 November 1998 we announced a wide ranging review of the formula.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unannounced inspections of (a) local authority and (b) private sector residential homes for the elderly took place in 1997; and how many and what percentage of the inspection reports were critical of the way in which the elderly residents were treated. [58504]
Mr. Hutton:
The information requested is not available centrally. However, my hon. Friend may like to refer to the Social Services Inspectorate publication--Local Authority Social Services Department Registration and Inspection Units Key Data 1996-97--copies of which are available in the Library, for limited information on the number of inspections carried out.
Mr. Gray:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into loss of (a) smell and (b) taste, as a result of (i) sinusitis and (ii) influenza. [59149]
Ms Jowell:
The Department's policy research programme and the central National Health Service research and development programmes are not currently supporting any such research.
The Medical Research Council (MRC), which is funded by the Office of Science and Technology, commissions most of the Government's research into bio-medical and clinical issues. The MRC is always open to new sound scientific proposals in competition with other applications. In deciding priorities and taking decisions, the MRC takes account of the Department's priorities, together with input from the health research community in general. The Department's policy research programme supports the formulation of health and social care policy and the
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 559
NHS programmes support the needs of the health service. Records are not held centrally of all research carried out in the NHS.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have retired before retirement age in each of the last five years; and how many retired on health grounds. [58746]
Mr. Milburn:
The number of general dental practitioners retiring before retirement age in England and Wales and the number of these retiring on health grounds are shown in the table.
the speciality cost weights in the hospital and community health services age adjustment were updated;
a new additional need adjustment for prescribing was introduced;
a supplement to the formula was introduced for the extra costs of interpretation, advocacy and translation services for ethnic minority populations who experience difficulties with the English language.
| Year ending March | Early retirements | Of which on grounds of ill-health |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 141 | 40 |
| 1995 | 200 | 106 |
| 1996 | 212 | 80 |
| 1997 | 183 | 91 |
| 1998 | 159 | 87 |
Ministerial Visit (West Byfleet)
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary, the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng), visited the West Byfleet Health Centre; and if he gave prior notification to the local hon. Member. [58807]
Mr. Hutton: My hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South visited West Byfleet on 14 October 1998. Ministers are fully aware of the need to notify hon. Members of their intention to visit their constituencies. I understand that on this occasion prior notification was not given. I apologise for any embarrassment and inconvenience caused to the hon. Member.
Millennium Compliance
Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of NHS computer systems which will be millennium-compliant on 1 April 1999. [58846]
Mr. Milburn: The precise information requested is not held centrally. National Health Service organisations are making good progress to ensure that their systems are compliant or that they have contingency arrangements in place by 30 September 1999.
Hospitals (Doncaster)
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of operating theatre time in NHS hospitals in the Doncaster area, is devoted to the treatment of (a) waiting list patients, (b) emergencies, (c) other NHS patients, and (d) other non-NHS patients, for the most recent period for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [59308]
Mr. Milburn:
The central collection of returns relating to theatre use has been discontinued. Since 1994, collection of this data within districts has been a matter for local discretion. My hon. Friend may wish to contact
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 560
the Chairman of the Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital National Health Service Trust, Mr. David Kitson.
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what number of waiting list patients were treated by hospitals in the Doncaster area as (a) day patients and (b) in-patients for the years (a) 1977, (b) 1987 and (c) 1997, respectively; and if he will make a statement. [59309]
Mr. Milburn:
Information on the number of patients treated by hospitals is available only from 1990-91. The table shows the available information for Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital National Health Service Trust and Doncaster Healthcare Trust for 1996-97. 1997-98 data are not yet available.
| Trust | Ordinary admissions | Day cases |
|---|---|---|
| Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu NHS Trust | 10,272 | 16,513 |
| Doncaster Healthcare NHS Trust(14) | 75 | 0 |
(14) Doncaster Healthcare Trust is a community and mental health trust
Source:
1996-97 Hospital Episode Statistics
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |