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Mental Health (Leeds)
Mr. Truswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of (a) the Audit Commission's comparison between Leeds and other major cities in respect of expenditure per head on mental health services and (b) the recent net closure of eight acute
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psychiatric beds in Leeds prior to the reprovision of community alternatives; and why there was not formal public consultation over the closure. [59763]
Mr. Hutton:
Decisions about mental health care and the use of the increased resources made available by this Government are best taken at local level, because it is at local level that people's needs are best known and where services can be tailored to them. It is the responsibility of Leeds Health Authority to assess the health care needs of their population, to draw up strategies and commissioning plans in collaboration with local people, general practitioners and other organisations, and to secure a range of hospital and community health services to meet those needs.
The Leeds Community and Mental Health Trust is currently developing a modernisation programme that includes a range of capital developments to reprovide mental health services in Leeds. The introduction of these schemes will allow the closure of the existing facilities which are outdated and in much need of replacement. The health authority has discussed its plans with the community health council.
Mr. Duncan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the information collected under paragraphs 11(1) and 11(3) of Schedule 9 to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 allows his Department to trace other patients on the same operating list as the patient carrying the infective agent of new-variant CJD at Torbay; and if the hospital concerned has listed the employees involved in the operation in accordance with these paragraphs. [59978]
Ms Jowell
[holding answer 16 November 1998]: No. The patient's diagnosis was unknown at the time and no such Control of Substances Hazardous to Health record was kept.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he did not re-appoint Mr. Martyn Long CBE DL for a second term as Chairman of the Sussex Ambulance Service NHS Trust. [60045]
Mr. Milburn:
Mr. Long's application was considered alongside other possible candidates according to the Department's procedures for the appointment of National Health Service board members, details of which are available in the Library.
It is made clear to all those invited to serve on National Health Service boards that the appointment is for a set term of office, and there can be no presumption of re-appointment.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued on how pharmacists should be represented in primary care groups. [60191]
Mr. Milburn:
Primary Care Groups will need to draw upon all the experience and expertise of their stakeholders
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to develop and implement local policies. Pharmacists are recognised as important stakeholders in the community.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 9 November 1998, Official Report, columns 87-88, concerning Primary Care groups, if he will set out the ways in which elected members of local authorities will have an enhanced opportunity to influence the development and implementation of health care arrangements. [60298]
Mr. Milburn:
The local strategy for improving health and healthcare will be set through the Health Improvement Programme (HImP). The development of the HImP will be led by the health authority in partnership with the local National Health Service, relevant local authorities and the wider local community. This offers the opportunity for the local community and its leaders e. g., local Councillors, to influence the strategy. This approach will be underpinned, subject to Parliamentary approval, by new statutory duties of partnership between NHS bodies and local authorities to promote the health and wellbeing of their local populations.
Ms Dari Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the outcome of the EC Health Council meeting on 12 November. [60471]
Ms Jowell:
I attended the meeting of the Health Council on 12 November in Brussels, on behalf of the United Kingdom.
The Council adopted its common position on the Commission's proposal for an injury prevention programme. The Council discussed the development of future public health policy and adopted conclusions which stressed the importance of better prioritisation and co-ordination of public health activities by the Community to complement action taken by the Member States. The Commission reported on progress in combating smoking within the Community and announced that it intended to propose measures on the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes and labelling of packets; it also intended to bring forward measures on smuggling, additives, and the prohibition of "light" and "mild" markings on cigarettes. Conclusions which stressed the need for a more focused approach were adopted on the European Union-United States Task Force. The Council agreed to continue to consider TSEs (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies) at each meeting and asked the Commission to provide it with a detailed annual report on the issue. The Council noted a progress report on the draft Recommendation on limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields. A response to the Commission's report on the revision of the homeopathic medicines Directives was also agreed. The Council welcomed the recommendations of the conference held in Copenhagen on 9-10 September 1998 on "The Microbial Threat". It also discussed co-operation between the European Union and the World Health Organisation. The International Therapeutic Solidarity Fund--a French
17 Nov 1998 : Column: 566
Government initiative to provide anti-retroviral therapies to people with HIV/AIDS in developing countries--was also discussed. A discussion on the outcome of the conference on "Quality in Health Care" held by the Austrian Presidency on 24 July 1998 was held over lunch.
Miss Melanie Johnson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources he will make available to the Training Support Programme (TSP, Specific Grant) for local authorities in the next three years. [60472]
Mr. Hutton:
The training support programme budget for 1998-99 is £35.45 million. It is set to rise to £39.0 million for 1999-2000 and there are planning figures of £42.5 million and £44.5 million for the two subsequent years. This provides a sound basis on which local authorities can plan their local expenditure.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 10 November 1998, Official Report, column 178, concerning National Priorities Guidance, what informal consultations were undertaken prior to its publication. [60297]
Mr. Hutton:
The Government sought the personal advice and views of a range of key people from professional, National Health Service and social services organisations prior to the publication of Modernising Health and Social Services: National Priorities Guidance 1999/00-2001/02.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current level of continence care provision. [60272]
Mr. Hutton:
On 2 September 1998 we announced the details of the review of continence policy which involves representatives from the health service, social services and voluntary organisations. This review will lead to updated guidance which we plan to issue in Spring 1999.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation his Department has made of the recently published research into the beneficial effects of Betaferon; and what plans he has to issue revised guidance. [60271]
Mr. Milburn:
The Department has considered the results from the recently published research on treatment of multiple sclerosis with Betaferon (Beta-Interferon-1b). The research adds to the growing body of data about this medicine, but there are still many unanswered questions about its appropriate use in both relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. The Department will be commissioning new research to address this. When the results of the research are available, we will issue revised guidelines which will take into account this and all other soundly based research evidence.
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Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated for injuries caused by fireworks in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [60265]
Dr. Howells:
I have been asked to reply.
Personal Social Services)
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1987 | 960 |
| 1988 | 877 |
| 1989 | 800 |
| 1990 | 805 |
| 1991 | 723 |
| 1992 | 942 |
| 1993 | 1,058 |
| 1994 | 1,574 |
| 1995 | 1,530 |
| 1996 | 1,233 |
| 1997 | 908 |
No reliable estimates of injuries outside this period can be made because the numbers involved are too small to be extrapolated from data in the Home Accident Surveillance System.
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