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Multiple Sclerosis
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the recommendations in the report from the Working Party on Multiple Sclerosis produced by the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine. [81342]
Mr. Hutton: The report, "A Survey of Multiple Sclerosis Provision in England 1998-99", was produced by the Association for Quality in Healthcare in November 1998 on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
We have set out our plans to address unacceptable variations in services via a modernisation programme to deliver more consistent and higher quality care for patients. We remain committed to improving standards of healthcare and to ensuring that newer treatments, including new medicines, are introduced into the National Health Service as fast as possible where they represent a genuine therapeutic advance and are cost effective.
In addition, the move to new commissioning arrangements will bring about improvements in services for people with conditions like MS. Longer term agreements, reflecting dialogue between clinicians and focusing on health improvement and quality objectives, will increase the emphasis on programmes of care that cross the traditional boundaries to meet patients needs best.
Mr. Stinchcombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what data his Department has collated on the time it takes for ethnic minority members of NHS staff to be promoted within NHS hospitals relative to white members of staff; [82232]
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(3) what data his Department has collated on whether ethnic minority members of NHS staff are more likely to be disciplined by (a) suspension and (b) dismissal than white members of staff. [82229]
Mr. Denham:
The Department does not collect the data requested. Ministers are, however, concerned about the treatment of black and minority ethnic staff in the National Health Service and have a programme of action to tackle racism and end discrimination in the service.
In order to inform that programme, the Department commissioned Industrial Relations Services Research to undertake a survey of NHS trusts in England published in August last year, "Equal Opportunities and monitoring in NHS trusts", available from the Department of Health, Wetherby. This survey showed that 98 per cent. of NHS trusts have an equal opportunities in employment policy, but only a minority monitor promotions, redundancies, dismissals or training from an equal opportunities perspective. The survey has provided a baseline against which we are now able to measure progress and set targets for raising standards in employment practice.
As part of the modernisation of the NHS, the Government has published "Working Together--Securing a quality workforce for the NHS", the first human resources framework for the NHS published September 1998. This framework sets targets for reducing racial harassment of staff by colleagues and service users, and increasing ethnic minority representation in the work-force. By April 2000, local NHS employers are to have policies and procedures in place to tackle racial harassment, supported by monitoring and reporting arrangements to measure progress. They must also demonstrate that they are making progress year on year in achieving a more representative work-force.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to collect statistics on the prescribing and dispensing of Beta Interferon for MS sufferers in the NHS. [82642]
Mr. Denham:
We will continue to collect statistics on all drugs prescribed by general practitioners, including Beta Interferon, which are dispensed in the community. We do not collect statistics on drugs dispensed in hospitals and do not anticipate being in a position to do so for some time.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve renal services in East Lancashire; and if he will make a statement. [82846]
Mr. Hutton:
The four health authorities in Lancashire and South Cumbria, working together and with the National Health Service Executive North West, have identified capital investment of £1 million and revenue spending of approximately £1 million for 2000-01 to provide 15 additional dialysis stations. These facilities are
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expected to be in place at the Royal Preston Hospital by next spring and will relieve pressure and lead to improvements in renal services throughout the area.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications have been received under the Investing in Dentistry initiative; how many applications have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful; how many are still being considered; and what is the value of the grants that have been awarded as a result of successful applications. [82683]
Mr. Denham:
To date, a total of 696 Investing in Dentistry requests have been received, of which 282 have been approved for grants totalling over £8 million; 287 refused, and 127 are awaiting decision.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the bids which he has received from Avon health authority area under the Investing in Dentistry programme. [82900]
Mr. Denham:
The investing in dentistry funding requests submitted by Avon Health Authority are as follows:
Ms Ward:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce fair trade products at (a) meetings, (b) events and (c) catering facilities within his Department. [82871]
Ms Jowell:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary on 5 May 1999, Official Report, column 410.
Mr. Cummings:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Executive Board members in NHS trusts received a one-off contribution to their pension funds in the last round of pay awards; and what was the total cost of such payments to the NHS. [83097]
Mr. Denham:
Information on individual contributions to Executive Board members' pension funds is not available centrally.
Mr. Cummings:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has given to NHS trusts in respect of pay awards to Executive Board members in the forthcoming pay round. [83098]
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Mr. Denham:
The Chief Executive of the NHS wrote to all National Health Service trusts and health authorities on 1 February 1999 about pay for staff in 1999-2000. Setting out the Government's position on senior NHS managers' pay, he said:
Ms Drown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the scope for including tax and benefit considerations in NICE's assessments of the cost-effectiveness of drugs. [83027]
Mr. Denham:
Ministers are considering the responses to the discussion document "Faster access to modern treatment", which set out detailed proposals for the appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence of the clinical cost effectiveness of new and existing interventions. There will be a further statement shortly.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices providing national health service dental treatment there were in (a) the north-west of England and (b) London, in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998; and what is the current figure. [82907]
Mr. Denham:
The number of General Dental Service (GDS) dentists on a health authority (HA) list at December 1998 and in December in the years 1996 and 1997 in the North and West region health area and in the Greater London HAs area are shown in the table.
(2) what data his Department has collated on the rate at which ethnic minority members of NHS staff resign from the NHS relative to the rate for white members of staff; [82231]
Clifton, Bristol
Easton, Bristol
Filwood, Bristol
Lawrence Weston, Bristol
Bath (2 requests)
Bedmister (2 requests)
Bishopsworth
Chew Magna
Stockwood
Weston-Super-Mare.
"The Government does not expect to see senior managers being awarded increases out of line with the rest of the public service. Further guidance will follow when the pay round for other staff is complete".
| North and West | Greater London | |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2,195 | 2,848 |
| 1997 | 2,209 | 2,946 |
| 1998 | 2,240 | 3,010 |
Note:
Dentists includes principals, assistants and vocational dental practitioners.
Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of dental practices in (a) the north-west of England and (b) London, have (i) under 20 per cent., (ii) 21-40 per cent., (iii) 41-60 per cent., (iv) 61-80 per cent. and (v) 81-100 per cent. of the patients registered with them as national health service patients. [82906]
Mr. Denham: Information about dentists' private patients is not available centrally. The registration arrangements which these private patients have with their dentist may vary greatly. However, information is available for the average list size of registered National Health Service patients of General Dental Service (GDS) dentists.
The average number of NHS patients registered per GDS principal dentist on a health authority (HA) list at 31 December 1998 was 1,481 in the North West region health area, 902 in the Greater London HAs area, and for England the corresponding average is 1,341. Dentists are
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counted in each HA in which they practice and some dentists had no registrations on that date. Differences between these averages will reflect not only differences in the level of dentists' commitment to the GDS but also, other circumstances, for example the number of support staff.
Mr. Fearn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the percentage of all dental treatment provided by the national health service in (a) the north-west of England and (b) London. [83018]
Mr. Denham:
Gross fee expenditure in the General Dental Service for the year 1998-99 in the North and West region health area was £202.5 million and the Greater London Health Authorities was £211.4 million. These represent 15 per cent. and 16 per cent. respectively of gross fee expenditure in England.
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