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Cancer Diagnosis
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions have taken place between his Department and representatives of general practitioners regarding guidelines on the levels of clinical suspicion in cancer diagnosis; and when those discussions took place. [95112]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 25 October 1999]: In May 1999, the Department brought together a Cancer Referral Steering Group, including cancer specialists and general practitioners, including representatives from the Royal College of General Practitioners to lead work to
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develop cancer referral guidelines to help general practitioners identify more easily those patients with symptoms that could be cancer and require urgent investigation. There will be wide ranging consultation on the draft guidelines, nationally and locally, in which GPs and others will be invited to take part.
Mr. Winnick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage employers to provide low-fat meals for employees in order to reduce heart disease. [94931]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 25 October 1999]: We have funded, through our food and nutrition contract with the Health Education Authority, a variety of projects aimed at providing healthy eating choices in the workplace. The Heartbeat Award for example, encourages workplace caterers to work with local health professionals to help reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease by providing people with access to healthier food choices. Furthermore, in July this year, a video resource called "Tipping the Balance" was launched to show workplace caterers how they can make small but significant changes to their customers' favourite dishes without affecting their popularity. We are also funding a workplace catering pack, which is currently being redeveloped and will become available after pre testing in spring next year. The aim of these measures is to improve the balance of the ingredients used in dishes, and to encourage people to eat less fat and more cereals, fruit and vegetables.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects that the working party set up to assess the state of research into the health implications of mobile telephone usage will report; and if he will make a statement. [95720]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 26 October 1999]: The Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones, chaired by Sir William Stewart FRS, FRSE, is expected to report in spring 2000. The group is currently considering the possible health effects from the use of mobile phones, base stations and transmitters and is conducting a rigorous assessment of existing research. A call for evidence has recently been placed in national newspapers and scientific journals.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what inquiries he is making into the retention of human infant organs by Alder Hey Hospital. [96255]
Yvette Cooper:
In view of the concerns raised about the removal and retention of organs (at post-mortem), I have asked the Chief Medical Officer to conduct an investigation. This investigation will look at what has happened not only at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital (Alder Hey) but in the country generally and at the implications for the National Health Service. Any recommendations relating to Coronial practice emerging from the Chief Medical Officer's investigation, the Bristol Inquiry, or other local reviews will receive full consideration.
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Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new nurses have been recruited during each of the past five years; what is the target of new nursing recruits for the next 12 months; what initiatives are being pursued to attract more young people into nursing; and what is the cost of these initiatives. [96251]
Mr. Denham:
The number of pre-registration diploma and degree recruits into nursing and midwifery training in England over the last five years are:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 11,463 |
| 1995-96 | 12,364 |
| 1996-97 | 13,967 |
| 1997-98 | 15,522 |
The latest estimate of outturn for 1998-99 is 17,221.
The number of pre-registration diploma and degree nursing and midwifery recruits planned for 1999-2000 is 19,332.
We are supporting a number of initiatives to attract more people into nursing, including a national competition run in secondary schools (£100,000), the national nurse recruitment campaign (£5 million), NHS Careers (£500,000), widening access to nurse training and the Positively Diverse initiative. In addition, the Government have implemented in full the Nurse Pay Review Body recommendations for a 12 percent. pay rise for newly qualified staff.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action his Department has taken and what plans he has to ensure children from atopic families avoid early sensitisation to nut products and that parents and carers are aware of the risk of sensitisation; [96442]
Yvette Cooper:
The Department of Health asked the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), an advisory committee comprised of independent experts, to make recommendations to help reduce the prevalence of peanut allergy. The report was published in June 1998 and includes advice to parents of children from atopic families and pregnant mothers from atopic families about sensitisation to peanut products. Copies are available in the Library. In addition, a leaflet "Peanut Allergy--the Facts" which summarises the Committee's advice was sent to all GP surgeries in England. Copies of it are also available in the Library.
Mrs. Ann Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he has made to the British Medical Association Guidelines and Code of Practice on Advance Statements about Medical Treatment; and if he will make a statement. [96517]
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Yvette Cooper:
We have considered these Guidelines and Code of Practice carefully. They aim to promote clarity in the area of advance statements to enable their validity and applicability to be decided on a case by case basis.
Sir Peter Emery:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he will take to ensure that access to hospital treatment is based on clinical priority. [96648]
Mr. Denham:
We have made it clear that clinical priority must be the main determinant for when patients are seen in outpatient clinics or when they are admitted to hospital.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were excluded from (a) local council and (b) other leisure and play schemes on the grounds of medical conditions which are not classed as disabilities in each of the last five years. [96443]
Ms Hodge:
I have been asked to reply.
The information required is not collected centrally.
Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list his Department's expenditure on cancer services for the last five years; [96239]
(3) what plans he has to increase the extent of service provision for multi-disciplinary care for (a) breast, (b) ovarian, (c) lung, (d) prostate and (e) colorectal cancers throughout the UK. [96240]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 29 October 1999]: It is estimated that over 6 per cent. of total Government expenditure on the National Health Service is spent on cancer services. Since 1997, we have provided an additional £70 million into improving breast, colorectal, lung and outpatient cancer services. We will build on this record of achievement. An extra £80 million from the NHS modernisation fund will be invested in cancer services over the next two years. This will support the implementation of the two week outpatient wait for all urgent cancer referrals and work to further improve consistency and equity of access to cancer services through investment in workforce and equipment.
£93 million is being spent on cancer equipment from the New Opportunities Fund from the National Lottery and a further £23 million is also being set aside from the New Opportunities Fund for palliative care and prevention initiatives.
Professor Mike Richards will spearhead the drive on cancer within the Department and work with professional groups and the voluntary sector outside to modernise cancer services from prevention through to treatment and care.
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Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the remit of Professor Michael Richards in relation to Government policy on cancer treatment; and to whom he reports. [96238]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 29 October 1999]: On 25 October, we announced a package of measures to up the pace of change and deliver faster and more wide ranging improvement to cancer services. This included, for the first time, the appointment of a National Cancer Director. Reporting to Ministers, Professor Mike Richards will spearhead our concerted drive on cancer. He will work in partnership with doctors, nurses, general practitioners, other health professionals and the voluntary sector to improve prevention and modernise cancer services to help ensure equitable access to high quality cancer care. He will work within the Department of Health with executive responsibility.
(2) what information his Department issues concerning anaphylaxis and contact between young children and nut products. [96439]
(2) how much extra money he plans to allocate to cancer services; and if this will be provided solely from general taxation; [96241]
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