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Generic Drugs
Mr. Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent (a) the availability of generic drugs has improved and (b) the Category D List has decreased; and if he will make a statement on the impact of such changes on such drugs' overall cost to the NHS since August 1999; and if he will make a statement. [106871]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 25 January 2000]: There are some indications that the supply situation for generic drugs is easing. The number of drugs on the Category D list--and therefore regarded, under the existing reimbursement system, as being in short supply--has fallen in the last three months. The position since August 1999 is shown in the table.
The cost of generic drugs to the National Health Service is continuing to rise, though the rate of increase is slowing down. On 21 December last year we announced additional in-year funding of £90 million to help the NHS manage the pressures from generic prices on health authority budgets.
27 Jan 2000 : Column: 349W
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1999 | |
| August | 176 |
| September | 190 |
| October | 196 |
| November | 175 |
| December | 109 |
| 2000 | |
| January | 96 |
(42) The figures relate to the month in which scripts are dispensed
Food Poisoning
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the numbers of cases of (a) salmonella enteritidis, (b) other strains of salmonella and (c) e.coli-type infections in each (i) region and (ii) nation of the United Kingdom, and (iii) in total, in each year since 1994. [106708]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 25 January 2000]: Information on the numbers of cases of Salmonella and E.coli O157 infections within England and Wales is collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service. The tables detail (a) numbers of Salmonella enteritidis (b) numbers of E.coli O157 reported to the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre and Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens by year and NHS Region since 1994.
Data on other strains of Salmonella are not routinely produced.
| NHS Region | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern | 889 | 799 | 1,197 | 1,120 | 751 |
| Yorkshire | 1,682 | 1,391 | 1,793 | 1,802 | 1,245 |
| Trent | 1,422 | 1,360 | 1,725 | 1,982 | 1,365 |
| East Anglia | 837 | 748 | 842 | 1,057 | 729 |
| North West Thames | 1,130 | 1,069 | 1,233 | 1,513 | 1,195 |
| North East Thames | 1,217 | 1,181 | 1,145 | 1,684 | 1,212 |
| South East Thames | 1,242 | 1,074 | 1,051 | 1,659 | 1,251 |
| South West Thames | 1,218 | 1,114 | 1,168 | 1,869 | 1,334 |
| Wessex | 1,090 | 972 | 987 | 1,423 | 985 |
| Oxford | 1,048 | 993 | 1,100 | 1,398 | 988 |
| South Western | 1,254 | 1,307 | 1,256 | 1,820 | 1,530 |
| West Midlands | 1,591 | 1,359 | 1,702 | 1,826 | 1,240 |
| Mersey | 549 | 530 | 791 | 804 | 605 |
| North Western | 1,166 | 1,186 | 1,366 | 1,423 | 926 |
| Wales | 1,036 | 961 | 900 | 1,528 | 1,041 |
| Total | 17,371 | 16,044 | 18,256 | 23,008 | 16,397 |
Note:
Data for 1999 are not yet available
The following table provides details of the numbers of cases of E.coli O157 reported to the Public Health
27 Jan 2000 : Column: 350W
Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre and Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens by year and NHS Region, since 1994.
| NHS Region | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern | 54 | 79 | 33 | 38 | 49 | 145 |
| Yorkshire | 21 | 47 | 76 | 112 | 113 | 99 |
| Trent | 41 | 65 | 105 | 156 | 78 | 97 |
| East Anglia | 30 | 35 | 38 | 69 | 46 | 47 |
| North West Thames | 14 | 28 | 30 | 49 | 58 | 33 |
| North East Thames | 14 | 15 | 20 | 45 | 31 | 36 |
| South East Thames | 13 | 26 | 34 | 43 | 54 | 59 |
| South West Thames | 10 | 29 | 12 | 28 | 33 | 53 |
| Wessex | 32 | 76 | 27 | 58 | 45 | 38 |
| Oxford | 25 | 28 | 24 | 44 | 36 | 28 |
| South Western | 35 | 89 | 83 | 104 | 93 | 109 |
| West Midlands | 46 | 106 | 57 | 137 | 76 | 85 |
| Mersey | 14 | 25 | 21 | 47 | 28 | 28 |
| North Western | 36 | 63 | 64 | 114 | 87 | 161 |
| Wales | 26 | 81 | 36 | 43 | 63 | 66 |
| Total | 411 | 792 | 660 | 1,087 | 890 | 1,084 |
Note:
1999 data are provisional
Health Service (Somerset)
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many (a) intensive care beds and (b) general hospital beds there were in (i) East Somerset and (ii) Somerset in each year from 1980; what is the latest available estimate in each case; and if he will make a statement; [106766]
- (2) if he will estimate the number of intensive care beds per head of population in (a) each English county and (b) Somerset Health Authority for each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [106740]
Mr. Denham: Information on the average daily number of beds by ward type for each National Health Service trust is published annually in "Bed Availability and Occupancy, England" and is available in the Library. The latest information is for 1997-98. As wards classified as 'intensive care' can also contain other types of beds we have piloted a new census focusing specifically on adult intensive care and high dependency beds. We will publish the results in due course.
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been on hospital waiting lists in (a) East Somerset and (b) Somerset in each year since 1992, giving figures on a quarterly basis since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [106767]
Mr. Denham: Information on waiting lists is published monthly (quarterly before April 1998) and is available in the Library.
Mr. Ashdown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of hospital operations in East Somerset Health Authority (a) postponed and (b) postponed solely at the discretion of the authority, in each quarter since 1995. [106741]
Mr. Denham:
Information on the number of operations cancelled for non medical reasons on the day patients are due to arrive or after arrival in hospital is published quarterly and is available in the Library.
27 Jan 2000 : Column: 351W
Mr. Ashdown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of (a) nurses and (b) doctors working for each Somerset health authority for each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [106742]
Mr. Denham:
Information on National Health Service manpower is published annually in the Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce census, the Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census and the General and Personal Medical Services Statistics for England and Wales which are available in the Library.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the 9 per cent. levy against retailers in respect of milk tokens sent to the Welfare Food Reimbursement Unit. [106967]
Yvette Cooper:
The Welfare Food Scheme is currently under review and the nine per cent. levy will form part of that review. Any proposals for change to the scheme will be subject to Parliamentary approval.
Sir Sydney Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the total costs of funding the accident and emergency departments within the Barnet Health Authority area in each of the last five years. [106873]
Ms Stuart:
The table contains information on the purchase of accident and emergency healthcare by Barnet Health Authority for the financial years 1994-95 to 1998-99.
| Financial year | Total expenditure (£) |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 4,438,795 |
| 1995-96 | 4,605,000 |
| 1996-97 | 4,816,000 |
| 1997-98 | 4,184,000 |
| 1998-99 | 6,141,000 |
Source:
1. Annual financial returns of health authorities 1994-95.
2. Contract documentation, Barnet HA and Welhouse NHS Trust, 1995-96.
3. Annual Accounts of Health Authorities 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.
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