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General Practitioners
30. Ms Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that GPs receive continuing professional development. [106267]
Mr. Denham: Continuing professional development (CPD) in general practice is important. Learning must be lifelong and cannot cease at the end of formal training. To provide the best possible service to their patients general practitioners should keep up to date with advances in patient care and continually review and improve their knowledge, skills and abilities. We will be issuing a paper on CPD in primary care, building on the many examples of good work already being done by GPs and extending these principles to all primary care staff.
Out-of-area Treatment
31. Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the operation of the out-of-area treatment scheme. [106268]
Mr. Denham: Extra Contractual Referrals (ECRs) were part of the unfair "two tier" internal market, and were abolished on 31 March 1999. They have been replaced by new arrangements for commissioning services--long term service agreements, specialised service agreements and out-of-area treatments.
Following the introduction of the new commissioning arrangements on 1 April 1999, the National Health Service Executive has received a small number of representations regarding the out-of-area treatment scheme. We are, of course, keeping the arrangements under review.
35. Mr. Leigh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the target time set by his Department within which a trust should receive payment for treatments given under the out-of-area treatment scheme. [106272]
Mr. Denham:
Under the Out-of-area treatment (OAT) arrangements, each National Health Service trust has a main commissioner. The main commissioner health authority is funded for OATs through an annual non-recurrent adjustment to allocations. NHS trusts should be paid by their main commissioners in line with the profile agreed locally.
32. Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what total spending in the NHS will be in the current financial year; and what estimate he has made of the level in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007. [106269]
Mr. Denham:
In 1999-2000 total gross National Health Service expenditure in England is forecast to be £43,049 million.
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in the House on 19 January 2000, Official Report, columns 835-42, if we continue to manage the economy properly we will be able to sustain increases in the National Health Service funding which will bring us up to the European average.
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33. Mr. Burgon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the take-up of free eye tests for pensioners and the results of such tests. [106270]
Mr. Hutton:
Since April 1999, when we extended eligibility for National Health Service sight tests to everyone aged 60 or over, some 50,000 more people have been undergoing these tests each week. We estimate that some five per cent. of those tested are referred for investigation of suspected eye disease.
34. Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what increase in UK health spending would be required to raise it to the European Union average. [106271]
Mr. Denham:
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in the House on 19 January 2000, Official Report, columns 835-42, if we continue to manage the economy properly we will be able to sustain increases in the National Health Service funding which will bring us up to the European average.
36. Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide additional funds to the North Essex health authority to enable team midwifery groups to be provided throughout the authority's area. [106273]
Yvette Cooper:
North Essex Health Authority is in the process of reviewing its maternity services strategy for the whole of its area, with key stakeholders and users. There will be no changes made to existing maternity services until this strategy has been agreed. Any proposed changes to existing provision will be the subject of a full and open consultation.
The 2000-01 unified allocation for North Essex Health Authority is £544.95 million, representing a cash increase of £34.15 million (6.68 per cent). It is for health authorities, in partnership with NHS trusts, primary care groups, local authorities and local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health and modernising services. The significant additional resources available will help them in this.
37. Mr. White:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spends each year on drugs to treat head lice. [106274]
Mr. Denham:
The net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community for the treatment of head lice in each of the past five years, for which information is available, was as follows:
| Year | £000 |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 3,107.3 |
| 1995 | 4,785.3 |
| 1996 | 7,538.4 |
| 1997 | 8,165.9 |
| 1998 | 6,352.3 |
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Data are not collected centrally for treatments dispensed in hospital.
Waiting Lists (Consultants)
38. Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of consultants to discuss targets for reducing waiting lists. [106275]
Mr. Denham: Ministers in the Department regularly visit the health service and talk to consultants and other professionals on a wide range of topics, including waiting lists.
Southend and Thameside Community Care Trusts
39. Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the merger of the Southend and Thameside Community Care Trusts. [106276]
Mr. Denham: Southend Community National Health Service Trust and Thameside Community NHS Trust will merge from 1 April 2000 following a period of statutory consultation which ended on 31 August 1999.
The benefits of merger of the two trusts are significant. Equity, efficiency and access to services should all be improved. Elimination of organisational barriers will provide a platform from which clinical services can be developed. Thus best practice can more easily and quickly be implemented in respect of integration of mental health and other services in community settings. Management should be better placed to liaise effectively with stakeholders within and outside the NHS. The new structure will also improve local flexibility to make future changes easier, as primary care groups and Primary Care Trusts mature and take on additional roles. In addition, savings from reduced management costs can be re- invested in direct patient care.
Meningitis
40. Mr. Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in the immunisation programme using the new meningitis vaccine. [106277]
Yvette Cooper: The introduction of the new meningitis C vaccine is progressing very well. Immunisation for 15 to 17-year-olds is largely completed, babies have been receiving the vaccine since November and we are on target to offer the vaccine to everyone aged under 18 by the end of the year.
NICE
Mr. Geraint Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. [106250]
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Mr. Denham:
NICE will secure a more rapid uptake of cost-effective innovations, eliminate the lottery of care, and help the NHS deliver the best possible patient care with the resources available. NICE's initial work programme was announced in November. Interim guidance on Relenza has already been issued. Appraisal guidance on hip implants, extraction of wisdom teeth, taxanes for breast and ovarian cancer, coronary artery stents, and new diagnostic techniques for cervical cancer will follow over the next three months or so. The first compilation of general practitioner referral guidelines will be published in April.
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged over 65 years were acting as carers for relatives under the age of 50 in (a) 1998, (b) 1988 and (c) 1978; and what are the projected figures for 2008. [104509]
Mr. Hutton:
The information is not available for the years nor the age groups requested.
The 1995 General Household Survey (GHS) indicates that there are around 1 million people in Great Britain who are aged 65 and over and acting as a carer. The number of carers aged over 65 who are caring for people of different age groups can not be estimated accurately, because of small sample sizes. However, the GHS found that less than 0.5 per cent. of the total population aged 16 or more, were aged 65 and over and caring for a relative aged under 65.
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged over 65 years were acting as carers for relatives over the age of 70 years in (a) 1998, (b) 1988 and (c) 1978; and what is the projected figure for 2008. [104508]
Mr. Hutton:
The information is not available for the years nor the age groups requested.
1 Feb 2000 : Column: 562W
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