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NHS Staff
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to establish a pay review body for ancillary staff in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [108901]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 8 February 2000]: "Agenda for Change" set out proposals for modernising National Health Service pay which included placing staff on one of three pay spines: one for doctors and dentists covered by the Doctors and Dentists Review Body, one for staff covered by the Nursing and Professions Allied to Medicine Pay Review Body and one for other staff. Confidential talks are continuing with NHS Unions about which staff groups may join an expanded NPRB without changing its fundamentally professional nature. The "Joint Framework of Principles and Agreed Statement on the
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Way Forward" proposes that a single pay negotiation council be established to negotiate pay uplifts for groups not covered by the Pay Review Bodies.
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many outbreaks of MRSA have been reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service in each (a) month and (b) year of the last three years; what information is collected by the PHLS of the number of patients affected; and if he will establish central records of each patient affected by MRSA. [109017]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 9 February 2000]: MRSA is the antibiotic resistant form of 'Staphylococcus aureus', a bacterium which is carried harmlessly on the skin by at least a third of the population. About 80 per cent. of people who acquire MRSA similarly carry it harmlessly on the skin and do not suffer from any infection. Neither the number of hospitals recording MRSA outbreaks nor the total number of patients in National Health Service hospitals who have MRSA are recorded centrally. The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) compiles aggregate data on numbers of incidents of MRSA which are voluntarily reported by NHS trusts. The available data on the incidents of MRSA are given in the table. We are working with PHLS on improving surveillance systems so as to provide more complete data on MRSA. This includes reviewing the Nosocomial Infection National Surveillance Scheme in order to increase the numbers of hospitals which participate.
| Year | Total |
|---|---|
| 1997 | (9)2,364 |
| 1998 | (10)1,597 |
| 1999 | 1,310 |
(8)An incident is three or more patients infected or colonised by the same strain of MRSA in the same month from the same hospital.
(9)The figures for 1997 and 1998 reflect the new NHS.
(10)The criteria for submission of isolates for specialist tests were revised in December 1997.
NHS Doctors
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of doctors who will qualify and join the NHS in each of the next five years. [109258]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 10 February 2000]: The forecast output from medical schools in any one year cannot be accurately predicted.
Although most undergraduate medical courses are five years in length, some last for six years and many students on five-year courses delay their year of qualification by studying for an intercalated Honours degree. In addition, from 1999, some graduates will be admitted to shorter four-year medical degrees.
The latest figures from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, show that in July 1999 3,097 doctors qualified from English medical schools. The medical school intake figures from the last five years suggest that by July 2004 the output from medical schools will have increased by some 10 to 15 per cent. above the 1999 position.
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Mr. Harvey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the numbers of doctors who will leave the NHS in each of the next five years before reaching the age of retirement; [109259]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 10 February 2000]: Information on the numbers of doctors, nurses, midwives and health visitors and the professions allied to medicine likely to leave the National Health Service before reaching the age of retirement is not available centrally and is a matter for National Health Service trusts.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Chief Medical Officer's proposals for appraising doctors, set out in "Supporting Doctors, Protecting Patients", will (a) involve examination of the amount of private practice carried out by doctors and (b) make NHS employers responsible for monitoring the amount of private work carried out by consultants. [109884]
Ms Stuart:
The aim of appraisal is a positive one; to help a doctor develop and progress as a health professional. In the National Health Service the appraisal process will include consideration of the achievement of the doctor's contractual obligations.
It is for employers and employees to agree the balance between consultants' private and NHS work. Consultants' responsibilities for the clinical care of their NHS patients must come first.
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility NHS employers have for monitoring consultants' private practice. [109883]
Ms Stuart:
The vast majority of our consultants work hard for the National Health Service and more than fulfil their contractual duties.
NHS terms and conditions of service requires hospital consultants and the general manager responsible for the management of their contract to agree a job plan for the performance of duties under their contract of employment.
A whole time consultant is permitted to have private practice earnings of up to 10 per cent. of their gross NHS salary. If asked by their employer, they must provide fully audited accounts showing their gross income from private practice. If their private practice income exceeds 10 per cent. of their NHS salary in two consecutive years, they have the option of a maximum part-time contract, which means that the consultant foregoes one eleventh of whole time salary, in return for the removal of the restrictions on private practice earnings. However whether on a whole time or maximum part time contract there is a clear contractual obligation to devote substantially the whole of their professional time to their NHS duties.
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Mr. Beith:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will reply to the letter from the Right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed dated 23 September, relating to the non-availability of the meningitis vaccination in Berwick-upon-Tweed in September. [107288]
Yvette Cooper:
I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health replied to the right hon. Member on 2 February 2000.
Mr. Yeo:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if all food served at his Department's official functions meets the standards of production required of domestic producers. [109779]
Mr. Chris Smith:
All food served at my Department's official functions is provided by contractors who meet the standards of production required of domestic producers.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 1999, Official Report, column 131W, concerning contracts with Dome sponsors, if all documentation has now been signed; what outstanding matters remain to be resolved; and if he will make a statement. [104601]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 13 January 2000]: Seven contracts were outstanding at 14 December and reported to the House in my reply to the hon. Member of that date. Four of these contracts have now been signed and three remain to be signed at 10 February--Boots, Mars Confectionary and BSkyB. While NMEC had hoped that they would all have been completed at this stage, one or two matters of detail remain subject to discussion between the respective parties. The company has every confidence that the contracts will be signed.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken since 12 October 1999 to restrain or restrict the export to Pakistan of military or dual-use goods for which a valid licence is in force. [106648]
Mr. Hain
[holding answer 24 January 2000]: In view of the changed circumstances in Pakistan following the coup, case by case consideration of new licence applications for military or dual-use goods has taken time to process under our own strict criteria and the EU Code of Conduct. No new licences have been approved since 12 October. However, some exporters with valid licences agreed before then may have completed deliveries under these licences.
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Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the sale of British arms to Pakistan. [108879]
Mr. Hain
[holding answer 8 February 2000]: We receive representations from a number of individuals and organisations about arms sales to many countries, including Pakistan. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Mr. Cohen) on 20 January 2000, Official Report, column 578W.
(2) if he will estimate the number of (a) nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff and (b) NHS staff who are members of professions allied to medicine who will leave the NHS over the next five years before reaching the age of retirement. [109261]
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