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Scientific and Technical Staff
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many (a) medical laboratory officers and (b) trainee biomedical scientists were employed by the NHS in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement; [108308]
- (2) how many (a) clinical scientists and (b) biomedical scientists are employed by each health authority; [108307]
(3) how many people were recruited on to training courses for biomedical scientists in each of the last 10 years; [108221]
(4) how many people were recruited in each of the last 10 years on to training courses for (a) pathology, (b) pharmacology, (c) cardiology, (d) audiology, (e) respiratory and (f) other medical laboratory officers. [108309]
Mr. Denham: Information about the number of scientific and technical staff directly employed by the National Health Service in each health authority, and over the past 10 years, is in statistical bulletins and detailed results from the Department of Health's annual non-medical workforce census, copies of which are in the Library. Information about the numbers recruited on to training courses in the NHS is not available.
Drugs Costs
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the terms of his referral to the Office of Fair Trading of the cost of drugs to the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement. [109438]
Ms Stuart:
The matter concerns the supply of generic drugs to the National Health Service. The whole basis of the current arrangements for generic supply is competition in the market place. In the light of disruption to the market last year, we were concerned to establish whether any suppliers of generics were misusing their market power; whether exploitation of the reimbursement system was taking place; and whether there was any implicit or explicit collusion to bring about price rises or shortages. The Office of Fair Trading is carrying out an investigation to see if there has been any contravention of United Kingdom competition law.
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Mr. Breed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the average number of patients per general practitioner in (a) rural and (b) urban areas; [109749]
Mr. Denham:
The average patient list size for general practitioners at 1 October 1998 was 1,787 for rural areas and 1,890 for urban areas.
Figures for average waiting times for an appointment with a GP are not collected centrally although there is information available from the 1998 Patients' Survey for General Practice. This shows that over 56 per cent. of respondents were given an appointment on the day they wanted, while 30 per cent. waited one day or more days. 13 per cent. of respondents reported that they had not minded what day they were given an appointment. There were no significant differences in waiting times between rural and urban areas.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent representations he has received regarding the organisation of NHS Direct in Shropshire; and if he will make a statement; [109845]
Ms Stuart:
Shropshire Health Authority, in partnership with stakeholders, will shortly submit plans for the extension of NHS Direct to Shropshire to the National Health Service Executive. NHS Direct will be available in Shropshire by the end of October this year.
Mr. Lilley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he plans for the allocation of resources within the NHS so as to eliminate differences in waiting times and clinical performance between different hospitals. [109759]
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Mr. Denham:
The objective of resource allocation is to distribute National Health Service funds fairly based on the healthcare needs of populations.
Mr. Lilley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will publish figures showing the composite index for adverse events/complications of treatment in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99 for (i) England, (ii) East and North Hertfordshire, (iii) West Hertfordshire and (iv) the health authority in the prospering growth area with the (1) lowest figure and (2) highest figure; [109754]
Mr. Denham:
The 1997-98 figures for the in-hospital premature deaths indicator were published in "Quality and Performance in the NHS: High Level Performance Indicators" in June 1999, copies of which are available in the Library. Figures for 1998-99 will be published later this year.
Mr. Jim Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bilateral meetings were held between his Department and its Austrian counterpart in each of the last five years; and what was discussed at each meeting since May 1997. [109877]
Ms Stuart:
There was a meeting between my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Public Health and the Federal Minister for Labour, Health and Social Affairs, Mrs. Eleonora Hostasch, on 11 March 1998, when key topics in the European Union public health field were discussed.
There have been no other bilateral contacts at senior official or ministerial level since May 1997.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, in reviewing cleft lip and palate services, he will have regard to (a) the desirability of maintaining different clinical approaches, (b) travelling times to centres of excellence for parents and their children and (c) the practicability of providing adequate specialist nursing support services close to the parents' home. [110010]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 14 February 2000]: Under the new arrangements all centres will be required to participate in national, inter-centre audit. This will, for the first time, collect clinical data on an equivalent basis and allow comparisons to be made of the effectiveness of centres and different techniques. It will be a vital tool in supporting practice and the continuing training needs of clinicians. Arrangements for the appointment of surgeons in designated cleft lip and palate centres, including the selection criteria, will be a matter for employing National Health Service trusts. Those applying for posts will be required to demonstrate evidence of their skills and expertise regardless of surgical technique.
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The new services will work on a hub and spoke basis. Surgery and other specialised elements of care will be provided at the main centres, but many aspects of care will continue to be provided locally, in close liaison with the main centre. We accept that some patients and their carers will need to travel further for some aspects of their care because it is not possible for the highest standards of care to be provided at every hospital which has previously carried out cleft lip and/or palate surgery.
It will be for each cleft centre to ensure that patients have access to specialist nursing services. This might be provided on an outreach basis from the main centre or by nurses with specialist skills in spokes working in accordance with agreed protocols.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has paid to (a) law firms and (b) accountancy firms since 1 May 1997. [110241]
Ms Stuart:
The Department's records do not separately identify payments to law firms or accountancy firms. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his target is for answering ordinary written questions from hon. Members; and what percentage of his Department's answers were made within the target time in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date. [110320]
Ms Stuart:
The Department's target for replying to ordinary written questions is five working days. In 1999 we achieved this 63 per cent. of the time. In 2000 to date we have achieved this 40 per cent. of the time.
Mr. Lidington:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to reply to the two questions about NHS Direct tabled by the hon. member for Aylesbury on 24 January for answer on 27 January (refs. 107079 and 107088). [110321]
Ms Stuart:
Because of the detailed nature of the hon. Member's questions it is taking a long time to compile the data. I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
(2) what is the average waiting time for an appointment to see a general practitioner in a non-emergency case in (a) rural and (b) urban areas. [109750]
(2) what consultations his Department has held regarding the establishment of NHS Direct in Shropshire. [109824]
(2) if he will publish figures showing the composite index for in-hospital premature deaths in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99 for (i) England, (ii) East and North Hertfordshire, (iii) West Hertfordshire and (iv) the health authority in the prospering growth area with the (1) lowest figure and (2) highest figure. [109756]
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