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HEALTH
Complementary Therapies
12. Mr. Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to issue guidelines to primary care trust executives regarding the provision of complementary therapies. [110864]
Yvette Cooper: Provision of complementary therapies is a matter for Primary Care Groups to decide in line with locally agreed priorities. We are aware that some PCGs have said they would welcome guidelines on the provision of complementary therapies. Given the limitations of the evidence base and the variety of complementary medicine, we are examining the feasibility of objective guidelines that could be of real assistance.
Community Hospitals
13. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support he plans to give to the development of community hospitals. [110865]
Mr. Denham:
This Government made clear its commitment to the future role of community hospitals in the National Health Service in the White Paper, The New NHS, provided that they can offer facilities to meet modern needs. They can also play an important role in the future development of intermediate care.
29 Feb 2000 : Column: 217W
14. Mr. Lilley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish on a regular basis waiting times for patients for appointments with consultants in each specialty at each NHS hospital. [110866]
Mr. Denham:
Data on outpatient waiting times by specialty in each National Health Service trust are published quarterly. Figures for the quarter ended 31 December 1999 show that 75 per cent. of patients were seen within 13 weeks of written referral by a general practitioner, with 93 per cent. seen with 26 weeks.
29 Feb 2000 : Column: 218W
15. Mr. Ennis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of hernia operations carried out in the NHS in 1998-99. [110867]
Yvette Cooper:
There were 82,139 inguinal hernia operations carried out in National Health Service hospitals in 1998-99.
Mr. Ennis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hernia operations have been carried out in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster in each of the last five years. [111367]
Mr. Denham:
The information requested is in the table.
29 Feb 2000 : Column: 217W
| District of Residence/Main operation | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley DHA | |||||
| Inguinal hernia | 441 | 407 | 401 | 347 | 390 |
| Recurrent inguinal hernia | 36 | 31 | 17 | 35 | 38 |
| Total | 477 | 438 | 418 | 382 | 428 |
| Doncaster DHA | |||||
| Inguinal hernia | 452 | 481 | 412 | 440 | 495 |
| Recurrent inguinal hernia | 42 | 42 | 41 | 35 | 27 |
| Total | 494 | 523 | 453 | 475 | 522 |
Notes:
1. An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
2. The figures for 1998-99 and 1997-98 are provisional, as no adjustments have yet been made for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed) but for 1994-95 to 1996-97 figures are grossed for both coverage and unknown/invalid clinical data.
29 Feb 2000 : Column: 217W
Medicine Costs
16. Ms Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding increases in drug and medicine costs. [110868]
Ms Stuart: We have received various representations. In recent months, many have been about sharp increases in the price of generic medicines to the National Health Service. We very much share the concern about these. We have given the NHS an additional £90 million to help meet the cost and have commissioned a fundamental review of the generics market.
A and E Waiting Times
17. Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the time that patients are waiting for treatment at hospital accident and emergency departments. [110869]
Ms Stuart: We are tackling waiting times in Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments as a matter of priority, backed by the biggest investment in A&E services in the history of the National Health Service. Long waits for treatment in A&E departments are unacceptable. We have issued guidance requiring senior managers and clinicians to intervene personally to resolve the problem if long waits start to occur.
Wakefield Health Authority
18. Mr. Grogan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future provision of hospital services by Wakefield health authority. [110870]
29 Feb 2000 : Column: 218W
Mr. Hutton:
The Wakefield Health Authority completed a public consultation exercise on the future options for configuration of hospital services on 25 January 2000. The results of the consultation, and the Health Authority's proposals on the outcome of consultation were the subject of a public meeting on 25 February 2000.
19. Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria he applies in respect of appointments to health authorities and trusts, with particular reference to political balance. [110871]
Ms Stuart:
All candidates for these appointments must be able to demonstrate a strong personal commitment to the National Health Service and to the needs of their local community. Candidates are considered on their merits and the contribution they can make, not on their politics.
23. Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the selection and appointment system for posts in NHS trusts, authorities and boards; and if he will make a statement. [110877]
Ms Stuart:
Appointments to NHS boards are widely advertised in the national and local press, as well as in publications aimed at ethnic minority groups and people with a disability. All candidates are considered according to Nolan principles and guidance issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
29 Feb 2000 : Column: 219W
20. Dr. Tony Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of the General Medical Council. [110872]
Mr. Denham:
The General Medical Council is an independent statutory body set up by the Medical Act 1983.
The Government are determined that all the bodies involved in the regulation of the healthcare professions should be modernised and we have been working towards this aim with the professions over the past year.
It is vital that the GMC maintains public confidence that it will put patients' interest in the forefront of all they do--especially when dealing with doctors who have not met the standard expected of the profession.
21. Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the current situation regarding the prescription of Infliximab. [110873]
Ms Stuart:
Infliximab was licensed last year for limited categories of Crohn's disease where conventional treatment has proved ineffective. The decision to prescribe infliximab is based on clinical opinion, taking into account some concerns about the long-term safety and efficacy of this drug. Healthcare commissioners will need to consider its clinical and cost effectiveness before making any decisions about funding.
22. Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase acute bed numbers in north-east London. [110876]
Mr. Denham:
We published the National Beds Inquiry for three month's consultation on 10 February. This set out that under any future scenario the overall number of acute, residential and intermediate care beds are likely to rise. The consultation will focus on the balance of acute and other beds in the whole system. The Government's plans for acute care beds will be announced once the consultation is complete.
24. Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his policy towards general practitioners' co-operatives. [110878]
Mr. Denham:
Our policy is that patients should have access to high quality care 24 hours a day. We have increased the out-of-hours development fund to £43.4 million to support the development of out-of-hours services. General Practitioner Co-ops are the single largest provider of such services and they have demonstrated that they can deliver flexible, responsive emergency general medical services and reduce the burden of out-of-hours work for GPs involved.
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