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Acute Waiting Times
25. Mr. Paterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on acute waiting times. [110879]
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Mr. Denham:
The average waiting time for those on the in-patient list has fallen. At the end of December 1999, the average wait was 13 weeks, two weeks less than in June 1998.
We remain on track to achieve our manifesto commitment to reduce in-patient waiting lists to 100,000 below the inherited level of 1.158 million. The in-patient waiting list is now 50,000 below the level inherited.
26. Mr. Bill O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the quality of work and efficiency of primary care groups; and if he will make a statement. [110881]
Mr. Denham:
Primary Care Groups (PCGs) are vital components in this Government's plan to improve and modernise the National Health Service. They will ensure that innovative, patient-centred services are delivered to their patients. From April, we expect most PCGs to have taken on responsibility for managing at least 60 per cent. of their population's health service budget. PCGs must have the resources, skills and competencies necessary to deliver on these responsibilities. I have recently written to all health authorities to make clear my expectation that they must develop each PCG to achieve this and support them in meeting the objectives agreed locally to improve healthcare for their patients.
27. Ms Oona King:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his measures to ensure the protection of young people from the dangers of tobacco smoking. [110882]
Yvette Cooper:
As part of its comprehensive programme of action to tackle smoking, the Government are taking a number of measures which will protect children against the dangers of tobacco. This includes implementation of Directive 98/43/EC banning tobacco advertising as soon as possible; work with local government to strengthen enforcement of legislation on under-age sales of cigarettes and oral tobacco; encouragement of proof-of-age cards; and a targeted education campaign aimed at young people to be launched later this year.
28. Mr. Reed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the number of hospital beds in Leicestershire. [110883]
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.
At present, Leicestershire Health Authority is carrying out a review of acute services, which will be informed by the National Bed Inquiry.
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29. Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will investigate ways in which the NHS could make greater use of private sector resources. [110884]
Ms Stuart:
We do not believe that there needs to be greater reliance on private medicine in order to achieve modern standards in healthcare. We remain committed to a National Health Service funded from general taxation, available to all on the basis of need and need alone.
We are committed to providing good-quality services that represent best value for money to patients and the taxpayer, and we encourage the NHS to enter into Public-Private Partnerships with the private sector when this is the best way of achieving these aims.
30. Mr. Sawford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the funding of Northamptonshire Health Authority since 1992. [110885]
Mr. Denham:
The table details the allocations Northamptonshire Health Authority has received each year since 1996-97.
| Allocation (£000) | Cash increase (£000) | Percentage cash increase | Percentage distance from target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 230,629 | 7,246 | 3.24 | 0.59 |
| 1997-98 | 241,142 | 9,401 | 4.06 | -1.07 |
| 1998-99 | 252,747 | 11,331 | 4.69 | 0.43 |
| 1999-2000(14) | 326,245 | 19,621 | 6.40 | 1.51 |
| 2000-01(14) | 350,167 | 21,186 | 6.44 | 0.89 |
(14) The figures for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 are not comparable with previous years
1999-2000 was the first year of unified allocations, covering hospital and community health services, prescribing and general medical services cash limited.
The allocation figures prior to 1996-97 are not readily available as a result of the changes in regional boundaries in those year. We will write to my hon. Friend when these figures have been calculated.
31. Ms Southworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to increase the professional accountability of dentists. [110886]
Mr. Hutton:
The General Dental Council has drawn up proposals for increasing its lay membership, introducing a mandatory requirement for dentists to participate in continuing education and empowering the Council to investigate and sanction complaints about dentists which fall short of serious professional misconduct, but still throw doubt upon the dentist's fitness to practise. We support these measures and are discussing with the Council the best way of bringing these into effect.
32. Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what preparation is normally used to insert necessary fillings into the teeth of pregnant women under NHS treatment; and for what reason this is used. [110887]
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Mr. Hutton:
The most commonly used tooth-filling material in the general dental service for all adults, including expectant mothers, is dental amalgam. This is because it has the strength and durability necessary to restore cavities in back (posterior) teeth, particularly when restoration of the biting surfaces are involved. This is important to securing and maintaining oral health when treating tooth decay. The health benefits of using dental amalgam outweigh any theoretical risks from their use.
In April 1998, a statement from the Government's Advisory Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) on the toxicity of dental amalgam was published. This confirmed that there was no evidence that the placement or removal of amalgam fillings during pregnancy was harmful. The Committee did, however, advise that it might be prudent to avoid, where clinically reasonable, the placement or removal of amalgam fillings during pregnancy.
33. Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the development of breast cancer services in the NHS. [110888]
Yvette Cooper:
We are committed to modernising cancer services and have invested an extra £30 million in breast cancer services since 1997. This is being used to implement evidence-based guidance to improve survival outcomes by helping to speed access to diagnosis and treatment by specialist multi-professional breast cancer teams.
From April 1999, all patients suspected of having breast cancer are guaranteed an outpatient appointment within 14 days of their general practitioner making an urgent referral. In the period April--September 1999, 35,000 women benefited from this high standard of care.
Through the National Health Service Breast Screening Programme, over one million women in England are screened each year at a cost of around £35 million. Nearly 8,000 women had breast cancer detected and treated through screening in 1997-98, and thousands of others had the reassurance of knowing that they are being checked every three years for the disease.
34. Mr. Michael J. Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of cataract operations carried out in the NHS in 1998-99. [110889]
Mr. Denham:
According to provisional data for 1998-99, the number of cataract operations carried out in National Health Service hospitals in England was 201,682.
35. Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of delays in the provision of in-patient ear, nose and throat treatment at Southmead hospital in Bristol. [110890]
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Ms Stuart:
I understand, from information received from North Bristol National Health Service Trust, that a large number of medical admissions in recent weeks necessitated the postponement of a number of routine ear, nose and throat operations. Decisions about the postponement of operations are taken by clinicians on the basis of clinical priority.
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