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Dentists
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage competition amongst dentists. [112321]
Mr. Hutton
[holding answer 28 February 2000]: The NHS expects all its dentists to provide a high quality and reliable service. Patients should be told whether they can
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expect to pay the standard charge for this service and, if so, how much a course of treatment will be. On top of this, we welcome the initiative of individual dentists who attract patients by offering exceptional service in some way.
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds there will be at the proposed new hospital at Old Church; and what is the current number of beds in the present hospital at Old Church. [111953]
Mr. Denham:
There are currently 463 beds at Old Church hospital. The Trust has submitted proposals which are currently under consideration by the London Regional Office of the NHS Executive to provide 711 beds at Old Church Park.
Mr. Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reform the system for the adoption of children; and if he will make a statement. [111780]
Mr. Hutton:
Through the Government's Quality Protects Programme we aim to develop a modern adoption system which puts the interests of the child first and provides a sensitive and efficient service. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is reviewing with ministerial colleagues how we can build on Quality Protects, moving further and faster to secure our aim of maximising the use of adoption for all children for whom it is appropriate and minimising delay. My right hon. Friend will make further announcements on the work programme in due course.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if nursing care funded by the Government for those in long-term care will be restricted to that given by trained nurses; [112004]
Mr. Hutton:
No options for change have been ruled in or out at this stage. The Department of Health held a seminar on 1 March to discuss approaches to defining nursing care. Participants included representatives of professional and managerial organisations, private sector providers and voluntary organisations representing users of services. The issues raised at the seminar will help to inform our consideration of national standards for staffing levels in nursing homes and our final decision on the future funding of long-term care, following the conclusion of the spending review.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of claims for (a) precious metal based and (b) non-precious metal-based crowns and bridges in each of the last three years. [111724]
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Mr. Hutton
[holding answer 29 February 2000]: The tables show the number of claims scheduled for payment for crowns and bridges in precious and non-precious metal carried out in England from 1996-97 to 1998-99.
(2) if he intends to adopt the definition of nursing care set out in the report of the Royal Commission on Long-Term Care. [112003]
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precious metal | |||
| Crowns full or 0.75--precious metal | 21.7 | 192.0 | 248.2 |
| Bonded FJC--gold or precious | 1,264.2 | 892.8 | 870.1 |
| Total | 1,285.9 | 1,084.8 | 1,118.3 |
| Non-precious metal | |||
| FJC--non-precious metal alloy | 3.6 | 26.8 | 26.9 |
| Bonded FJC--non precious | 14.5 | 12.6 | 15.1 |
| Total | 18.1 | 39.4 | 42.0 |
| Total for all metals | 1,304.0 | 1,124.2 | 1,160.3 |
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precious metal | |||
| Retainers | |||
| Retainer--gold-inlay compound | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Inlay--compound confluent cavity or 0.75 crown | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| FJC | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 |
| Retainer--other-FJC precious | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.4 |
| Bonded FJC--gold or precious | 174.1 | 142.0 | 156.0 |
| Pontics | |||
| Pontics--gold | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Others precious | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Bonded gold/precious | 118.8 | 98.2 | 109.4 |
| Total for precious metal(32) | 298.5 | 244.8 | 270.0 |
| Non-precious metal | |||
| Retainers | |||
| FJC non-precious | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Bonded FJC non-precious | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.8 |
| Acid etch retainer--metal | 33.7 | 30.6 | 33.5 |
| Pontics | |||
| Other alloys non-precious | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Bonded non-precious | 1.2 | 1.7 | 2.0 |
| Acid etch pontic--bonded | 19.4 | 18.8 | 20.5 |
| Total for non-precious metal(32) | 56.6 | 53.5 | 59.2 |
| Total for all metals(32) | 355.1 | 298.3 | 329.2 |
(32) Figures for bridges are available only for the individual parts
NHS Staff
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) numbers of and (b) cost to the NHS of employing agency nurses (i) nationally and (ii) by region for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [112396]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 1 March 2000]: Information on the number of agency staff is not available centrally.
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| Financial year | Total expenditure |
|---|---|
| 1994-95 | 132,836,673 |
| 1995-96 | 166,631,983 |
| 1996-97 | 191,496,635 |
| 1997-98 | 216,338,567 |
| 1998-99 | 272,225,162 |
Sources:
1. Annual financial returns of district and regional health authorities and the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals 1994-95 and 1995-96
2. Annual financial returns of health authorities 1996-97 to 1998-99
3. Annual financial returns of NHS trusts
Correspondence
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter of 29 October 1999 from the right hon. Member for North-East Hampshire regarding Dr. Egerton, a constituent. [112540]
Ms Stuart: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, replied to the right hon. Member on 29 February.
Breast Implants
Mr. Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations made by the Independent Review Group set up to examine the health risks of silicone gel breast implants relating to (a) information about benefits and risks of surgery for patients undergoing cosmetic breast augmentation surgery, (b) advertisements promoting breast implant surgery, (c) a consent form which incorporates the issues to be discussed between surgeons and women considering breast implantation, (d) measures to ensure that standards of care in private clinics, (e) registration of details of each breast implant and explant, (f) reporting breast implant-related adverse incidents, (g) information to patients on the likely financial implications of breast implant surgery and (h) a steering group to organise research. [112549]
Mr. Denham: A group chaired by the noble Baroness Emerton of Tunbridge Wells is producing an information booklet for women who are contemplating having breast implants. The booklet will provide expanded information on the issues identified by the Independent Review Group, including consent and financial implications. This will be available shortly.
There have been discussions between the Advertising Standards Authority and Departmental officials about advertising, and we are currently considering how best to take this matter forward.
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The use of such forms is good practice, and in 1992 the Department issued model consent forms which can be adapted by National Health Service trusts for any procedure. This will be supported by the information leaflet which will give advice to women on the questions they will need to ask surgeons before giving consent.
We are committed to introducing new and modern regulatory arrangements for independent healthcare provision through the Care Standards Bill, which is currently before Parliament. Copies of the Government's response to the Health Committee report of the regulation of private healthcare are available in the Library.
The group's recommendations on registration were about ensuring good clinical practice. Measures are also in hand, through initiatives such as the Care Standards Agency and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, to increase compliance with good clinical practice in both the public and the private sector.
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