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TREASURY
Income Tax
Mr. Portillo: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people aged 65 years and above pay income tax at the (a) basic and (b) higher rate; and how many did so in the financial year 1996-97. [121010]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 5 June 2000]: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on 8 June 2000, Official Report, column 382W.
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HEALTH
Taxanes
Ms Church: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from health care professionals regarding the funding of taxanes. [118345]
Yvette Cooper: The Department receives communications from members of the public from all walks of life representing a wide range of issues. These include some from health care professionals who have shown concerns regarding the funding of taxanes which has led to so called "postcode prescribing".
We share these concerns and this is the reason why we asked the National Institute of Clinical Guidance (NICE) to review the evidence around the effectiveness of two taxane drugs (Taxol and Taxotere). NICE published guidance on the use of taxanes in advanced ovarian cancer on 5 May and will be publishing guidance on the use of taxanes for advanced breast cancer shortly. We have made an additional 8.9 per cent. cash increase available to health authorities on average this year. This includes the additional £660 million announced in the Budget which will, among other things, enable health authorities to fund positive recommendations from NICE.
Influenza
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps the Government plans to take to ensure that vulnerable at-risk groups, including elderly people in nursing homes, have rapid access to antiviral treatment and protection in the early stages of influenza outbreaks in their communities; [121962]
- (2) what plans he has to recommend the wider use of antiviral drugs to help control influenza outbreaks; [121961]
(3) what plans he has to communicate to health professionals and the public information about influenza protection and treatment measures other than vaccination, with particular reference to established antivirals; [121966]
(4) what steps he is taking to ensure that general practitioners are aware of the extent to which (a) flu antivirals used in other countries and (b) new antivirals being considered by NICE are available, effective and safe; [121960]
(5) if he will recommend adoption of anti-flu measures as employed by the West Cumberland NHS Trust. [122297]
Yvette Cooper: Recommendations on the use of amantadine (an antiviral drug used in the treatment and prevention of influenza A) are given in the United Kingdom Health Departments' publication 'Immunisation against Infectious Disease'. Recommendations on the use of Relenza (one of a new type of antiviral drugs developed for the treatment of influenza) are given in the guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued last year. NICE will be reviewing its advice on the use of antiviral drugs later this year, in time to give further advice for next winter's influenza season. The Department will consider the need for further guidance on the treatment of influenza in the light of this advice.
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The use of antiviral treatment in an individual outbreak is a matter for the local Consultant in Communicable Disease Control and offering such treatment to healthcare staff is a decision for individual NHS trusts.
Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to support the work of the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust. [122499]
Yvette Cooper: The Department provides financial support to the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust through the Section 64 grants scheme. This support comprises core grant funding of £20,000 in 2000-01 and up to a maximum of £20,000 in 2001-02 and £10,000 in 2002-03 to help meet the trust's running costs.
Kidderminster Hospital
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will intervene to prevent the relocation of medical services provided at Kidderminster Hospital to Worcester Royal Infirmary until the new Worcester hospital is open. [122458]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 16 June 2000]: The Secretary of State has approved the proposals in Investing in Excellence for a new hospital and for the reconfiguration of services across the district. The timing of the reconfiguration is a matter for the local trust, with due regard for their responsibility for safety and quality care.
The lead clinicians at Kidderminster Hospital have agreed to the moves of acute inpatient services to either Worcester or Redditch, in the interests of sub-specialisation and better quality care across the whole of Worcestershire. They have recently become increasingly concerned about the clinical fragility of services in Kidderminster, and the risks involved in coping with winter pressures under these circumstances. The trust proposes that acute inpatient beds currently provided at Kidderminster will be re-provided one-for-one in Worcester or Redditch, and have additional facilities to handle extra demand, including an expanded Accident and Emergency Department, a new minor injuries unit, new Medical Assessment Unit and additional ITU and coronary care beds. The Department has been assured that this work will be complete before the inpatient moves take place.
Bowel Cancer
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for bowel cancer in (a) the South and West Devon Health Authority area and (b) Torbay Healthcare Trust since 1990; and what were their survival rates. [122694]
Yvette Cooper: Information provided by the South and West Cancer Intelligence Unit on the incidence of colorectal cancer and survival rates in South and West Devon Health Authority is given in the following tables. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. David Hudson, Chairman of South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, for details of local treatment and survival rates.
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| Crude rate | ASR | |
|---|---|---|
| 1990-92 | 67.4 | 44.2 |
| 1991-93 | 66.4 | 43.8 |
| 1992-94 | 68.2 | 44.4 |
| 1993-95 | 65.9 | 41.7 |
| 1994-96 | 68.2 | 43.4 |
| 1995-97 | 68.9 | 44.1 |
Notes:
1. Crude rates relate to incident cases per 100,000 population
2. Age standardised rates (ASR) are based on European Standard Population and allow for a direct comparison between areas
3. Colorectal Cancer ICD9/10: 153, 154, C18-C21
| Survival time | All registrations proportion surviving | Treated within six months. Proportion surviving |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 92 | 95 |
| 1 year | 69 | 75 |
| 2 years | 56 | 62 |
| 3 years | 49 | 54 |
| 4 years | 44 | 48 |
| 5 years | 41 | 45 |
Notes:
1. Survival analysis based on registrations made between 1990-94. This allows for full five year follow up period for all patients.
2. Persons aged over 85 at diagnosis and registrations made from a Death Certificate Only are excluded from the analysis.
3. Analysis on treated within six months looks only at those persons for whom SW Cancer Intelligence Unit have received information regarding surgery and/or radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy within six months of diagnosis.
4. Colorectal Cancer ICD9/10: 153, 154, C18-C21.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work is being carried out by his Department to improve the services available to people suffering from ME. [123266]
Yvette Cooper: The National Health Service provides a considerable number of services to which people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis have access, and such patients are seen within a wide range of hospital specialties. The CFS/ME working group will produce guidance aimed at improving the quality of this care and treatment.
Health Care
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, in respect of nursing homes and community-based settings, the Commission for Health Improvement or the Care Standards Commission will have responsibility for policing the standards of care provided to NHS patients in receipt of intermediate care. [122795]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 22 May 2000]: The Commission for Health Improvement has responsibility for reviewing the quality of healthcare, including intermediate care, provided to National Health Service patients wherever they are treated. The Care Standards
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Bill, currently before Parliament, will establish the National Care Standards Commission which will be responsible for regulating care homes and nursing homes. The Bill will introduce measures to enable the two bodies to work co-operatively and carry out these responsibilities in an effective way.
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