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HEALTH
Paramedics
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of places on training courses for paramedics; and what plans he has to increase the number of places available. [122581]
Ms Stuart: There has been no central estimate of the number of places on training courses for paramedics as this training is managed directly by the 32 National Health Service ambulance service trusts around the country. We have made £21 million extra available per annum to support the ambulance services in meeting the national target of responding to 75 per cent. of all life threatening 999 calls within eight minutes. £18.5 million of this allocation is to provide additional staff, in particular paramedics, thereby increasing significantly the number of training places.
Buprenorphine
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Subutex (buprenorphine) will be added to the list of drugs that can be dispensed using forms FP10(HP)(ad) and FP10(MDA). [122899]
Ms Stuart: Ministers have agreed in principle to allow the prescription of buprenorphine (of which Subutex is a brand) on an instalment basis. We are currently consulting a range of organisations which could be affected by the proposal on how best to introduce it.
Health Policies
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the relative priorities accorded to mental and physical health in the Government's health policies. [125371]
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Mr. Hutton: We have set out our priorities in "Modernising Health and Social Services: National Priorities Guidance 2000/01-2002/03" which include physical and mental health problems as priorities for the National Health Service and Social Services.
NHS Consultation Process
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many responses to his consultation on the future of the NHS made reference to mental health or to mental illness; [125369]
- (2) how many responses he received (a) in time and (b) out of time to his recent consultation on the future of the National Health Service; [125368]
(3) when and in what way he expects to announce a summary of the responses to the recent questionnaire on the NHS; [125374]
(4) how many responses to his consultation on the future of the NHS made reference to the medical needs and extra costs of patients aged over 85 years; [125370]
(5) what way NHS mental health patients were included in the consultation on the future of the NHS; [125372]
(6) if he will issue questionnaires to 12 million people relating to his top three priorities for mental health reform. [125367]
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff consultation papers, "Have Your Say on a Better NHS", were distributed to the consultees by 4 June; and how many were received back by the closing date of 5 June. [125771]
Mr. Denham: The consultation process included written consultation with key national organisations; telephone consultation and two seminars with patient groups; use of NHS Direct; and issues emerging from the regional consultation process.
As part of the overall consultation strategy, in the week leading up to National Health Census day on 31 May 2000, 12 million consultation leaflets were made available at supermarkets, high street chemists and other NHS facilities. There were one million staff leaflets and 11 million public leaflets. It was also published on the worldwide web.
For those who may have had difficulty reading the text or completing the form in these formats, the leaflet was also made available on tape with the facility to either record responses on the tape or by dictating over the telephone. There have been eight requests for the tape, none of which have used the telephone facility.
The total cost of the design, printing and distribution of the leaflet was £475,487.
200,960 leaflets have been received so far. In addition, 7,385 e-mails have been received. 1,663 letters have been received. NHS Direct has received 654 responses. In total, responses received so far are 210,662.
Of the responses received and analysed to date, 1,975 made reference to mental health or mental illness. 3,707 made reference to care of the elderly. A review of a sample of early responses showed that suggestions related to the elderly did not mention specific threshold ages.
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We plan to make public a summary of responses when we have worked through the analysis in more detail. We do not have plans to issue a further questionnaire to 12 million on mental health priorities.
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many survey forms were issued to NHS staff and patients; and how many were returned (a) by the initial closing date and (b) to date. [125797]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 13 June 2000]: Of the 12 million leaflets made available to staff and the public, 200,960 have been returned so far.
The results of these submissions will be reported to the meeting of the modernisation action teams working on the national plan. All responses will be incorporated into developing the national plan.
Advertising
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997. [125688]
Ms Stuart [holding answer 12 June 2000]: The figures for the annual spend on advertising for the Department for the financial years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 are shown in the table.
| Financial year | Advertising expenditure (£ million) |
|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 2.27 |
| 1998-99 | 8.63 |
| 1999-2000 | 14.83 |
The principal increases since 1997-98 are in the following areas:
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood donation | 0.60 | 1.70 | (1)0.22 |
| Nurse recruitment | 0.30 | 4.90 | 4.21 |
| NHS Direct | 0.12 | 0.78 | 1.20 |
| Smoking(2) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.18 |
| Winter campaign | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.07 |
(1) The Department's spend on blood donation advertising reduced in 1999-2000 because most of this activity was funded direct by the National Blood Authority
(2) Prior to 1999-2000 advertising on smoking was undertaken by the Health Education Authority
Digital Hearing Aids
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when digital hearing aids will be available through the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [125774]
Mr. Hutton: I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (Mr. Healey) on 6 June 2000, Official Report, columns 143-44.
Diabetes
Mr. Singh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure early identification of people with diabetes. [125957]
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Mr. Denham: We recognise the importance of detecting diabetes as early as possible. Ministers have asked the United Kingdom National Screening Committee, which advises us on all aspects of screening policy, to consider whether there is a case for the introduction of a targeted screening programme for Type 2 diabetes and, if so, how this could most effectively be achieved. The conclusions of the Committee will inform the work of the Expert Reference Group for the National Service Framework (NSF) for diabetes in England which we announced last year.
CJD
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the eighth annual report of the National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit. [126745]
Yvette Cooper: The National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit's eighth annual report has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. The report documents the Unit's findings in relation to sporadic, familial, iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and also variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, up to 31 December 1999.
Intermediate Care
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if intermediate care services will be provided by (a) the NHS and (b) the private sector; and if he will make a statement. [126225]
Mr. Hutton: We remain committed to the modernisation of the National Health Service which will continue to provide a universal service, free at the point of use and available to all on the basis of clinical need. Development of intermediate care is a key part of the Government's programme to improve services for older people, including the National Service Framework. It can be achieved in a number of ways--by investing more in NHS hospitals, including giving new life to community hospitals, and by entering into new arrangements with the private sector.
The whole system approach, which typifies intermediate care and is essential to its development, should recognise the contribution made by all partners in the health and social care system, including the independent sector. The same standards of clinical quality and effectiveness will apply to both NHS and non-NHS providers, and services should provide value for money.
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish details of the proposed new intermediate care arrangements and their impact on local authority services; and if he will make a statement. [126224]
Mr. Hutton: We shall announce detailed proposals on the introduction of new intermediate care services later this summer. Intermediate care involves a variety of different services in preventing inappropriate admissions to hospitals or long-term care and in providing active rehabilitation and support on discharge from hospital. Local authority services will have an important part to play in intermediate care. Our proposals will be influenced by the work of the modernisation action team on partnership, charged with ensuring that all parts of the health and social care, including local authority services, work together more efficiently.
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Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his definition is of intermediate care. [126227]
Mr. Hutton: Intermediate care is a whole system approach to a range of multi-disciplinary, multi-agency services designed to promote independence by reducing avoidable hospital admission; facilitating timely discharge from hospital and promoting effective rehabilitation; and minimising premature or avoidable dependence on long-term care in institutional settings.
Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice and guidance he has issued to (a) the NHS and (b) local authority social services regarding intermediate care since 1999. [126226]
Mr. Hutton: The Health Service Circular of 23 May issued jointly to local health and social care communities made it clear that the development of intermediate care was an integral part of winter planning. More detailed planning guidance is to be issued to health and social care communities in the summer.
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