10 Jul 2000 : Column: 359W
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 10 July 2000
HEALTH
NHS Staff Vacancies
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies for (a) doctors and (b) nurses there are in NHS hospitals in the Greater London area. [126268]
Mr. Denham: The information requested is provided in the table.
| Total number (headcount) | |
|---|---|
| Doctors | 90 |
| Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff (2) | 2,350 |
(1) Three month vacancies
(2) Revised figures
Note:
Numbers rounded to nearest 10
Source:
Department of Health Recruitment, Retention and Vacancies Survey 1999
Carers Grant
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Carers Grant is additional to the amount county councils have already spent on respite care; how much Kent County Council will receive from the Carers Grant; and if he will make a statement. [126247]
Mr. Hutton: The carers special grant is allocated to local authorities to stimulate the diversity and flexibility of provision that enables carers to have a break from caring. Services funded in this way must be additional to any breaks services previously provided.
Kent County Council received a carers special grant of £530,713 in 1999-2000 and £1,264,352 in 2000-01.
These figures are in addition to the figure of approximately £197 million and £207 million which Kent received for the provision of personal social services, in 1999-2000 and in 2000-01 respectively, through the standard spending assessment. This money can also be spent on services which benefit carers.
Antidepressants
Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantity of each (a) antidepressant and (b) benzodiazepine was prescribed by doctors in England in 1999. [127967]
10 Jul 2000 : Column: 360W
Ms Stuart: The information requested is given in the tables.
| Drug group | Prescription item |
|---|---|
| Temazepam | 4,878 |
| Diazepam | 4,108 |
| Nitrazepam | 2,210 |
| Lorazepam | 728 |
| Chlordiazepoxide | 402 |
| Oxazepam | 289 |
| Lormetazepam | 246 |
| Clonazepam | 231 |
| Loprazolam | 200 |
| Clobazam | 85 |
| Total | 13,378 |
Notes:
1. Data cover all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered. Prescriptions written in hospitals and dispensed in the community are included. Information on items dispensed in hospitals is not available.
2. Benzodiazepines are contained within British National Formulary paragraphs 4.1.1, hypnotics and 4.1.2, anxiolitics. Also included are benzodiazepines within 4.8.1, drugs used in the control of epilepsy, and 4.8.2, drugs used in status epilepticus, as they are also used for anxiety relief. The therapeutic classifications are based on the British National Formulary No. 38, September 1999 version.
3. Figures may not add up due to rounding.
Notes:
1. Data cover all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered. Prescriptions written in hospitals and dispensed in the community are included. Information on items dispensed in hospitals is not available.
2. Antidepressants are contained within the British National Formulary section 4.3, antidepressant drugs. The therapeutic classifications are based on the British National Formulary No. 38, September 1999 version.
3. For reasons of confidentiality, drug groups where less than 50 prescription items were dispensed are not listed but the information is included in the total.
4. A "0" indicates less than 500 prescription items.
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Correspondence
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from Mrs. F. Butler of Augustine Road, Sheppey, dated 3 April. [128473]
Ms Stuart: A reply was sent to Mrs. Butler on 7 July.
Care Accommodation
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were living in care accommodation under the provisions of the care in the community legislation on 1 May. [128875]
Mr. Hutton: Data are not currently held in the form requested. However, the table shows the number of places or registered beds available for people with mental health problems in residential homes or private nursing homes, hospitals and clinics.
| England, as at 31 March 1999 | Number |
|---|---|
| Places in residential care homes for people with mental health problems | 38,200 |
| Of which: | |
| In Local Authority staffed homes | 3,500 |
| In Private homes | 23,400 |
| In Small homes | 2,500 |
| In Voluntary homes | -- |
| Dual registered homes | 2,800 |
| Registered beds in mental nursing homes | 6,100 |
Note:
Figures may not add because of rounding
10 Jul 2000 : Column: 362W
Macular Degeneration
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the speed of onset and progression of age-related macular degeneration; [128724]
- (2) what guidance he has issued on the assessment of treatment options for age-related macular degeneration; and if he will make a statement; [128725]
(3) how many cases of age-related macular degeneration can be treated by photodynamic therapy per annum; [128727]
(4) if he will refer Visudyne to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence; [128728]
(5) what assessment he has made of the efficacy of Visudyne following the publication of the two year clinical trial data; [128729]
(6) what estimate his Department has made of the possible cost of treating age-related macular degeneration with Visudyne; and if he will make a statement; [128780]
(7) what steps he has taken to promote the use of Amsler grid tests with GPs to test for age-related macular degeneration; [128781]
(8) what plans he has to promote the increased use of Amsler grid tests in GP surgeries; [128782]
(9) if he will make a statement on referral protocols for age-related macular degeneration and Visudyne. [128783]
Mr. Denham: It is estimated that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects one in 100 people over the age of 75, with some 500,000 people affected overall. There are two major types of AMD: wet and dry. Some 20 per cent. of patients have 'wet' AMD which is sometimes susceptible to laser treatment. Visudyne is a light-activated compound which has been used in a trial of an alternative photodynamic therapy. Visudyne has not yet been approved for use here or in the other countries of the European Union, but the EU Commission is expected to make a final decision on the approval of an application in the next few months. Visudyne is also among the topics we are considering for appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) during the remainder of the current year and in later years. We will make an announcement as soon as possible.
Consideration of the need to review arrangements for screening, including wider use of Amsler grid tests, would follow any consideration by NICE.
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