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HEALTH
Surgical Instruments (Sterilisation Techniques)
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the results of the research he commissioned into the effective sterilisation of surgical instruments by alkaline hydrolysis at elevated temperature. [147865]
Mr. Denham [holding answer 30 January 2001]: The results of our research into the effects of alkaline hydrolysis at elevated temperatures on the sterilisation of surgical instruments are expected this summer.
"Don't Give up Giving up" Campaign
Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which the "Don't Give up Giving up" campaign has achieved its objectives. [148855]
Yvette Cooper: Quarterly surveys of smoking attitudes and awareness of the campaign are being carried out and results indicate that the "Don't Give up Giving up" campaign is well recalled and is communicating effectively with the target audience.
In the period before the advertising was resumed (1 June 2000 to 20 August 2000) calls to the NHS smoking helpline averaged 4,497 per month. Since advertising began again on 21 August 2000 the monthly call average has been 16,600.
The website "givingupsmoking.co.uk" has had over 39,000 distinct individual visitors since its launch in December 1999. More than 7,000 of these were in January of this year.
This information is shared regularly with those working in tobacco control and cessation through regular campaign updates.
28 Mar 2001 : Column: 665W
Preliminary results of the general household survey of smoking prevalence in 2000 will be available later this year.
Our tobacco education campaign, launched in December 1999, is aimed at persuading smokers to give up and non-smokers, particularly children, not to start. As part of the broader campaign we are planning dedicated sub- campaigns aimed at pregnant women, ethnic minorities etc.
Retained Organs Commission
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the delay in the publication by the Retained Organs Commission of national guidance; and when he expects hospitals to be able to answer the inquiries being made by next of kin. [151566]
Mr. Denham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire (Sir B. Mawhinney) on 26 February 2001, Official Report, column 452W. The guidance referred to was published on 9 March and details are available on the Commission's website at www.nhs.uk/ retainedorgans.
NHS Dentists
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists were employed by the National Health Service in each of the last three years in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Devon. [153737]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 14 March 2001]: The number of dentists employed by the National Health Service at 30 September in each of the years 1998 to 2000 is given in table 1 for each of the dental services for England and Devon. Issues relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for the devolved authorities.
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | |||
| Hospital Dental Service(25) | 2,220 | 2,250 | 2,190 |
| Community Dental Service(25) | 1,380 | 1,370 | 1,340 |
| Personal Dental Service(26) | 0 | 148 | 326 |
| Salaried Service | 186 | 137 | 131 |
| Total(25),(27) | 3,800 | 3,900 | 3,990 |
| Devon | |||
| Hospital Dental Service(25),(28) | 40 | 30 | 40 |
| Community Dental Service(25) | 20 | 30 | 20 |
| Personal Dental Service(26) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Salaried Service | 18 | 18 | 17 |
| Total(25),(27),(28) | 80 | 80 | 80 |
(25) Figures rounded to the nearest ten
(26) Includes some self-employed dentists and their dentist employees
(27) Some dentists work in several services and are counted in each service
(28) Clinical assistants are excluded from the Devon figures. They are employed on a sessional basis and generally work less than one day a week
Dentists providing dental services in the General Dental Services are not employees of the NHS. The number of principal dentists who were on health authority lists to provide dental services and their assistants and vocational dental practitioners are shown in table 2.
28 Mar 2001 : Column: 666W
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 17,247 | 17,721 | 18,049 |
| Devon | 397 | 424 | 445 |
Cancer Centre (Yorkshire)
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the selection of York as an intermediate frequency cancer centre; and if he will make a statement. [154705]
Yvette Cooper: I understand the Department has received representations at a local level which are currently being considered and will be responded to accordingly.
The National Health Service guidance for upper gastrointestinal cancer was published in January 2001. It recommends, in line with previous guidance for breast, colorectal, lung and gynaecological cancer, that care should be delivered by specialist multidisciplinary teams. Recommendations about the appropriate catchment population for services for individual cancers are in line with their incidence.
The Yorkshire cancer network is currently reviewing the implications of the implementation of the national guidance across the county. York is a cancer unit which provides diagnostic and treatment services for the more common cancers to the local population.
The network wishes to ensure that the high level of surgical expertise available in cancer units such as York are harnessed within the specialist multidisciplinary teams. While it is probable that all surgery for the rarer sites such as cancer of the pancreas will be undertaken in the cancer centre in Leeds, the recommendations for the configuration of services for upper gastrointestinal cancer have still to be agreed by the network.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which intermediate frequency cancer centre will be intended for use by patients living in north Yorkshire. [154706]
Yvette Cooper: Access to cancer centre services is based upon the area of residence for individual patients. Residents of Hambleton and Richmondshire are served by the Middlesbrough cancer centre. Residents in the eastern coast area of north Yorkshire are served by the Hull cancer centre and residents for the remainder of north Yorkshire are served by the Leeds cancer centre.
Modernisation Fund
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is in the Modernisation Fund; how it is proposed that local health organisations can access it; and if he will make a statement. [155108]
28 Mar 2001 : Column: 667W
Mr. Denham: The modernisation fund was set up following the comprehensive spending review in 1998. Since then, investment in the National Health Service under the modernisation fund has totalled almost £4 billion.
The modernisation fund has been superseded by the additional funding secured as part of the spending review 2000 for investment in the delivery of the NHS Plan.
NHS Shared Services Project
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated to the NHS shared services project; how much has been top-sliced from allocations to health authorities to pay for it; what this project comprises of; if he will indicate the cost of each component; and if he will make a statement. [155110]
Mr. Denham: For the financial year 2001-02, £31.5 million has been allocated to the shared services in the National Health Service project. This sum was transferred out of health authority allocations. The project comprises two elements. Firstly, the establishment of two shared service centre pilots, and secondly the procurement of a national integrated human resources and payroll system. The shared service centre pilots are expected to cost £8.5 million and the national integrated human resources and payroll system £23 million in 2001-02. The benefits to the NHS of a shared services approach will be better, more relevant and more timely information, with resources being released for frontline care. Shared services is an important platform in the modernisation programme for the NHS.
Non-residential Services
Mr. Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will issue the statutory guidance on charges for non-residential services; and if he will publish the non-residential charges for services for the elderly applied by London boroughs. [155125]
Mr. Hutton: We plan to issue the statutory guidance on charges for home care and other non-residential social services later this summer. Publication of a local council's charges policy for non-residential social services is a matter for the council concerned.
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