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Dudley Group of Hospitals
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the periods of time patients have to wait for beds in the accident and emergency department and medical assessment unit of the Dudley Group of Hospitals. [927]
Yvette Cooper: The data for most recent period, March to May 2001, show that patients in the accident and emergency department waited for the following periods for admission in percentage terms:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| Admitted within two hours | 85.9 |
| Admitted two to four hours | 6.4 |
| Admitted over four hours | 7.7 |
Source:
The Dudley Group of Hospitals National Health Service Trust
The Medical Assessment Unit does not record data on patients waiting for admission as patients are frequently discharged home, or to other types of care, as well as being admitted to hospital.
A combination of continued emergency pressures, industrial action and delayed discharges have contributed to the current pressure on services, including length of wait in the accident and emergency department.
However, the industrial action ended on 22 May 2001, and in regard to delayed discharges, Dudley Health Authority has recently identified £100,000 of non- recurrent funds to alleviate immediate pressures in the
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short term. The local health and social services agencies are involved in discussions to seek solutions for medium to longer term.
Renal Services
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of renal services at Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital. [1087]
Mr. Hutton: The north-west region has received a capital funding allocation of £1.248 million in 2001–02, to commission 20 new haemodialysis stations and treat at least 80 additional patients. The Lancashire and South Cumbria zone has submitted a proposal to establish a 12-station facility at Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital; this is one of three bids from across the region and a national decision is expected shortly.
Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals
Syd Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds there were in the Royal Berkshire and Battle hospitals in Reading in May 1997; how many there are now; and how many are forecast for June 2004. [1605]
Ms Blears: Bed statistics are collected by National Health Service trusts, not by individual hospital sites. Figures on the average daily number of beds for each NHS trust are published annually in "Bed Availability and Occupancy: England", copies of which are in the Library.
Forecast figures at trust/health authority level are not collected centrally. The NHS Plan states an increase of 2,100 general and acute beds for England by 2004.
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Acute Beds
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute beds were available in the NHS in England in (a) May 1997 and (b) June 2001; and how many are forecast for June 2004. [1607]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally in the format requested. We do not have bed availability data for specific dates as the returns are made on a financial year basis.
The latest released figures are for the year 1999–2000. Figures on the average daily number of available acute beds in England are available in the annual publication "Bed availability and occupancy—England", copies of which are available in the Library.
The National Health Service Plan states an increase of 2,100 general and acute beds for England by 2004.
NHS Trusts (Discretionary Capital)
Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allocation has been made for discretionary capital for each NHS trust in the eastern region in (a) the current financial year and (b) in 1999–2000. [1481]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 2 July 2001]: The information requested is shown in the table.
| £000 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trust | 1999–2000 | 2001–02 |
| Addenbrooke's NHS Trust | 9,513 | 1,369 |
| Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust | 462 | 14,111 |
| Bedford Hospital NHS Trust | — | 1,860 |
| Bedford and Luton Community NHS Trust | — | 1,198 |
| Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust | 568 | — |
| Lifespan Healthcare NHS Trust | 848 | — |
| Local Health Partnerships NHS Trust | 400 | — |
| Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust | — | 1,361 |
| James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust | — | 1,135 |
| New Possibilities NHS Trust | 1,620 | 2,290 |
| Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust | — | 1,825 |
| Mid Essex Community and Mental Health NHS Trust | — | 18 |
| Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust | — | 1,764 |
| Papworth Hospital NHS Trust | — | 3,272 |
| Southend Hospital NHS Trust | — | 900 |
| Southend Community NHS Trust | 1,710 | — |
| West Herts Community Health NHS Trust | 1,200 | — |
| West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust | 567 | 2,175 |
| West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust | — | 1,432 |
Source:
NHS Executive Eastern Figures
Cottage Hospitals
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the provision of convalescent and respite beds and the maintenance of cottage hospitals; and to what extent his policy is expressed by targets and guidance to health authorities. [1650]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 2 July 2001]: Intermediate care is a key part of the Government's programme to promote independence, particularly for older people. The NHS Plan set a target of 5,000 extra intermediate care beds by 2003–04, some of which will
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be in community hospitals. The Plan also set a target for extending carers' respite services, benefiting a further 75,000 carers, and those they care for, by 2003–04.
National Cardiothoracic Transplant Service
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 26 June 2001, Official Report, column 75W, how much time will be allowed for public consultation following the publication of the Government's proposals for the future of the national cardiothoracic transplant service; and what period of time he estimates will be needed between a final decision on the location of the national transplant units and implementation in April 2002. [1848]
Mr. Hutton: People and organisations will be allowed 12 weeks to comment on the document setting out our proposals for the future of the national cardiothoracic transplant service. Once the final decision on the site of the fourth centre has been taken, all reasonable steps will be taken to make the necessary changes to the service by April 2002.
Health Visitors
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to regulate the role of health visitors. [1360]
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to include health visitors on the Nursing and Midwifery Council; and if he will make a statement. [1854]
Mr. Hutton: Health visitors will continue to be regulated as part of the nursing and midwifery professions. The draft legislation establishing the new Nursing and Midwifery Council recognises their special contribution to public health and contains several safeguards for health visiting. Health visitors will have a separate register, protection of their professional title and be guaranteed equal representation on the council with nurses and midwives, and from each United Kingdom country.
Student Nurses
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the review of student nurse methods of support, including bursaries, is expected to be completed and reported. [1356]
Mr. Hutton: Officials undertook a review of support arrangements for National Health Service funded students last year. As a result Ministers considered a range of options for change to the existing arrangements, taking full account of representations received from students, their representative bodies and others. The 10.4 per cent. across-the-board increase in the basic rate of bursary, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced shortly after the Budget, was one of the outcomes of the review of student support. It is the biggest increase in bursaries since their introduction in the late 1980s and provides diploma level students (who make up the majority of the student nurse population) with an extra £500 per year.
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Further bursary changes will come into effect in September providing extra help with accommodation and travel expenses for students attending practice placements.
Ministers continue to take a close interest in the effective operation of student support arrangements.
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