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"Golden Hello" Payments
Mr. Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the golden hello payments to general practitioners joining the NHS to come into effect; and if he will make a statement. [1986]
Mr. Hutton: All doctors taking up a first post as a principal, assistant or salaried general medical services general practitioner or as a personal medical services performer on or after 1 April 2001 are or will be eligible for payments under the "golden hello" scheme. The detailed implementation of the scheme is subject to consultation with the profession, which is in progress.
We aim to conclude consultation in time to enable payments to be made to all eligible doctors in September.
Efficiency Savings
Mr. Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cash releasing efficiency savings procedure within the NHS. [1951]
Mr. Hutton: As set out in the NHS Plan we have introduced a new approach to setting efficiency targets for the National Health Service. In the past efficiency targets were imposed on the NHS without an analysis of what is realistic.
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The new approach to efficiency targets does not permit a trade off between cost and quality. The cost of providing care in trusts providing a high quality service is the benchmark for the whole of the NHS with all trusts expected to reach this level within five years.
NHS Dentistry
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many NHS dentists in Yeovil constituency are accepting new adult NHS patients; and if he will make a statement; [1376]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the steps taken by Somerset health authority to deal with the shortage of NHS dentistry in the Yeovil constituency; and if he will make a statement. [1377]
Ms Blears [holding answer 4 July 2001]: Somerset health authority has prepared a dental access plan to ensure that all residents who wish to can access a National Health Service dentist within a reasonable time and distance by September 2001. The plan has been subject to external assessment and the health authority has been assessed as low risk in terms of its ability to meet its access targets.
No dentists in the Yeovil constituency are currently accepting new adult NHS patients. Local availability of NHS dentistry changes frequently. Dentists can open and close lists at short notice. The hon. Member's constituents can access emergency NHS treatment through the Yeovil Dental Access Centre or the emergency dental service.
Health Care
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the plans of his Department to utilise the private sector to deliver health care. [1636]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 4 July 2001]: We believe unequivocally in the principle that the National Health Service should provide care to all, free at the point of use, regardless of ability to pay.
The areas where we will seek to use private sector expertise and finance, to help deliver care more quickly, may include: first, using spare capacity in private sector hospitals to perform operations on NHS patients; secondly, getting private sector management to run some of the new stand-alone surgery centres our manifesto commits us to building; thirdly, extending the private finance initiative and public private partnerships beyond the hospital sector into primary care, social services and the provision of imaging and laboratory equipment; and fourthly, using private sector management expertise such as information technology systems.
East Somerset NHS Trust
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in East Somerset NHS Trust have been waiting more than (a) three, (b) six, (c) nine, (d) 12, (e) 18, (f) 24, (g) 30 and (h) 36 months for an (i) in-patient operation and (ii) out-patient appointment; and if he will make a statement. [1384]
Ms Blears [holding answer 4 July 2001]: Information on hospital waiting times is published quarterly by the Department of Health in "Hospital
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Waiting List Statistics: England" and "Waiting Times for First Outpatient Appointments in England: Detailed Statistics". This information is also available on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes.
The numbers of patients waiting for in-patient or day case treatment at East Somerset National Health Service Trust on 31 March 2001 were as follows:
| Months | Number |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | 1,089 |
| 3–5 | 538 |
| 6–11 | 314 |
| 12–17 | 2 |
| 18+ | 0 |
| Total | 1,943 |
These figures show a drop of 6 per cent. in the total numbers waiting for treatment compared with 31 March 2000.
The number of general practitioner written referral requests seen as a first out-patients in Quarter 4 (1 January–31 March 2001) were:
| Weeks | Number |
|---|---|
| 0-less than 4 | 2,251 |
| 4-less than 13 | 2,267 |
| 13-less than 26 | 758 |
| 26+ | 208 |
| Total | 5,484 |
Information on the total number of patients waiting for a first out-patient appointment on a given date is not collected but the numbers of people waiting over 13 weeks and 26 weeks are. At East Somerset NHS Trust 369 patients had been waiting over 13 weeks and 97 had been waiting over 26 weeks at 31 March 2001. This represents a drop of 51.6 per cent. and 62.3 per cent. respectively compared with the numbers waiting at 31 March 2000.
Nursing Home Residents
(Attendance Allowance)
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if residents of nursing homes receiving Attendance Allowance will receive that allowance at the same rate after the introduction of the Government's planned contributions to nursing care. [2028]
Jacqui Smith: The rate of benefit currently paid to nursing home residents in receipt of Attendance Allowance or disability living allowance will not be affected by our plans to introduce free nursing care.
Heath Visitors
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which return-to-nursing course covers health visitors. [2486]
Mr. Hutton: The English National Board Return to Practice—Part 11 is a specific return to practice course for health visitors. Work force development
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confederations are responsible for the commissioning of return to practice courses and will be able to provide further information on where courses are available. A list of the work force development confederations is available in the Library.
NHS Complaints Procedure
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the report on the NHS complaints procedure produced by York Health Economics Consortium; for what reasons it is a confidential report; and what the expected time scale and action plan is for implementing changes to the complaints procedure. [1985]
Ms Blears: We will be publishing the report of the evaluation of the National Health Service complaints procedure in the near future. The report is not confidential. We intend to consult widely on the options for change, following publication of the evaluation report, with a view to implementing a reformed procedure before April 2003.
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Sixth Form Education
3. Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which learning and skills councils have developed policies on the future of sixth form education. [871]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Responsibility for policy on the future of sixth form education lies with the Government, not with individual local offices of the Learning and Skills Council.
AS-Level
15. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement about the future of the AS-level. [884]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is too soon to make any statement about the future of the AS-level. The Secretary of State has asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to review the delivery of advanced level qualifications in general. An interim report is due by the middle of July.
Disruptive Pupils
16. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support she will give to schools to help them deal with disruptive pupils. [885]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to the hon. Member of Canterbury (Mr. Brazier).
Pupil behaviour is a major issue that will be included in a forthcoming White paper. We are also keeping the exclusions process under regular review.
School Discipline
17. Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on discipline in schools. [887]
Mr. Timms: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier).
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Pupil behaviour is a major issue that will be included in a forthcoming White Paper. We are also keeping the exclusions process under regular review.
30. Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what meetings she has arranged with Ofsted to discuss standards of discipline in schools. [901]
Mr. Timms: We meet Ofsted regularly. Standards of discipline and behaviour in schools are important aspects of school standards, and an important part of continuing discussions with Ofsted.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to introduce proposals designed to improve discipline in schools. [872]
Mr. Timms: We strongly support heads in maintaining order in schools, including using exclusion where necessary. We are providing over 1,000 learning support units and 4,000 learning mentors to support teachers in maintaining order. We will be consulting on a wider use of parenting orders to ensure that parents take responsibility for their children's behaviour at school.
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