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Nursing and Midwifery
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will amend the draft Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 to include health visiting in the title of the new Nursing and Midwifery Council; and if he will make a statement; [12051]
- (2) what recent representations he has received about the draft Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 and the regulation of health visitors; and if he will place them in the Library; [12019]
(3) what plans he has to regulate the profession of health visiting. [12054]
Mr. Hutton: We have undertaken extensive consultation on the proposals to establish a new Nursing and Midwifery Council. The draft legislation recognises health visitors' special contribution to public health and contains a number of safeguards for health visiting. There will be a separate part of the register for health visitors, protection of their professional title and they will be guaranteed equal representation on the council with nurses and midwives. Legislation is in the final stages of preparation and will be published shortly, together with a report on consultation. There are no plans to amend the proposed title of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
NHS Staff
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means the published figures for the proposed establishments for (a) GPs, (b) nurses and (c) consultants are collated; and what account is taken of drop-out rates. [12518]
Mr. Hutton: The analysis of the number of additional health professional staff required during the period of the NHS Plan was based principally on work done in support of the National Service Frameworks and delivery of waiting, booking and access commitments.
The increases are net increases and take account of staff leaving the national health service and attrition during training. They are based on what is deliverable from training, recruitment and retention initiatives and international recruitment.
Consultants
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unfilled consultant posts there are within the NHS in England and Wales, broken down by region. [12618]
Mr. Hutton: The data collected for England are in the tables. The information relating to Wales is a matter for the devolved Administration.
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| Total consultants(39) | |
|---|---|
| England | 670 |
| Northern and Yorkshire | 110 |
| Trent | 70 |
| West midlands | 90 |
| North west | 130 |
| Eastern | 60 |
| London | 100 |
| South east | 70 |
| South west | 30 |
(39) Whole-time equivalents.
Notes:
1. Three month vacancies are vacancies as at 31 March 2001 which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole-time equivalents).
2. Numbers are round to the nearest 10.
3. England totals include staff from special health authorities.
4. Totals may not equal sum of component parts due to rounding.
Source:
Department of Health vacancies survey 2001.
| Total consultants | |
|---|---|
| England | 3.0 |
| Northern and Yorkshire | 3.6 |
| Trent | 3.2 |
| West midlands | 3.9 |
| North west | 4.1 |
| Eastern | 3.1 |
| London | 2.5 |
| South east | 2.2 |
| South west | 1.4 |
Notes:
1. Three month vacancies are vacancies as at 31 March 2001 which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole-time equivalents).
2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post from the September 2000 medical and dental and non-medical work force censuses (whole-time equivalent).
3. Percentages rounded to one decimal place.
4. England percentages include staff from special health authorities.
Source:
Department of Health vacancies survey 2001.
| Total consultants(40) | |
|---|---|
| England | 22,140 |
| Northern and Yorkshire | 3,030 |
| Trent | 2,180 |
| West midlands | 2,230 |
| North west | 3,120 |
| Eastern | 1,970 |
| London | 4,160 |
| South east | 3,330 |
| South west | 2,020 |
(40) Whole-time equivalents
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. England totals include staff from special health authorities.
3. Totals may not equal sum of component parts due to rounding.
4. Figures cannot be used to calculate percentages.
Source:
Department of Health 2000 medical and dental work force census.
19 Nov 2001 : Column: 112W
NICE
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of time taken by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to report on the cost effectiveness of drugs referred to them by the national health service. [12549]
Ms Blears: The appraisal process takes about one year. The timetable can be longer for appraisals which are particularly complex or where the determination is subject to appeal.
Nurses
Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage the retention of nursing staff. [12378]
Mr. Hutton: We are fully committed to investing in national health service staff. The NHS Plan introduced the improving working lives standard, a model of good employment practices against which NHS organisations are measured. NHS organisations are required to provide a portfolio of evidence that they are improving the working lives of staff.
Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact the cost of living supplement has had on the recruitment of nurses in (a) qualifying and (b) non- qualifying health authorities. [13941]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 14 November 2001]: Cost of living supplements were introduced in April 2001 as part of a wide-ranging strategy to address recruitment and retention in the national health service. It is too early to judge the impact of these new payments. The Department is committed to monitoring the impact of COLS.
Northwood and Pinner Community Hospital
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further proposals to develop services at Northwood and Pinner Community Hospital he has considered; and if he will make a statement. [12375]
Mr. Hutton: The Hillingdon Local Modernisation Review aims to identify high priority areas for modernisation and development and will set the strategic context for the longer term development of Hillingdon health and social care services. Proposals relating to Northwood and Pinner Community Hospital will emerge from that work and will take account of the needs of Harrow residents. Any proposals for change will form the subject of full public consultation.
Overseas Treatment
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which professional and representative medical bodies he has consulted concerning the practicalities and consequences of NHS patients receiving treatment in other EU member states; what (a) legislative and (b) regulatory
19 Nov 2001 : Column: 113W
changes are necessary to allow such treatment; what EU legislation governs such arrangements and what duties it imposes; and if he will make a statement on the judgment of the European Court of Justice. [12882]
Mr. Hutton: The recent judgments of the European Court of Justice in the joined cases Geraets-Smits/ Peerbooms and Case Vanbraekel (joined Cases C-157/99 and Case 368/98 respectively) marked a development in the interpretation of directly applicable provisions of European Community law. These provisions override even inconsistent national law and must be given effect to. The relevant provisions of the National Health Service Act 1977 will be amended in the interests of legal certainty. This can be done by regulations made under the European Communities Act 1972 and this is in hand. In the meantime health authorities and NHS trusts are free to commission services abroad. However, sending patients abroad does pose practical and legal problems surrounding patient welfare. Besides establishing three test-bed sites to develop processes for sending patients abroad officials are discussing the practical and legal issues involved with relevant colleagues and interested parties, including the British Medical Association.
Asylum Seekers
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to satisfy the health needs of asylum seekers. [12861]
Mr. Hutton: Under national health service legislation, any asylum seeker given leave to remain in the United Kingdom or awaiting a decision on their application is regarded as ordinarily resident and is eligible for free treatment from a general practitioner and eligible to receive NHS hospital treatment. More specifically the Department is working with the Home Office to ensure that the health of asylum seekers is a key consideration in the reform of the asylum system announced recently by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. Also, officials are working with the Refugee Council to identify existing best practice in meeting the health and social care needs of asylum seekers dispersed through the National Asylum Support Service. This guidance is expected to be available early next year.
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