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Personal Injury Cases
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has estimated the potential cost to the NHS of the Lord Chancellor's decision to reduce the discount rate to 2.5 per cent. for damages in personal injury cases. [15475]
Mr. Hutton: The Lord Chancellor's Department is carrying out a full assessment of the impact of the new discount rate, which is being prepared and will be published in due course.
Waiting Lists
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in (a) rank and (b) alphabetical order of NHS trust in each region the (i) proportion and (ii) number of patients waiting (A) over 12 months and (B) over 18 months or more for in-patient treatment (1) at the latest available date, (2) in March 1997 and (3) in June 1997. [16805]
Mr. Hutton: The number and proportion of patients waiting over 12 and 18 months at March 1997, June 1997 and September 2001 have been placed in the Library.
In line with the NHS plan, in-patient waiting times will fall on a staged basis from 18 months now through to 15,12, nine and down to six months by 2005. As a first step towards this, the maximum waiting time for an in-patient appointment will be 15 months by the end of March 2002.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients there were on in-patient waiting lists waiting over 12 months for the quarter ended (a) March 1997 and (b) September 2001; [16403]
- (2) if he will list the percentage of patients on in-patient waiting lists waiting over 12 months for the quarter ended (a) March 1997 and (b) September 2001. [16402]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
22 Nov 2001 : Column: 418W
| March 1997 | September 2001 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of patients waiting over 12 months | 30,245 | 43,873 |
| Percentage of total waiting list | 2.67 | 4.29 |
Note:
Figures are health authority based and are sourced from the QF01 waiting times return.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the balance in the work programme of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence between (a) technology appraisals and (b) treatment guidelines. [15968]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 20 November 2001]: The work programme of the National Institute is set by Health Ministers in England and Wales. The Department and National Assembly for Wales have also approved the institute's current business plan.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out for each technology appraisal undertaken by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence the (a) final recommendation and (b) cost effectiveness as measured in terms of QALYs. [15967]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 20 November 2001]: Details of each completed appraisal can be found on the National Institute's website at www.nice.org.uk. The final appraisal determination contains the estimated cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) for those cases where the National Institute of Clinical Excellence has quoted a specific figure. The Institute's judgments are based on a range of factors which include available information on cost per QALY.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to undertake a review of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. [15965]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 20 November 2001]: The report of the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry makes some far-reaching recommendations on the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). We are considering how these will affect any review of NICE's work. We expect to make an announcement shortly.
National Blood Service
Mr. Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which experts from outside the National Blood Service Appropriate Use of Blood Working Group is consulting. [16347]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 20 November 2001]: The Appropriate Use of Blood Working Group has experts from outside the National Blood Service as members. They are:
- Dr. Paula Bolton-Maggs: Consultant haematologist, Alder Hey Hospital
Carol Cantwell: Chief biomedical scientist, St. Mary's Hospital, London
Jan Gordon: Transfusion nurse, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
22 Nov 2001 : Column: 419W
Charles McCollum: Professor of surgery, Manchester
Prof. Paul McMaster: Hepatobiliary and transplant surgeon, Birmingham
Dr. Dafydd Thomas: Consultant, Morriston Hospital
John Thompson: Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
Blood Use (Overseas Hospitals)
Mr. Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had about the use of blood and blood transfusions for NHS patients who take up treatment in overseas hospitals with Ministers from those countries. [16349]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 20 November 2001]: The Department recognises that commissioning care overseas raises a number of particular issues, including the use of blood and blood transfusions. The three pilot sites currently working to send patients to mainland Europe are discussing these issues with potential providers.
Relenza
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many health authorities in the north-west region have drawn up patient group directions for Relenza; [16290]
- (2) what advice he has given to health authorities on drawing up patient group directions for Relenza and other drugs. [16291]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 21 November 2001]: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Health Service Circular 2000/026 containing guidance on Patient Group Directions was issued to the national health service (England) on 9 August 2000. Additional guidance on the supply and administration of Relenza was issued on 21 November 2000.
NHS (IT Policy)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 26 October 2001, Official Report, column 423W, on IT policy in the NHS, if he will place a copy of the CISCO E-Compliant Network study in the Library. [16816]
Ms Blears: A copy of the report has now been placed in the Library.
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will publish the representations he has received on the proposal to leave health visitors out of the title of the Nursing and Midwifery Council; [16298]
- (2) what the legislative timetable is for the introduction of the Nursing and Midwifery Council; [16299]
(3) if he will define the roles of (a) health visitors and (b) community practitioners. [16300]
Mr. Hutton: The Nursing and Midwifery Order to establish the new Nursing and Midwifery Council was laid before Parliament on 15 November, together with a report on the consultation. Copies are available in the Vote Office. The Orders will be considered in Standing Committee on 26 November and in the House of Lords
22 Nov 2001 : Column: 420W
shortly. The legislation contains a number of safeguards for health visiting. There will be a separate part of the register, protection of the professional title, and equal representation with nurses and midwives on the council. The future role of health visitors will be a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Tilt Report
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implementation of the recommendations of the Tilt report concerning security at special hospitals and the amount of money so far spent on implementation by his Department. [16621]
Jacqui Smith: The report of the review of security at the high security hospitals (the Tilt report) was published on 22 May 2000. All the recommendations in the report were accepted by the Government and the implementation process is on-going. Central funding for 2000–01 and 2001–02 is set out in the table:
| Current expenditure | Capital expenditure | |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| 2001–02 | 5.0 | 38.0 |
£1 million of current expenditure funding was provided in 2000–01 to meet some of the costs of implementation arising in that year. The £5 million for current expenditure for 2001–02 has been provided specifically in response to the recommendation that additional funding should be made available to facilitate the movement out of the hospitals of patients no longer needing high security care. Other current expenditure for 2001–02 arising from Tilt report recommendations has been met by the health authority commissioners of the services out of the overall expenditure allocations available to them.The capital expenditure relates to improvements to the physical security of the high security hospitals, particularly the upgrading of perimeter security that Sir Richard Tilt saw as being necessary in the interests of maintaining public safety.
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