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Special Advisers
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints have been reported in his Department under paragraph 11 of the Civil Service Code since 13 May 1999; and how many of them related to special advisers. [25329]
Malcolm Wicks: The procedures for making complaints under the civil service code are set in the Department's staff handbook. Civil servants are encouraged, in the first instance, to raise complaints made under paragraph 11 of the civil service code with their line manager. If for any reason this is not felt to be possible, perhaps because the line manager is part of the complaint, individuals may take their complaint to a nominated official (or officials). It is not possible to
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provide a comprehensive figure for the number of complaints made under within this Department under paragraph 11 of the code as there is no requirement for managers to report to the centre details of complaints made under the civil service code which are resolved within the management line.
HEALTH
Paediatric Pathologists
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric pathologists practise in England; and how many practised in 1997. [24655]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 8 January 2002]: Paediatric pathology is a sub-specialty of histopathology. Data are not collected for sub-specialties and the information requested is not available.
Data for histopathology are shown in the table.
| 1997 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| All staff | 940 | 1,160 |
| of which: | ||
| Consultants | 720 | 860 |
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
Source:
Department of Health medical and dental work force census
Medical Facilities (Sharing)
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what initiatives have been funded by his Department to promote greater sharing of medical facilities between PCTs and health authorities using the internet. [24677]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 8 January 2002]: Through the Department's Project Connect programme all health authorities primary care trusts and general practitioner practices have been given access to NHSnet (and the internet) which enables them to communicate by e-mail and also to access remote applications.
NHSnet is the national health service's own secure intranet which has guaranteed levels of service quality that are not available on the internet.
In addition my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has confirmed that all PCTs will have a centrally funded 256,000 fixed link to NHSnet and the internet to enable them to utilise facilities such as teleconferencing and telemedicine.
Health Action Zones
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total expenditure for the Camden and Islington health action zones has been since its inception; and what spending is planned for this financial year. [25827]
Mr. Hutton: Since its inception in April 1999, Camden and Islington health action zone has received over £5.2 million in direct funding. In 2002–03 the HAZ will receive at least £1.5 million.
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In addition, Camden and Islington health authority received £2.7 million targeted funding for health authorities in HAZs between 1999–2000 and 2000–01. In 2001–02 and for 2002–03 this was subsumed within the health inequalities adjustment, Camden and Islington HA's share of which was £3.1 million and £3.3 million respectively.
Waiting Lists
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average waiting time was from seeing a GP on (a) in-patient and (b) out-patient lists for cardiology patients in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [24582]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the tables. The average waiting time for both people seeking in-patient treatment and those on out-patient lists for cardiology has fallen over the past 12 months.
| Quarter | Average (median) waiting time (weeks) |
|---|---|
| September 2000 | 8.64 |
| December 2000 | 8.05 |
| March 2001 | 7.93 |
| June 2001 | 7.20 |
| September 2001 | 7.09 |
Source:
Department of Health form QM08
| Quarter | Average (median) waiting time (months) |
|---|---|
| September 2000 | 2.70 |
| December 2000 | 2.72 |
| March 2001 | 2.63 |
| June 2001 | 2.67 |
| September 2001 | 2.64 |
Source:
Department of Health form KH07
Mental Health
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to develop national occupational standards in mental health; and if he will make a statement. [24993]
Jacqui Smith: Through the health care national training organisation, Healthwork UK, in conjunction with the training organisation for social services we are developing national occupational standards across all ages in mental health on a United Kingdom wide basis. A functional map of the standards was produced in the workforce action team report published in August 2001 and the work to fully develop the standards is being taken forward with a view to completing the task by March 2003.
By describing best practice, the aim of the work is to improve the competence of the workforce to provide better services to individuals with mental health needs and their carers.
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Care Homes
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care home establishments have (a) closed and (b) opened in East Sussex in each of the past five years for which figures are available. [25614]
Jacqui Smith: The numbers of residential and nursing care establishment closures in 1999 and 2000, together with the number of new registrations, are presented in the table. Information was first collected in this form for the year ending 31 March 1999. Information for the year ending 31 March 2001 is not yet available.
| 1999 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of establishment closures | ||
| Residential(9) | 48 | 69 |
| Nursing(10) | 5 | 10 |
| Number of new registrations | ||
| Residential(9) | 44 | 24 |
| Nursing(10) | 4 | 4 |
(9) East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove Council
(10) East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority
Source:
Registration and Inspection Survey
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what grants are available to (a) local authorities and (b) private nursing and residential homes to assist in the provision of additional places in such homes; when the most recent invitations to bid for such grants were issued and to whom; what resources are available for such grants; when bids close and decisions will be made on bids; and if he will make a statement. [24948]
Jacqui Smith: We have recently announced that the resources which the Department is making available for social care will be increasing by 6.5 per cent. next year. Local councils will decide how to use these additional resources, most of which can be used for the provision of residential or nursing care. Resources are generally allocated to local councils by formulae rather than on a bidding basis. The Department does not make any grants direct to private sector homes.
Surplus Estate Sales
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's standard guidance for good practice in the advertising and sale of surplus estate. [25509]
Mr. Hutton: The Department follows guidance relating to the disposal of surplus property contained in Government Accounting, a copy of which is available in the Library.
National health service bodies are required to follow guidance on the disposal of surplus property in Estatecode. A copy of the 1995 version, produced by NHS Estates, is in the Library, and an updated version is available in the publications and guidance section under "Downloadable Guidance" at www.nhsestates.gov.uk. A hard copy will be placed in the Library when it is printed.
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Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress and timescale of the PFI scheme for additional doctors' and nurses' accommodation at Stoke Mandeville hospital. [25511]
Ms Blears: There is no private finance initiative scheme for additional doctors' and nurses' accommodation at Stoke Mandeville hospital. However, development proposals provide for key-worker accommodation, 27 doctors' houses and, in a separate scheme, the provision of on-call accommodation for junior doctors on the main hospital site. Both these schemes are envisaged to be available for use towards the latter part of 2003.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the legal status is of the land at Stoke Mandeville hospital which was sold to Persimmon Homes in 1998; [25510]
- (2) what the receipts were of the sale in 1998 of land at Stoke Mandeville hospital to Persimmon Homes; [25507]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report commissioned by NHS Estates into the sale in 1998 of land at Stoke Mandeville hospital to Persimmon Homes; [25506]
(4) if the sale in 1998 by his Department of land at Stoke Mandeville hospital was advertised; [25508]
(5) if he will make a statement on his plans for the land at Stoke Mandeville hospital which is now in his ownership. [25505]
Ms Blears: Two parcels of land at Stoke Mandeville hospital have been disposed of. One is subject of a number of conditions which have yet to be satisfied, so the amount of the receipts will not be known until all of the conditions have been fulfilled, and the payment due is calculated.
The strategy for disposal of the site was agreed by the previous Anglia and Oxford regional office of the Department. It was not advertised as it was considered that a negotiated disposal was the best way of obtaining "best value" measured in terms of cash receipts, optimum site uses, the trust's reprovision plans, planning consents, programming and risk transfer.
The Stoke Mandeville hospital site itself is owned by the Stoke Mandeville National Health Service Trust. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State retains ownership of two parcels of land there. The first is the sports ground for the disabled, to the rear of the main hospital site. This is occupied by the British Wheelchair Foundation under the terms of a long lease. It is intended that the freehold interest of this area will remain with my right hon. Friend for the immediate future.
The second parcel of land is used for hospital purposes. It will, however, become available for redevelopment, and it is intended that some of the site will be used for additional staff residential accommodation. A review of the NHS trust's long term staff accommodation needs is currently being undertaken. The site will be marketed and disposed of subject to provision by the purchaser of an agreed number of staff residential units.
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NHS Estates carries out performance management reviews of selected land disposals which are in progress or have been completed. In this case the review is not yet complete, and the disposal is subject of on-going negotiations, so it would be premature to respond to the question.
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