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Rheumatoid Arthritis
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what submissions he has received seeking the increased use of anti-TNF therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis; and what assessment he has made of the level of financial support from pharmaceutical companies for these submissions. [26031]
Mr. Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
We are not aware of having received any formal submissions on this subject. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence are currently evaluating anti-TNF therapy, so we would expect that they would receive any submissions. There has, however, been correspondence from MPs and the public, as well as several parliamentary questions, on anti-TNF therapy.
Head Injuries
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the ability of local authorities to commission vocational rehabilitation programmes for individuals with acquired brain injury on the basis of optimum outcome. [30795]
Jacqui Smith: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
We have made no such assessment. Local authorities, as part of the wider welfare to work strategy, are currently taking the lead on the joint investment plans on welfare to work for disabled people initiative.
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At the local level, local authorities are working with a range of partner agencies and organisations including health and social services, employment services, Jobcentre Plus, local education authorities, Connexions and Learning and Skills Councils, user groups, and employers' representatives.
NHS Professionals
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses holding substantive positions within the NHS are now registered with NHS Professionals. [30767]
Mr. Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
The information requested is not collected centrally. The Audit Commission report "Brief Encounters: Getting the Best from Temporary Nursing Staff" published in September 2001 finds that:
- "Typically, over half (about 58 per cent.) of bank staff are substantive post holders".
Mr. Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
No central mechanism has been developed to record complaints about national health service professionals. This issue will be addressed as part of the on-going development of the service.
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of bookings received by NHS Professionals in December 2001 were successfully filled by NHS Professionals using its own nurse database. [30771]
Mr. Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
National health service professionals was launched on 22 November last year. In December, NHS professionals saw an average fill rate of 58 per cent. with more established pilots sites like Burnley and Pinderfields and Pontefract having a 84 per cent. and 89 per cent. fill rate respectively over the same period.
Leonard Cheshire Foundation
Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with representatives of the Leonard Cheshire Foundation concerning funding for long-term care. [36906]
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Jacqui Smith: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
Representatives of the Leonard Cheshire Foundation have regular opportunities to discuss a range of issues, including the funding of long-term care, with Ministers and officials. I met with representatives of the Leonard Cheshire Foundation on 4 February 2002.
Speech Therapy
Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many speech and language therapists are employed in the national health service. [36776]
Jacqui Smith: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
As at 30 September 2001 there were 5,680 qualified speech and language therapists employed in the national health service.
This represents an increase of 17 per cent. more speech language therapists since 1997.
Nurses
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to change the number of whole-time equivalent nurses performing non-clinical duties with (a) NICE, (b) CHI and (c) the NHS Modernisation Agency. [37372]
Mr. Hutton: The number of nurses performing non-clinical duties with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, the Commission for Health Improvement and the Modernisation Agency is a matter for each of the organisations to determine and will be kept under review.
There are currently two nurses working in NICE, 26 in CHI and 52 in the Modernisation Agency. Nurses are also employed on short term contracts and are represented on internal committees established by the organisations. There are 350,400 qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed in the national health service.
Nurses working in these organisations are using their clinical, leadership and management skills as nurses to improve the quality of care delivered in the NHS.
Practice Nurses
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many practice nurses were employed by general practitioners in England in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which information is available. [37390]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested is in the table.
Between 2000 and 2001 there was a 4.2 per cent. increase in the number of practice nurses (whole time equivalent).
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| (headcount) and whole time equivalents (WTE) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Practice Nurses | 1997 | 2001 |
| Headcount | 18,389 | 19,846 |
| WTE | 10,082 | 11,163 |
(71) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
Source:
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
NHS Pensions
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will change the rules whereby women who worked for the NHS prior to 6 April 1988 do not have their contributions to the superannuation scheme prior to that date counted towards the calculations of their widower's pension, whereas male contributions prior to that date are counted towards their widow's pension. [37106]
Mr. Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the former Member for North Norfolk (Mr. Prior) on 13 January 1999, Official Report, column 212W.
Residential Care (Lancashire)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care beds in private homes there were in Lancashire in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) today. [37841]
Ms Jacqui Smith: Information on the number of residential and nursing care beds in independent care homes in Lancashire at 31 March of each year is shown in the table.
| Rounded numbers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year(74) | Number of care beds in independent care homes | Number of care beds in independent residential care homes | Number of care beds in independent nursing care homes |
| 1997(75) | 19,850 | 12,200 | 7,650 |
| 1998 | 20,390 | 12,620 | 7,780 |
| 1999 | 20,100 | 12,790 | 7,310 |
| 2000 | 19,830 | 12,900 | 6,930 |
| 2001 | 18,870 | 12,690 | 6,190 |
(72) Following local government reorganisation, information for Lancashire includes Lancashire County (remaining) and Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen Unitary Authorities.
(73) Information includes nursing care beds figures from East Lancashire, North West Lancashire and South Lancashire health authorities but excludes figures from Morecambe Bay health authority whose boundaries cover part of Cumbria local authority.
(74) At 31 March.
(75) The number of nursing beds in 1997 refers to the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997.
Source:
Department of Health's annual returns.
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