| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Bed Shortages
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he has made into the (a) likelihood and (b) scale of bed shortages across London this winter; and if he will place a copy of such research in the Library; [13117]
- (2) what action he has taken to minimise the effects of bed shortages in hospitals in (a) London and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom this winter; what guidelines he has issued; and if he will make a statement. [13115]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 7 November 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him 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.
Health service circular 2001/014/local authority circular (2001)017 published in July 2001 gave guidance to the national health service in England on planning capacity. Under this guidance all health authorities established local capacity planning groups to plan capacity for winter 2001–02.
As a result the NHS went into winter with 1,225 more general and acute and 198 critical care beds than the same time in 2000–01. And in the same period, London went into winter with 351 more general and acute beds and 27 critical care beds.
The results of the bed census carried out at the end of November 2001 were published in "NHS Emergency Pressures—Making Progress" which was placed in the Library in December 2001.
Elective Surgery
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health at how many places elective surgery was available (a) in each health authority in England and (b) in total for England, in the last two years for which figures are available. [13613]
Mr. Hutton: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
12 Mar 2002 : Column 996W
In 1999–2000, 251 NHS trusts in England carried out elective operations. 245 NHS trusts carried out elective operations in 2000–01. The table shows the number of trusts in each health authority that carried out elective surgery in both of those years. Fourteen NHS trust mergers took place between these two years.
Note:
The figures have been adjusted to take account of miscodings.
12 Mar 2002 : Column 997W
Atypical Medicines
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has received the provisional findings of NICE in respect of atypical medicines for the treatment of schizophrenia; and if he will publish them. [13780]
Ms Blears: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him 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 Department has received the provisional and final appraisal determinations. We expect NICE to produce guidance on atypical anti-psychotics within the next few weeks providing there are no appeals.
Emergency Child Admissions
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the public service agreement target to reduce the number of children admitted to hospitals as an emergency during their first year of life with (a) gastro-enteritis, (b) a respiratory infection and (c) a severe injury; [14018]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the public service agreement target for reducing low birth-weight babies. [14017]
Yvette Cooper: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him 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.
12 Mar 2002 : Column 998W
The public service agreement targets referred to are for Sure Start for the period 1998–99 to 2001–02. A statement on progress towards these targets will be published in the Department for Education and Skills' annual report in spring 2002.
Patient Expectation
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to improve quality of expectation among NHS patients; and if he will make a statement. [14043]
Ms Blears: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him 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 national health service plan set out a vision for creating a patient-centred NHS. The Government have already taken action to improve the quality of patients' experience through a range of initiatives: high quality standards of care through national service frameworks; better quality food and higher standards of cleanliness; measurement of performance from the patient's perspective, through a new system of local surveys and locally published patient prospectuses; new initiatives to strengthen the voice of patients and the public in the management and delivery of health services, as set out in "Involving Patients and the Public in Health Care: Response to the Listening Exercise".
ME/CFS
Mr. Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the work of his Department's working party on ME/CFS; and when he expects that working party will publish a report. [14708]
Jacqui Smith: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him 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 independent CFS/ME working group was set up to review the field of CFS/ME with the aim of providing best practice guidance for clinicians, managers, patients, and carers to improve the quality of care and treatment. Their independent report was published on 11 January 2002 and is available on http://www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/ cfsmereport/index.htm.
The report has identified CFS/ME as a specific illness. The report makes a number of recommendations about recognition and definition of the illness: treatment and care; health service planning; education and awareness; and research. We shall be bringing this report to the attention of chief executives of health authorities, trusts and primary care trusts so that they can consider its implications when commissioning services.
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process will be used to evaluate the best methods of treatment for ME/CFS. [36384]
12 Mar 2002 : Column 999W
Ms Blears: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him 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.
Clinicians face problems when treating patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, as there are neither agreed diagnostic criteria nor one form of treatment to suit every patient. We need to develop a greater understanding in this area. A useful way forward at a local level could be for clinicians and patients to develop clinical learning networks that will allow them to develop expertise.
The Department has also asked the Medical Research Council to develop a broad strategy for advancing biomedical and health services research on CFS/ME.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |