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User Consultation
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new steps her Department took in 2001–02 to consult the users of its services about their wishes and expectations; and if he will publish the findings. [47313]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Data to monitor the Public Service Agreement (PSA) target to reduce the death rate from cancer amongst people aged under 75 years are obtained from mortality data published by the Office for National Statistics. Data are for England.
This PSA target is the target published in 2000 in the NHS Plan and previously in 1999 in the White Paper 'Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' for a 20 per cent. reduction against a baseline of the average age standardised mortality rate for the three years 1995–96–97.
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The trend data are as follows:
| Period | Mortality rate per 100,000 population |
|---|---|
| 1995–96–97 | 139.72 |
| 1996–97–98 | 136.99 |
| 1997–98–99 | 133.43 |
| 1998–99–2000 | 130.86 |
Sun Protection Creams
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures will be taken to promote the use of sun protection creams over the summer. [46755]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 10 April 2002]: Information about the use of sun protection creams will be available from the normal routes as well as through NHS Direct. We launched on 14 March a new Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/sunsafe providing sun safety advice. We are also collaborating with other key stakeholders this year in ensuring that a range of sun safety advice is publicly available. For example, the Department-funded National Radiological Protection Board has recently launched the "Sunsense" posters describing the use of sunscreens.
- Using a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more
applying sunscreen wherever your skin is exposed to sunlight
apply half an hour before exposure and re-apply every couple of hours
if swimming or sweating, apply more often.
Meningitis
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure people over the age of 55 are aware of the risks posed by meningitis. [47532]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 10 April 2002]: We have not made specific provision of information of meningitis for adults over the age of 55. Information is provided on meningitis in infants and children, students and adults less than 24 years.
Information is also provided for adults and children travelling especially on the Hajj and other pilgrimages.
Women's Organisations (Consultation)
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the women's organisations which were consulted over proposed legislation by his Department in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 sessions; and if their responses have been published. [48013]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 10 April 2002]: The Department is committed to consultation with women's organisations on a wide range of issues, including those where legislation may result. However, this information is not collected centrally.
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NHS Contracts
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts signed with non-NHS suppliers for the provision of health care services in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001. [50801]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 18 April 2002]: The Department does not hold details of all contracts signed by national health service organisations with non-NHS suppliers for the provision of health care services. These contracts are local matters for primary care trusts and NHS trusts.
NHS Consultants (Private Work)
Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the advantages of withdrawing from NHS consultants with whole time NHS contracts the option of undertaking limited amounts of private work under his review of the consultants' contract. [51266]
Mr. Hutton: We made clear in the NHS Plan that consideration had been given to buying out the bulk of private practice nationally. Analysis suggested this would probably cost at least £700 million and would be unlikely to work in practice. The Government therefore proposed that for an initial period, perhaps seven years, all newly appointed consultants would be restricted from undertaking similar work outside the NHS. After this
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initial period the right to undertake private practice would depend on fulfilling job plans and NHS service requirements. The concept of a maximum part-time contract would be abolished. The relationship between NHS work and private practice remains under discussion as part of the negotiations on a new consultant contract.
"NHS Plan News"
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 847–48W, on "NHS Plan News", of the copies of "NHS Plan News" distributed, how many were returned for recycling. [47544]
Ms Blears [holding answer 10 April 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 22 April 2002 at columns 108–09W.
Prescriptions
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) atypical and (b) traditional prescription items were dispensed in the community in England in 2001; and how many prescription items were dispensed in total, broken down by health authority. [50059]
Ms Blears [holding answer 16 April 2002]: Information about the prescribing of antipsychotic medication is shown in the table.
Notes:
1. The prescription information was obtained from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors.
2. Antipsychotics are those drugs defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) paragraph 4.2.1, "Antipsychotic drugs". The atypical antipsychotics within BNF 4.2.1 are amisulpride, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone and zotepine.
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