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Human Rights and Biomedicine Convention
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government intend to sign and ratify the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine 1997. [55632]
Ms Blears: The convention covers a wide range of complex ethical and legal issues, many of which have been, and remain, actively under debate in the United Kingdom over recent years. The Government wish to consider the conclusions of these debates before reaching a final view on signature and ratification of the convention.
Care Homes (Lancashire)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet union representatives from Lancashire care homes to discuss the proposed closure of care homes by Lancashire county council. [55787]
Jacqui Smith: I recently met the leaders of Lancashire county council and some hon. Members representing constituencies in the county to discuss the provision of care services for older people in Lancashire. I have previously met the Lancashire care association.
I should be happy to meet union representatives from Lancashire care homes to discuss their concerns about the council's plans.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the availability of residential care home places in Lancashire; [57286]
- (2) the proposed closure of the Galloway's Home for the Blind, Penwortham, near Preston. [56692]
Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (David Borrow) on 7 May 2002, Official Report, columns 17 and 18.
Patient Information Advisory Group
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken towards setting up the Patient Information Advisory Group; and when it is expected to be operational. [55871]
Ms Blears: The Patient Information Advisory Group has been established and met on 10 December 2001 and 8 March 2002. The membership of the advisory group is as follows:
- Chairman
- Professor Joan Higgins
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- Members
- Dr. Michael Catchpole
- Professor Sir Cyril Chantler
- Dr. Tricia Cresswell
- Mrs. Helen Darracott
- Professor Andrew Haines
- Mr. Michael Hake
- Ms Barbara Meredith
- Ms Helen Miller
- Ms Julia Palca
- Professor Sir Denis Pereira
- Mrs. Shahwar Sadeque
- Ms Karen Thomson
- Dr. Michael Wilks.
NHS Appointments (Non-attendance)
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he plans to take to reduce the number of failed appointments in the NHS due to non attendance. [55790]
Mr. Hutton: The Government have a number of actions in place that will contribute to reducing the number of failed appointments in the national health service due to non-attendance:
- Booked appointments (including in-patient and out-patient visits) have been shown to reduce the number of failed appointments due to non-attendance. By the end of 2005, all out-patient appointments and in-patient elective admissions will be pre-booked;
Alongside this, electronic booking systems are being implemented. They will make booking more convenient for patients and clinicians, allow bookings to be easily changed to take account of changing circumstances and over time they will also enable appointment reminders to be issued via phone, email and other technologies;
All acute hospital trusts now have booking systems in place in at least two specialities/high volume procedures and more than five million patients have now benefited from booked appointments. A fourth wave of the national booking programme, 'moving to mainstream', began in September 2001 and will shift booking to mainstream NHS activity.
The Modernisation Agency's Theatre Project have issued interim guidance which includes a checklist of actions for addressing patient cancellations, including validating lists and telephoning patients near the date of admission to confirm attendance. Pre-operative assessment is being rolled out as part of operating theatres and pre-operative assessment programme and should reduce non-attendance and last minute patient cancellations;
Use of partial booking systems support reducing the level of non-attendance by ensuring patients are contacted before their appointment so that they can agree a convenient date and time.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of appointments at GPs' surgeries were not kept by patients in (a) England, (b) Bedfordshire and (c) Luton in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [55756]
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- (2) what the level of failed GP appointments as a result of non-attendance was in each PCT in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [55757]
Mr. Hutton: These data are not collected or held centrally.
Consultants (Suspensions)
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many medical consultants (a) are suspended and (b) have been suspended in each of the last five years. [55691]
Mr. Hutton: National Health Service trusts report suspensions lasting six months or longer to the Department. As at 31 December 2001, the latest date for which figures are available, of the 29 hospital and community medical and dental staff who have been suspended for more than six months, 23 are consultants.
The number of consultants suspended for more than six months in each the last five years is as follows:
| Year | Numbers |
|---|---|
| 1997(35) | 4 |
| 1998 | 16 |
| 1999 | 14 |
| 2000 | 19 |
| 2001 | 18 |
(35) This information is unlikely to be accurate due to the data collection methods used at the time.
Botulinum Toxin Injections
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding for botulinum toxin injections is available to patients in Fordingbridge; and if he will make a statement. [55901]
Ms Blears: The information is not held centrally.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about (a) the effectiveness and (b) the availability on the NHS of botulinum toxin injections; and if he will make a statement. [55900]
Jacqui Smith: For several years, botulinum toxin in very carefully timed and measured doses has been used to treat overactive muscles in adults, particularly around the eyes and in the neck. More recently, it has been used as part of the management of spasticity and dystonia sufferers. It is also useful for people with cerebral palsy. It helps relax muscles so they become less stiff—and this helps walking and movement. Botulinum toxin is usually most effective if the condition affects only a limited group of muscles.
A decision on whether botulinum toxin treatment should be given to a particular patient would be made by the clinician at the National Health Service trust to whom the patient was referred. The injections are available in certain neurology, ophthalmology, and ear, nose and throat clinics.
Departmental Staff (Scotland)
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of (a) Civil Service, (b) executive agencies and (c) non-departmental
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public body jobs under the remit of his Department are located in Scotland; and how many of each have been relocated to Scotland since May 1997. [56308]
Ms Blears: The Department has no offices in Scotland and no staff located in Scotland or relocated to Scotland since May 1997.
The National Radiological Protection Board has 26 staff in Scotland. This represents 8.7 per cent. of its total staff. None have been relocated to Scotland since May 1997.
Children in Care
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are in care. [56152]
Jacqui Smith: The number of children who were looked after by local councils in England at 31 March 2001 was 58,900.
This figure excludes children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements.
- Source:
- DH Annual publication—Children Looked After by Local Authorities, year ending 31 March 2001, England
Homeless People
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the percentage of homeless people who have presented themselves at accident and emergency departments where the visit was inappropriate in the last 12 months. [56568]
Ms Blears: Information is not collected on the number of patients who are homeless at the time they attend accident and emergency.
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