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Chiropody
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many chiropodists were working in the NHS in 2000; and how many are working in the NHS on the most recent date for which figures are available. [61842]
Mr. Hutton: In 2000 there were 3,470 chiropodists working in the National Health Service. As at 30 September 2001, the most recent information, the total chiropodist workforce had increased by 90 (3 per cent.), to 3560.
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to use the services of independent state regulated chiropodists and podiatrists in meeting local service needs. [60682]
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Mr. Hutton: The NHS Plan document XDelivering the NHS Plan" states that primary care trusts will be free to purchase care from public, private or voluntary providers as appropriate. Decisions can be taken locally on how best to meet local service needs.
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he plans to give to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts on the minimum levels of chiropody and podiatry services that should be provided in each area. [60681]
Mr. Hutton: We have no plans to issue any guidance to strategic health authorities or primary care trusts on minimum levels of chiropody and podiatry services. However, chiropody/podiatry services are essential parts of the national service frameworks for older people and diabetes. The department has also launched a National Primary and Care Trust programme (NatPaCT) designed to support PCTs in delivering their key functions which will be:
- Improving the health of the community;
Securing the provision of high quality services;
Integrating health and social care locally.
Waiting Times
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting for in-patient treatment for more than 15 months at the Portsmouth Hospital Trust, at the latest date for which figures are available. [61125]
Ms. Blears: The Department's Directorate of Health and Social Care for the south of England makes an analysis of fifteen month waits at the end of each month. The analysis for the end of April 2002, the most recent month for which information is currently available, indicted that no patients were waiting over fifteen months for inpatient treatment at the trust.
Clinical Records
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances information on (a) medical and (b) other clinical records may be released without the knowledge and consent of the patient concerned; and if he will make a statement. [60387]
Mr. Lammy: Information in medical or other clinical records may be released without the knowledge and consent of the patient concerned where the information concerned does not identify him or her. Where the information might identify the patient any release must satisfy the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and if the information is also held under obligations of confidentiality any release must comply with common law requirements. Additionally, the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998 must be satisfied, there must not be a statutory prohibition against the release of information and, in the case of a public sector body, the body must have the vires to release information for the purpose in question.
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NHS Staff
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the results of the 2000–01 survey of violent incidents, accidents involving staff and sickness absence in NHS trusts and health authorities in England. [60667]
Mr. Hutton: The results of the Department of Health's survey of reported violent or abusive incidents, accidents involving staff and sickness absence in National Health Service trusts and health authorities in England in 2000–01 will be placed in the Library.
The survey found that there were 84,273 reported violent or abusive incidents against staff in 2000–01. Details of the number of reported violent or abusive incidents, accidents involving staff, and sickness absence by type of NHS trust are shown in the following tables. There were 108,743 reported accidents involving staff during the same period. The sickness absence rate, measured during calendar year 2000, was 4.68 per cent.
| Type of NHS Trust | Total number of reported 1 incidents in the year | Estimated number of incidents per 1,000 staff per month 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Acute | 22,338 | 5 |
| Multi-service | 12,019 | 8 |
| Ambulance | 3,882 | 13 |
| Community/mental health2 | 37,053 | 23 |
| Mental health/learning disability | 7,766 | 27 |
| All NHS Trusts3 | 84,214 | 10 |
Notes:
1 Some NHS Trusts were unable to supply data. In particular, some community Trusts were undergoing re-configuration. Figures in this table are for those NHS Trusts which provided figures.
2 Some Xcommunity" NHS Trusts also provide mental health and/or learning disability services.
3 Includes figures for the small number of Primary Care Trusts which were able to supply data.
| Type of NHS Trust | Total number of reported1 accidents in the year | Estimated number of accidents per 1,000 staff per month1 |
|---|---|---|
| Acute | 51,889 | 12 |
| Multi-service | 21,032 | 14 |
| Ambulance | 5,746 | 21 |
| Community2 | 22,757 | 15 |
| Mental health/learning disability | 2,996 | 11 |
| All NHS Trusts3 | 106,348 | 13 |
Notes:
1 Some NHS Trusts were unable to supply data. In particular, some community Trusts were undergoing re-configuration. Figures in this table are for those NHS Trusts which provided figures.
2 Some Xcommunity" NHS Trusts also provide mental health and/or learning disability services.
3 Includes figures for the small number of Primary Care Trusts which were able to supply data.
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| Type of NHS Trust | Estimated average sickness absence rate (%) |
|---|---|
| Acute | 4.46 |
| Multi-service | 4.67 |
| Ambulance | 6.80 |
| Community | 5.09 |
| Mental health/learning disability | 5.23 |
| All NHS Trusts3 | 4.73 |
Notes:
1 Some NHS Trusts were unable to supply data. In particular, some community Trusts were undergoing re-configuration. Figures in this table are for those NHS Trusts which provided figures.
2 Some Xcommunity" NHS Trusts also provide mental health and/or learning disability services.
3 Includes figures for the small number of Primary Care Trusts which were able to supply data.
Resourcing Terminology
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the difference is between (a) earmarked, (b) hypothecated and (c) ring-fenced in health service resourcing terminology. [60848]
Mr. Hutton: Resource allocation to the National Health Service in recent years has used the term Xearmarked" to refer to funds identified at health authority level with an intention that they be spent on the purpose for which they are allocated; the term Xhypothecated" to refer to funds identified at national level with an intention that they be spent on the purpose for which they are allocated; and the term Xring fenced" to refer to funds identified by direction under section 97(6) of the National Health Service Act 1977 and which can only be used for the purpose for which they are issued.
NHS Consultants
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS consultants were formally appraised in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) 2001–02. [61445]
Mr. Hutton: A number of local schemes for the appraisal of National Health Service consultants were in place prior to the introduction of a national system of formal appraisal for NHS consultants in April 2001.
Precise information about the number of consultants appraised in the introductory year of the national scheme, or under the local schemes which preceded it, is not collected by the Department. Chief executives of NHS trusts are accountable for ensuring that all consultants are appraised.
We plan to undertake a scoping exercise later this year to ascertain how the NHS has implemented the arrangements.
Pathology Tests
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many instances unregistered staff have performed tasks usually associated with state-registered pathologists in (a) March 1999 to March 2000, (b) March 2000 to March 2001 and (c) March 2001 to March 2002; and at which hospitals. [61453]
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Mr. Hutton: This information is not collected by the Department. Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd (CPA), which is the largest accrediting body for UK pathology laboratories providing diagnostic testing for patients, does ask individual services for this information as part of its methodology.
In carrying out their inspections, CPA have encountered a very small number of cases of unregistered staff performing tasks usually associated with state-registered pathology staff. It has checked each circumstance individually before confirming the staff member's suitability to carry out their work. CPA has taken all necessary steps to ensure that patient safety is not compromised and that quality standards are maintained.
The Department is committed to ensuring that patients are properly protected and receive high quality diagnostic services, founded upon a strengthened system of state-registration in the form of the Health Professions Council (HPC), which ensures staff are suitably fit to practise.
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