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Immunisation Policy
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representatives of parents' organisations participate in his Department's studies of immunisation policy. [57530]
Ms Blears [holding answer 23 May 2002]: We do not routinely seek the views of parent organisations. However, over the course of one year the Department consults a sample of 3,000 mothers. The purpose of this is to elicit their knowledge, attitudes and understanding of the immunisation programme. The information gained from this exercise is then used to inform our communications with health professionals and parents.
A lay representative is shortly to be appointed to the joint committee on vaccine and immunisation who advise the Government on immunisation policy.
NHS Direct
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the nurse grade structure is of nurses that offer medical advice on NHS Direct. [59575]
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Mr. Hutton [holding answer 24 May 2002]: The nurse grade structure for NHS Direct consists of F and G grade nurses offering medical advice.
NHS Direct defines what it requires of its nurses through a set of competency statements. Nurses can be recruited from any speciality provided they meet these competencies, although they must have between three and five year's post-qualification experience.
Fraud
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 17 April, Official Report, column 1037W, what the remit of the NHS counter-fraud service covers; and how many (a) staff and (b) members of the public the counter-fraud service has successfully investigated, and what range of penalties was imposed, in each year since 1998. [59553]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 24 May 2002]: The NHS Counter Fraud Service (NHS CFS) has the strategic, policy and operational remit to tackle fraud and corruption across the National Health Service, wherever it occurs.
Information on successful investigations is shown in the table as follows. The information it contains was current as of 31 March 2002.
| (22)1998–1999 | 1999–2000 | (23)2000–2001 | 2001–2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS staff and contractors | ||||
| Prosecutions(25) | 1 | 18 | 45 | 42 |
| Civil redress and disciplinary | 4 | 37 | 74 | 44 |
| The public | — | — | — | — |
| Penalty charge notices issued | n/a | n/a | n/a | (24)34,249 |
| Prosecutions(25) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
(22) The director of the NHS CFS was appointed in September 1998 to establish the new organisation, and the strategy document "Countering Fraud in the NHS" was published in December 1998.
(23) The NHS CFS Operational Service was established and became fully operational in January 2000.
(24) Because of the low value of most NHS patient fraud (the current prescription charge is £6.20) it is not appropriate or cost effective to routinely prosecute those who perpetrate it. A process to recover the value of the charges evaded has been in place since the NHS CFS was established. In addition, Penalty Charges are applied. These are for a sum which is five times the charge which should have been paid plus the original charge up to a maximum of £100.
(25) Only one prosecution (out of 115) has been unsuccessful in the last three years, however, the NHS CFS do not merely seek to apply criminal sanctions. Rather it seeks to combine criminal, civil and disciplinary sanctions to best effect.
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Organ Storage (Alder Hey)
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parents are pursuing information about the whereabouts of their children's organs improperly removed at Alder Hey Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [59796]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 11 June 2002]: As at 11 June 2002 the serious incident team at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital National Health Service Trust has received inquiries about organ retention from parents of 4,541 deceased children.
The trust acts on behalf of parents inquiring about organ retention at the trust as well as that for the University of Liverpool.
From all enquiries received, 1,372 have had organs and/or blocks and slides retained. This figure represents retention by the trust and the University of Liverpool.
Multiple Sclerosis
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding he is making available for (a) research into and (b) greater awareness of primary progressive multiple sclerosis. [61564]
Ms Blears [holding answer 13 June 2002]: The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the national health service.
The Department and MRC spend for 2001–02 is estimated at £2.2 million on research into multiple sclerosis. This includes spend on basic work on a whole range of autoimmune disease.
We are not making funds available directly for increasing awareness of primary progressive multiple sclerosis. The Department and the drug manufacturers have, however, agreed on an innovative way to secure disease modifying therapies on behalf of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The scheme allows patients with MS meeting the criteria of the association of British neurologists to be treated cost-effectively on the NHS. The scheme started on 6 May 2002 and is backed by statutory directions to ensure there is no postcode prescribing of these treatments.
My hon. Friend the Minister of State (Jacqui Smith) announced on 12 June 2002 at the college of occupational therapists "Making Waves" conference that the national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions will have a particular focus on the needs of people with neurological conditions and brain and spinal injury, and also address some of the common issues faced by people living with long-term conditions. We are now considering the next stage of work, which includes selecting and appointing an external reference group and developing further the communication and consultation strategy. We expect to publish the NSF in 2004 and to start implementation in 2005.
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Correspondence
David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 30 April concerning a constituent. [61113]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 12 June 2002]: A reply was sent on 20 June.
Mechanically Recovered Meat
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports the FSA has received from meat processors on which products contained mechanically recovered meat. [62532]
Ms Blears [holding answer 17 June 2002]: The Food Standards Agency has commissioned a study on the historic use of mechanically recovered meat from bovine animals undertaken before this practice became illegal. Arising from this, there have been consultations with meat processors, among others. Initial findings from the study, once available, will be considered by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee later this year.
Myeloma
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of myeloma patients in the UK are (a) men and (b) women; [62686]
- (2) how many people in the UK were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in (a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1985, (d) 1990, (e) 1995, (f) 2000 and (g) 2001; [62682]
(3) what percentage of myeloma patients in the UK are under (a) 50, (b) 40 and (c) 30 years of age; [62685]
(4) if he will list areas in the UK in which there are clusters of multiple myeloma sufferers. [62684]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Ian Gibson, dated 20 June 2002:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply on how many people in the UK were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in (a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1985, (d) 1990, (e) 1995, (f) 2000 and (g) 2001, what percentage of myeloma patients in the UK are (a) men and (b) women, what percentage of myeloma patients in the UK are under (a) 50, (b) 40 and (c) 30 years of age, and to list areas in the UK in which there are clusters of multiple myeloma sufferers. (62684, 62682, 62686, 62685)
- The available information on the incidence of multiple myeloma in the United Kingdom is shown in the attached tables.
- We have no information on areas in the UK where there may be clusters of multiple myeloma 'sufferers'. To determine if indeed there are clusters, and if so where, would require an appropriate research study.
- Further information on trends in the incidence, survival and mortality from multiple myeloma can be found in Chapter 14 of the book 'Cancer Trends in England and Wales 1950–1999, SMPS No. 66, author M. Quinn et al, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.
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| Total number of cases | |
|---|---|
| 1975 | 1,890 |
| 1980 | 2,327 |
| 1985 | 2,946 |
| 1990 | 2,960 |
| 1995 | 3,538 |
| 1998 | 3,770 |
| Percentage of all newly diagnosed cases | ||
|---|---|---|
| Male | 53 | |
| Female | 47 | |
| Age | ||
| Less than 30 years | 0.2 | |
| Less than 40 years | 1.3 | |
| Less than 50 years | 5.0 | |
| Total number of cases—3,770 | ||
(26) Multiple myeloma has been defined to the International Classification of Disease eight and nine revision (ICD8 and ICD9) code 203 for the period 1975–1994, and to codes C88 and C90 according to the International Classification of Disease tenth revision (ICD10) from 1995 onwards.
(27) Cancer incidence figures for Northern Ireland are only available since 1993.
Sources:
England—Office for National Statistics
Wales—Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit
Scotland—Information and Statistics Division
Northern Ireland—Northern Ireland Cancer Registry
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average life expectancy is of a myeloma patient. [62688]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
The information falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Ian Gibson, dated 20 June 2002:
- As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply on what the average life expectancy is of a myeloma patient. (62688)
- Life expectancy is generally not estimated for cancer patients, because death rates in any age group would be much more heavily influenced by age at diagnosis than by survival from the disease.
- A better indicator is the proportion of patients who are still alive at various period of time after diagnosis. This is used almost universally in the assessment of cancer control programmes. The crude survival rate is simply the proportion of the original group of patients alive at the specified time since diagnosis, i.e. it takes into account both deaths from the cancer concerned and deaths from all other causes.
- The latest available information on crude survival for patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma in England and Wales is given detailed in the table.
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| Number of cases 1991–93 | One year survival (percentage) | Five year survival (percentage) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 3,774 | 55 | 16 |
| Women | 3,408 | 53 | 14 |
(28) International Classification of Disease Ninth Revision Code 203
Source:
Report: Cancer survival in England and Wales, 1991–98. Health Statistics Quarterly 2000; 6: 71–80
The most useful summary measure is the median crude survival time, i.e. the point in time at which 50% of the original group have died (from any cause), but diagnosed with myeloma; this was just about 15 months for men and 14 months for women.
More information is available in Health Statistics Quarterly 2000; 6, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.
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