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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)1998–19991999–2000(23)2000–20012001–2002
NHS staff and contractors
Prosecutions(25)1184542
Civil redress and disciplinary4377444
The public
Penalty charge notices issuedn/an/an/a(24)34,249
Prosecutions(25)2313

(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]

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:





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Number of newly diagnosed cases of multiple myeloma(26) in the United Kingdom(27), 1975 to 1998

Total number of cases
19751,890
19802,327
19852,946
19902,960
19953,538
19983,770

Percentage of newly diagnosed cases of multiple myeloma(26) in the United Kingdom by sex and age group, 1998

Percentage of all newly diagnosed cases
Male53
Female47
Age
Less than 30 years0.2
Less than 40 years1.3
Less than 50 years5.0
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:





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One and five year crude (percentage) of patients aged 15–99 diagnosed during 1991–93 with multiple myeloma(28), by sex, England and Wales

Number of cases 1991–93One year survival (percentage)Five year survival (percentage)
Men3,7745516
Women3,4085314

(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




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