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Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to set up a new programme for the development of cardiac units in the UK. [63606]
Ms Blears [holding answer 21 June 2002]: The expansion plans for cardiac units in England are part of the comprehensive programme of development in cardiac services set out in the national service framework for coronary heart disease. The expansion programme is being pursued to ensure that heart patients are treated according to need rather than location. Consequently, investment is being focused on those parts of England with historically low capacity in cardiac surgery. Capital developments are taking place in Papworth, Wolverhampton, South Tees, Bristol, Sheffield, Blackpool, Liverpool, Central Manchester, South Manchester, Leeds and Plymouth. These developments will be completed in 2006. Any further expansion in capacity will be considered in terms of its ability to deliver the standards of care set out in the national service framework. In addition, from 1 July, patients who have been waiting for more than six months for a heart operation will be offered the choice of treatment elsewhere, which will enable more patients to be treated more quickly.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he has taken to ensure that money provided to East Sussex county council social services to relieve bed-blocking in local hospitals has been used for that purpose; [63549]
Ms Blears [holding answer 24 June 2002]: The Government recognise that delayed transfers of care are a problem across the south east and east Sussex has been acutely affected. East Sussex county council, in consultation with Surrey and Sussex health authority and the local national health service trusts, is currently exploring all possible options for reducing these delays.
Local authorities were required to provide a written statement of their proposed use of additional funding and the targets for reductions of delayed transfers. Progress towards targets has been monitored by the Department through the weekly reporting process and the capacity maps submitted to the Department.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many lives were lost in NHS hospitals as a result of MRSA in the last year. [63812]
Ms Blears [holding answer 24 June 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his previous question, on May 2002, Official Report, column 403W.
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Ministers in his Department have held meetings with Ministers and officials of the Irish Government since 1 June 2000; when and where each meeting took place; which Ministers were involved in
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each meeting; which Irish Government Departments were involved in each meeting; and which Ministers and officials from the Irish Government attended each meeting. [63086]
Mr. Lammy: My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Edgbaston (Gisela Stuart), the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State met the Irish Health Minister (Michael Martin) on 18 July 2000 in Dublin. She also met the chief executive of the Irish Food Standards Agency (Dr. Patrick Wall). No other meetings have taken place.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which general practitioner practices in (a) the Chesham and Amersham constituency and (b) Buckinghamshire were participants in the trial for assessing the assessment and management of elderly people. [62793]
Ms Blears [holding answer 24 June 2002]: I have been advised that this is a local project, organised by Chilton and south Buckinghamshire primary care trust, involving general practitioner practices in the Chesham area. For that reason, no information is held centrally.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of persons affected by wet age-related macular degeneration in one eye only who will pay privately to be treated by photodynamic therapy; [63900]
(3) what plans he has to introduce speedy treatment of those with early wet age-related macular degeneration; [63899]
(4) what advice he intends to issue on restricting the treatment of (a) cataracts, (b) glaucoma and (c) diabetic retinopathy to persons in whom both eyes are affected; and if he will make a statement; [63895]
(5) what assessment he has made of draft NICE guidance that those with an eye in which the sight is worse than 6/36 should not be treated by photodynamic therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration; and if he will make a statement as to the number of persons who would go blind as a result of its implementation; [63896]
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(6) how many persons NICE recommends should be treated by photodynamic therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration; and if he will make a statement; [63893]
(7) what advice he intends to issue to ophthalmologists concerning the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration in one eye only; [63894]
(8) what assessment he has made of the increased risk to a person with sight in one eye only of (a) injury and (b) disease leading to blindness; [63897]
(9) what steps he intends to take to ensure early diagnosis of wet age-related macular degeneration affecting the other eye of a person in whom one eye is already affected. [63898]
Mr. Lammy: [holding answers 24 June 2002]: A study sponsored by the Macular Disease Society in 2001 estimated that there were 182,000 people with age-related macular degeneration with a best eye visual acuity below that judged appropriate for certification as blind or partially sighted. It is estimated that 10 to 15 per cent. of those will have the "wet" type of the condition, for which photodynamic therapy is intended as a treatment. However, it is not possible to say how many of those are affected in only one eye.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published their final appraisal determination (FAD) on the use of photodynamic therapy as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration on 12 June. The appraisal process has not yet been completed and NICE have not made any recommendations on photodynamic therapy. NICE are seeking the views of consultees during the appeal process and will consider carefully any points that are made.
NICE's recommendations may change as a result of the appeal process; it would therefore be inappropriate for the Department to comment at this time. The Department will consider the implications of the final NICE guidance. The earliest guidance could be available to the NHS is at the end of July or early August, providing there are no appeals.
The NICE guidance on photodynamic therapy will not have implications for the treatment of cataracts, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest average figures he has for the number of operations cancelled each week broken down by each NHS trust. [63878]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 24 June 2002]: Figures for cancelled operations are published on a quarterly basis. The latest available figures are shown in the table.
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