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Chiropody and Podiatry Services

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Warrington, North of 24 May, Official Report, column 691W, what the terms of reference were of the review of chiropody services, "Feet First II"; and if he will list the members of the task force assembled during the research of the review of chiropody services, "Feet First II". [60723]

Jacqui Smith: The following aims were agreed for the review of "Feet First":

To review whether the recommendations made in "Feet First" were still relevant or needed updating in the light of national health service developments in the late 1990s; and

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To examine levels of service currently being provided and the role of podiatry in the prevention of social exclusion by considering:

evidence of reductions in service;


shortcomings not related to funding; and


outcome measures that are likely, within available resources, to be feasible and acceptable to the NHS.

The following were members of the working party for the review of "Feet First":

Chairman

Dr. A. Muir Gray, Director of the Institute of Health Sciences, Oxford University

Members

Avril Imison, Head of Policy—Therapy Services NHS Executive

Marie Lancett, Chiropody Adviser—NHS Executive

Paul Riley, Policy Manager NHS Executive

Christine Farrell, NHS Executive

Anne Stephens, Head of Podiatry Services—Camden and Islington CHS NHS Trust

John Rom, Chief Executive—Northampton Community Healthcare NHS Trust

Pamela Sabine, Chairman—Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, Thameside Community Health NHS Trust

Peter Graham, Chiropody Services Manager—Merton and Sutton Community NHS Trust

Jackie Haynes, Chief Executive—Buckinghamshire Health Authority.

Weight Management

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make the database of weight management services developed by the Department available at local practitioner level. [61476]

Ms Blears: The database of weight management services was completed in 1997 and made available at each national health service regional office for local dissemination on request. There are no plans to make it available at local practitioner level.

Sexual Health and HIV

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the action plan outlining implementation of the sexual health and HIV strategy will be published; and if he will make a statement. [61076]

Ms Blears: The sexual health and HIV strategy implementation action plan was published on the Department's website on 24 June. This sets out in detail how we will work both through the national health service and in partnership with other Government Departments and the voluntary sector to modernise services and tackle sexual ill-health and inequalities.

Tuberculosis

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department gives for screening for TB in England. [61083]

Ms Blears: The Department has published recommendations in two documents. One in June 1996, "Recommendations for the prevention and control of tuberculosis at local level" and again in September 1998 in the document entitled "UK guidance on the prevention

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and control of transmission of HIV-related tuberculosis and drug-resistant, including multiple drug-resistant, tuberculosis".

Macular Degeneration

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the use of photodynamic therapy for macular disease; and if he will make a statement. [61513]

Mr. Lammy: Since January 2002, the Department has received eight letters from members of the public, 88 letters from Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents, and 16 parliamentary questions about the availability of photodynamic therapy as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence are currently carrying out an appraisal of photodynamic therapy. NICE published their final appraisal determination 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. The earliest guidance could be available is at the end of July or early August.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in the UK suffer from age-related macular degeneration; what assessment he has made of the treatment available to them; and if he will make a statement; [62564]

(2) if he will make a statement on the prescribing of photodynamic therapy for sufferers of wet age-related macular degeneration. [62565]

Ms Blears [holding answer 17 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. Around 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 in how many cases the treatment would be effective.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) are currently carrying out an appraisal of photodynamic therapy. NICE published their final appraisal determination 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. The earliest guidance could be available at the end of July or early August.

In August 1999 the Department issued Health Service Circular 1999/176 which asks the NHS bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not

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available at the time the technology first became available. These arrangements should involve an assessment of all the available evidence.

Departmental Grants

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations which were in receipt of a grant from him in 1997–98 no longer are; what the annual saving is; which organisations which were not in receipt of a grant in 1997–98 now are; and what the annual cost of each is. [61391]

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the response given by my right hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury on 17 June 2002, Official Report, column 137W.

Winter Vomiting Disease

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional support the NHS is providing to Whipps Cross University Hospital Trust to deal with the outbreak of winter vomiting disease (SRSV) and its aftermath; and if he will make a statement. [62013]

Mr. Hutton: Following a meeting at the North East London health authority (HA) on the 27 May about the outbreak of winter vomiting disease at Whipps Cross University Hospital national health service trust, all trusts in the local health economy made available any spare capacity they had should it have been necessary. Although unused, the Homerton and Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS trusts offered help as did Barts and the London and Newham trusts, both of which took patients from Whipps Cross. As such the local health economy was able to minimise the disruption of services for patients.

The public health team from the local primary care trusts (PCTs) has attended daily incident management team meetings, to control the outbreak. Rapid communication channels are in place between general practitioners and other healthcare professionals in the PCTs.

The public health team at the PCTs also liaised with the communicable disease surveillance centre and the regional epidemiologist to advise the incident team on outbreak management based on lessons learnt elsewhere across the country.

The directorates of health and social care London region, communicable diseases surveillance centre and the North East London health authority are working extremely closely together to monitor and contain the spread of this virus. No patients and staff at the trust are seriously ill and all are expecting to make a full recovery.

Pain Control

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) guidelines he has issued to health professionals relating to and (b) arrangements are in place for effective pain control for people sent home from hospital in their dying weeks; and if he will make a statement. [62327]

Ms Blears: Health Service Circular 1998/115 (June 1998) enclosed copies of guidance produced by the national council for hospice and specialist palliative care

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services including 'Guidelines for Managing Cancer Pain in Adults' and 'Changing Gear—Guidelines for Managing the Last Days of Life in Adults'. The circular and booklets were sent to national health service trust chief executives, nurse executive directors and medical directors. A supportive and palliative care strategy is being developed under the NHS Cancer Plan to ensure best treatment and care from when cancer is first suspected and throughout the illness through to death and bereavement.

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