| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Performance Targets
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 2002, Official Report, column 306W, on performance targets, how many performance targets he has set for the NHS; and how many that were included last year have been dropped this year. [68313]
Mr. Lammy: It has been the Government's policy to reduce the number of priorities facing national health service organisations in order to shift the balance of power away from the centre. A reduction was achieved in the 2002–03 planning and priorities framework in comparison to the previous year.
An on-going commitment to this approach has been made, with the Government's "Delivering the NHS Plan" document stating very clearly that our plans to modernise the NHS do not constitute a raft of extra targets.
Energy Efficiency
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on achieving energy efficiency targets by the NHS. [68227]
Mr. Lammy: The national health service in England successfully achieved the 20 per cent. reduction in energy use from a base year of 1990 to 2000. In line with the Government's climate change programme, the NHS in England has now been set a new mandatory target to reduce the level of primary energy consumption by 15 per cent. or 0.15 million tonnes carbon from March 2000 to March 2010.
16 Jul 2002 : Column 212W
NHS Estates (an Executive Agency of the Department) is working with the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme (now Action Energy) to assist the NHS to meet this challenging target. Progress and activity continues to be monitored using the agency's database. It is too early to determine progress against this new target.
AIDS
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent (a) on research and (b) on care in connection with AIDS in each of the past three years. [67799]
Ms Blears [holding answer 10 July 2002]: Expenditure on AIDS research was £20.2 million in 1999–2000 and £21.3 million in 2000–01. Data for 2001–02 are currently being compiled and are expected to be in line with spend for previous years.
Expenditure on HIV/AIDS treatment and social care is shown in the table.
| NHS | Local authorities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 233 | 15.5 | 248.5 |
| 2000–01 | 234.6 | 16 | 250.6 |
| 2001–02 | 276.2 | 16.5 | 292.7 |
Cancer
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the differences are in treatment for (a) colon cancer and (b) other cancers. [67802]
Ms Blears [holding answer 10 July 2002]: The NHS Cancer Plan set out our intention to ensure that people with all types of cancer get the best treatments. Evidence based guidance to improve outcomes in each of the tumour groups is being published by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE also continue to appraise and issue guidance on the use of new chemotherapy treatments. When developing its guidance, NICE takes into account relevant evidence from all over the world.
Public Interest Company
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 2002, Official Report, column 303W, on mutual organisations, if he will make a statement defining the modus operandi of a public interest company. [68511]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 10 July 2002]: The public interest company is one option being considered by the Department for the legal status of national health service foundation trusts. We will publish further details in due course.
Departmental Memos
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many written communications were sent to (a) NHS hospitals and (b) primary care trusts in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001 by his Department; [68280]
16 Jul 2002 : Column 213W
- (2) how many written directives were sent to (a) NHS hospitals and (b) primary care trusts in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001 by his Department. [68282]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 10 July 2002]: The number of written directives and communications which where sent to national health service hospitals, primary care trusts in 2000 and 2001 by the Department are shown in the tables.
| To chief executives of: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS trusts | Primary care trusts | To chief executives of NHS trusts and chief executives of primary care trusts | |
| 2000 | 16 | 2 | 15 |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| E-bulletins | Other e-communications | |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 52 | 100 |
| 2001 | 111 | 111 |
(8) Both chief executives of NHS trusts and chief executives of primary care trusts were on the distribution list for all e-communications.
E-prescriptions
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities' general practitioners are able to write prescriptions produced by computer and issued electronically. [68283]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 10 July 2002]: Almost every general practitioner (GP) has a desktop PC. Software suppliers must meet Requirement for Accreditation standards for GP's to be reimbursed. Therefore they must ensure that systems support the ability to write prescriptions via the desktop. Limited numbers of GPs are able to issue prescriptions electronically via the Electronic Transmission of Prescription pilots, which are currently being run by three private sector consortiums on behalf of the Department.
National Care Standards Commission
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the amounts taken from local authorities to fund the National Care Standards Commission. [69170]
Jacqui Smith: The Department has received six letters regarding the amounts taken from local authorities through the standards spending assessment (SSA) to fund the National Care Standards Commission.
Before deciding to transfer local authorities net expenditure on registration and inspection from the national SSA we consulted local authorities. This method of transferring funds was supported by most local authorities. However, as a result of the comments we
16 Jul 2002 : Column 214W
received we reduced the amount of the transfer. We believe the adjustments made represent a fair way of deciding what to deduct from local authority budgets.
Child Protection in Sport
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has had with Ministers in other Departments with regard to (a) child protection in sport and (b) inter-agency working on child protection in sport. [69123]
Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has had no meetings with ministerial colleagues specifically regarding child protection in sport or inter-agency working on child protection in sport. However, officials have attended meetings of the child protection in sport unit steering group—a joint initiative between the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Sport England. The child protection in sport unit advises organisations on how to introduce child protection policies, commissions research into abuse within sport and raises the profile of child protection among sports' governing bodies. One of the unit's key aims is that sport will play a full and positive part in inter-agency child protection work.
Arthritic Knee Conditions
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is with respect to promoting alternatives to surgery for arthritic knee conditions; and if he will make a statement. [69064]
Jacqui Smith: The ultimate responsibility for deciding what treatment is best for an individual patient rests with health professionals, who in consultation with the patient, are required to exercise their clinical judgment. These decisions can be complex and may need to take account of a range of factors; chief among these must be the ability of the patient to benefit from the treatment proposed. Non-surgical treatments for arthritis include the new drugs, infliximab (Remicade) and etanecerpt (Enbrel) which were recently approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
The importance of good arthritis services, particularly for the health and well being of older people is recognised in the national service framework for older people.
ICT Procurement
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his director of procurement is in charge of ICT procurement. [68108]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 11 July 2002]: The Department's head of procurement is responsible for information and communication technology (ICT) procurement for the Department itself.
Procurements undertaken by national health service trusts and authorities in England are formally the responsibility of the relevant chief executive. They are advised and supported by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency. As an integral part of the Department, the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency is in a key position to advise on policy and the strategic direction of procurement, and its impact on developing healthcare, across the NHS. The agency contracts on a national basis
16 Jul 2002 : Column 215W
for products and services that are strategically critical to the NHS (including ICT). It also acts in cases where aggregated purchasing power will yield greater economic savings than those achieved by contracting on a local or regional basis.
National strategic procurements for the NHS in England are undertaken by the NHS information authority in conjunction with the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency.
Overall direction of the NHS information management and technology strategy for the NHS in England, including ICT procurement policy, is led by the director of research, analysis and information, Sir John Pattison.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |