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Electronic Prescriptions
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to develop electronic prescriptions. [62352]
Mr. Lammy: Pharmacy in the Future—Implementing the NHS Plan promised electronic transmission of prescriptions by 2004, and piloting is now underway to explore ways of linking computerised general practitioner practices to local community pharmacies using the NHSnet. Both will link to the prescription pricing authority.
Anaesthetic Machines
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all anaesthetic machines used in the NHS operate with (a) an oxygen analyser, (b) an anti-hypoxic guard and (c) both. [59871]
Mr. Lammy: The Medical Devices Agency (MDA) published SN2001(15) in May 2001 on "Anaesthetic Machines: Prevention of Hypoxic Gas Mixtures". This advised that all anaesthetic machines capable of delivering hypoxic gas mixtures must have a hypoxic guard fitted or use an oxygen analyser with audible alarms to warn of the delivery of hypoxic gas mixtures.
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As a follow up to this safety notice, in October 2001, Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), and Dr. David Jefferys, chief executive of MDA, wrote joint letters to chief executives of trusts and regional directors of public health requesting that they report back on how the actions recommended in the safety notice had been implemented.
We know that of 5,843 anaesthetic machines in National Health Service hospitals in England, 186 have neither an oxygen analyser or hypoxic guard. Of those 186, 47 have had their ability to deliver hypoxic mixtures disabled, meaning they can deliver only oxygen or air only. All other anaesthetic machines in use in the NHS in England, 5657, comply with the safety notice by having at least one or the other.
Many of the non-compliant machines have now been put out of service and new, compliant machines have already been ordered by many trusts. Assurances have been given by all trusts with non-compliant machines that these will be replaced or made compliant and regional directors of public health will ensure that this happens by 31 October 2002, reporting to the CMO and MDA.
We do not hold centrally details of the number of the number anaesthetic machines which have both the guard and the analyser as this information was not required in either the safety notice or CMO/MDA joint letter.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many anaesthetic machines are in use in NHS hospitals which are not fitted with (a) oxygen analysers and (b) hypoxic guards. [59418]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 24 May 2002]: The Medical Devices Agency (MDA) published SN2001(15) in May 2001 on "Anaesthetic Machines: Prevention of Hypoxic Gas Mixtures". This advised that all anaesthetic machines capable of delivering hypoxic gas mixtures must have a hypoxic guard fitted or use an oxygen analyser with audible alarms to warn of the delivery of hypoxic gas mixtures.
As a follow up to this safety notice, in October 2001, Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), and Dr. David Jefferys, chief executive of MDA, wrote joint letters to chief executives of trusts and regional directors of public health requesting that they report back on how the actions recommended in the safety notice had been implemented.
We know that of 5,843 anaesthetic machines in National Health Service hospitals in England, 186 have neither an oxygen analyser or hypoxic guard. Of those 186, 47 have had their ability to deliver hypoxic mixtures disabled, meaning they can deliver only oxygen or air only. All other anaesthetic machines in use in the NHS in England, 5657, comply with the safety notice by having at least one or the other.
Many of the non-compliant machines have now been put out of service and new, compliant machines have already been ordered by many trusts. Assurances have been given by all trusts with non-compliant machines that these will be replaced or made compliant and regional directors of public health will ensure that this happens by 31 October 2002, reporting to the CMO and MDA.
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Cancer
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much time is required of (a) medical, (b) nursing and (c) management staff to develop a local cancer care plan. [60849]
Ms Blears: All cancer networks have developed strategic service delivery plans (SDPs) to deliver the NHS Cancer Plan and ensure seamless, high quality care for patients. Although network managers, in the main, take the lead in drawing SDPs together the input of doctors, nurses and other staff is crucial to the development of realistic SDPs. It is not possible to quantify the amount of time spent by managers and other staff in developing SDPs.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received regarding cancer rates at Burnham-on-Sea. [71552]
Ms Blears: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received four parliamentary questions concerning this matter.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has evaluated of cancer clusters in Burnham-on-Sea. [71239]
Ms Blears: The Department is aware of the recent survey by Green Audit of cancer in Burnham on Sea, however, it has not been provided with details of the results of the survey. Government is advised on cancer clusters near to nuclear installations by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) which was set up in 1985. This committee is carrying out a very large study of childhood cancer in Great Britain which includes all cases registered since the 1960s (some 33,000 cases). This study is expected to report in 2003 and will include areas around all nuclear installations in Great Britain including Burnham on Sea. The small area health statistics unit (SAHSU) is considering the feasibility of a study of all adult cancers in the areas around nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom.
Nuclear Power (Cancer Clusters)
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has evaluated on the effects of civil nuclear power on cancer clusters in areas around nuclear plants. [71238]
Ms Blears: The Government is advised on these matters by the independent Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE). This committee has published six reports concerning claims of excess cancer in the areas surrounding a variety of nuclear installations. The committee has a large work programme and three further reports are in preparation. COMARE has not confirmed the claims that cancer levels are related to radioactive discharges.
Henoch Schonlein Purpura
Mr. Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 July 2002, Official Report, column 124W, on henoch schonlein purpura, what criteria his Department uses to allocate funding in respect of combating henoch chonlein purpura among children. [72725]
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Jacqui Smith: Henoch-Schonlein Purpura is most common among young children and may occur after an infection. Most children make a good recovery, with no specific treatment, but a few can develop serious complications. Whilst funding is not allocated specifically for combating Henoch-Schonlein Purpura, funding is allocated to health authorities and primary care trusts (PCT) on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine each health authority's/PCT's share of available resources, to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need.
Asthma
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the estimated costs to the National Health Service of treating asthma in (a) hospital expenditure, (b) primary care expenditure and (c) pharmaceutical expenditure in each of the last five years; and what research his Department has carried out into the potential contribution of improved (i) heating, (ii) insulation and (iii) ventilation in reducing the incidence of asthma. [55598]
Jacqui Smith: The Department does not have precise estimates of the cost of treating asthma. However respiratory disease accounted for approximately 0.5 per cent. of hospital expenditure, 1.4 per cent. of primary care expenditure and 0.3 per cent. of pharmaceutical expenditure respectively.
Also attached is a statistical table showing net ingredient cost and the estimated total expenditure of items dispensed in the community in England for the treatment of asthma from 1997 to 2001.
| Year | Net ingredient cost (£millions) | Total expenditure (£millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 470 | 472 |
| 1998 | 502 | 497 |
| 1999 | 523 | 506 |
| 2000 | 532 | 519 |
| 2001 | 567 | 551 |
The Department ran a research programme on the health effects of indoor air pollutants that finished last year. Three of the projects in the research programme were:
Exposure to indoor air pollution and the risk of upper and lower respiratory disease in asthmatic children and their mothers. Dr. J Clough, University of Child Health, Southampton General Hospital at a cost of £165,175.
Consequences for health and effects of damp on the incidence of airborne microbial cell wall components in the home. Ms T Gladding, University of Luton at a cost of £125,000.
An epidemiological study of the impact of damp and other aspects of poor housing on adult health. Dr. S Stewart-Brown, Institute of Health Sciences, Oxford at a cost of £8,778.
Details of these projects can be found at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hef/airpol/airpolh.htm
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