| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Sept 2002 : Column 334W—continued
Elderly Care (Birmingham)
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional (a) capital and (b) revenue will be made available to Birmingham Social Services Department to pay for services for elderly people as a result of the measures announced in his statement on 23 July. [73546]
Jacqui Smith: All local councils will benefit from the extra resources announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer when personal social services resources are set to increase by on average 6 per cent. per annum in real terms over the next three years, 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06. Details of how the increases for next year's social services resources will be allocated to individual local councils will be announced later this year at the time of the local government settlement.
Cystic Fibrosis
Mr. Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will consult medical experts and interested organisations with a view to conducting a review of his Department's decision not to include cystic fibrosis on the list of readily identifiable conditions; [73634]
19 Sept 2002 : Column 335W
- (2) for what reasons cystic fibrosis is not included on the list of readily identifiable conditions; [73635]
(3) what plans he has to include in the near future cystic fibrosis on the list of readily identifiable conditions in order to exempt sufferers from prescription charges. [73636]
Mr. Lammy: Our policy is to give priority to helping people who may have difficulty in paying charges, rather than extending the exemption arrangements to people with other medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis.
When we reviewed the prescription charging arrangements as part of the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review, we noted that there was no consensus on what additional conditions might be included in any revised list of medical exemptions, or how distinctions could be drawn between one condition and another. We concluded that it would not be right to consider one group in isolation.
Design Champion
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 13 March 2002, Official Report, column 1140W, on the Design Champion, if he will make a statement on the Design Champion's input into (a) Walsall Design Examplar and (b) South Manchester Primary Care Trust Development. [73640]
Mr. Lammy: In his capacity as ministerial design champion for the Department, my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, is personally mentoring four schemes. Walsall and South Manchester were on the original list but the final list includes the following four:
Central Manchester Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust
University Hospitals Birmingham National Health Service Trust/South Birmingham Mental Health Trust
Braunstone Integrated Health and Social Care Leicester City West Primary Care Trust
Walsall Hospitals National Health Service Trust Design Exemplar
He has met the Braunstone project team, trust Chief Executive and Chair. Visits to Braunstone and Walsall are being arranged.
Silverlands, Chertsey
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's plans are for the future use of the property Silverlands, near Chertsey. [73648]
Mr. Lammy: The Department is undertaking a review of possible usage for the National Health Service.
Sleep Apnoea
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to encourage good practice in (a) the treatment at primary care level and (b) the self-management of sleep apnoea. [72927]
19 Sept 2002 : Column 336W
Ms Blears: Awareness about this condition has developed relatively recently nevertheless, there are already some specialised National Health Service sleep disorder services being developed. Examples are St Thomas's Hospital, London and at hospitals in Cambridge and Leicester. This should form the basis for building expertise within the NHS, and developing uniform service provision.
Primary care trusts, in partnership with local stakeholders, have the responsibility for deciding what services to provide for their populations including those with sleep apnoea. They are best placed to understand local health needs and commission services to meet them.
Roaccutane
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Medical Control Agency will report on the effects of the drug Roaccutane; and if he will make a statement. [73141]
Mr. Lammy: Roaccutane (isotretinoin) is licensed for the treatment of conglobate and cystic acne and severe acne which has failed to respond to antibiotics.
The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is currently leading a European-wide review of the safety of Roaccutane, which will consider the balance of risks and benefits and will aim to ensure that up to date and consistent information is provided to health professionals and patients to optimise its safe use. This is likely to take several months.
The safety and side effects of all medicines on the United Kingdom market are continuously monitored by the MCA with independent expert advice from the committee on safety of medicines. The side effects known or suspected to be caused by Roaccutane are listed in the product information which is produced by the manufacturer and authorised by the licensing authority. The product information consists of a summary of product characteristics for healthcare professionals and a patient information leaflet.
Early Pregnancy Unit
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is per pregnancy of an early pregnancy unit. [72994]
Jacqui Smith: This information is not available centrally.
Ectopic Pregnancy
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost is to the NHS of an ectopic pregnancy. [72993]
Jacqui Smith: This information is not available centrally.
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ectopic pregnancies have occurred in each of the last 10 years; and how many women have (a) been hospitalised and (b) died as a result of ectopic pregnancies in each of the last 10 years. [72995]
Jacqui Smith: The information available on ectopic pregnancy is shown in the table.
19 Sept 2002 : Column 337W
*per 1000 estimated ectopic pregnancies
Why Mothers Die 1997–99—Report from the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the UK—December 2001.
Hospitalisation of women with ectopic pregnancy.
| (ICD10 Code 000) | |
|---|---|
| 1990–91 | 9231 |
| 1991–92 | 9978 |
| 1992–93 | 10074 |
| 1993–94 | 9694 |
| 1994–95 | 9722 |
| 1995–96 | 9525 |
| 1996–97 | 9557 |
| 1997–98 | 9324 |
| 1998–99 | 9116 |
| 1999–2000 | 8887 |
| 2000–01 | 8617* |
Data is grossed for coverage and missing data.
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the percentage of ectopic pregnancies caused by chlamydia infections. [72996]
Jacqui Smith: We are not aware of any research undertaken in this country on the percentage of ectopic pregnancies caused by genital chlamydial infection. However, results of a French study published in 1991 indicated that 43 per cent. of ectopic pregnancies were associated with genital chlamydial infection.
The rise in the rates of genital chlamydia infections is of concern and the national strategy for sexual health and HIV commits to beginning a programme of screening for chlamydia for targeted groups in 2002.
IVF
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to change the HFEA's (a) code of practice and (b) operating procedures to prevent the pre-selection of physical or mental characteristics other than to find a match for those of the prospective father's characteristics or to provide a healthy embryo; [73037]
- (2) if he will list the IVF clinics at which prospective parents seeking IVF treatment, may select by donor, (a) eye colour, (b) height, (c) build, (d) hair colour, (e) profession, (f) IQ, (g) sporting ability, (h) career achievement and (i) educational or professional qualification achievement, irrespective of their consistency with the father's characteristics; [73038]
(3) which donor sperm characteristics cannot be requested by potential parents seeking IVF treatment; [73035]
19 Sept 2002 : Column 338W
(4) if he will ask the HFEA to suspend the licence of IVF clinics that offer choice of donor sperm characteristics that are not consistent with those of the prospective father or necessary for the creation of a healthy baby. [73034]
Ms. Blears Where donated sperm, eggs or embryos are used in assisted conception treatment, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's (HFEA) code of practice and the authority's operating procedures put the utmost importance on the welfare of the child to be conceived. A treating clinic must comply with this requirement when choosing the donor to be used. If it does not do so, the HFEA will consider the appropriate action to take, including placing conditions on, or suspending or revoking, the clinic's licence.
The code of practice is currently being revised, and consideration will be given to the need for this message to be reinforced.
The HFEA is aware of recent media reports that some clinics may not be following these procedures. It is currently investigating to ascertain if a breach of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 or the code of practice has occurred.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what controls are in place to prevent the importation of donor sperm to meet desired genetic physical or mental characteristics other than those necessary to produce a healthy child with characteristics consistent with those of that child's prospective parents. [73036]
Ms Blears: The importation of donor sperm is subject to special directions issued by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in each case. The reasons for the importation must be clearly stated, and the use of the sperm must comply with the requirements that the HFEA places on all treatment involving donated gametes.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what safeguards there are to prevent (a) clinics and (b) prospective parents intervening in IVF treatment to manipulate the physical or mental characteristics of an embryo, other than those necessary to ensure the health and well-being of the baby; and if he will make a statement. [73033]
Ms Blears: Schedule 2 paragraph 4 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 prohibits the alteration of the genetic structure of a cell while it forms part of an embryo. If a clinic did so, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority would take appropriate action, including placing conditions on, or suspending or revoking, the clinic's licence.
19 Sept 2002 : Column 339W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |