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EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the EU Standing Committee on feedingstuffs is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement. [70572]

Ms Blears: I have been asked to reply.

I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that, as from 21 February this year, the Standing Committee for Animal Nutrition, which was responsible

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forfeedingstuffs, was replaced by the Animal Nutrition Section of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health in accordance with EC Regulation 178/2002. The United Kingdom is normally represented on the Committee by officials from the Food Standards Agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Scottish Executive is kept fully informed and consulted about issues before the Committee, and there is no bar to representatives of the Scottish Executive attending as part of the UK delegation, should the subject matter required this. The Animal Nutrition Section of the Standing Committee is next due to meet on 13 and 14 November 2002.

HEALTH

Mental Health Services

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds in mental healthcare facilities there were in (a) St Helens and Knowsley Health Authority, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1998, (iv) 1999, (v) 2000 and (vi) 2001; and what the projected amounts are for (1) 2002 and (2) 2003. [71283]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 23 July 2002]: The information requested is not available centrally in the form requested. The table shows the number of National Heath Service mental health beds in the north west region and England for 1996–97 to 2000–01.

The NHS Plan published in July 2000 included extra annual investment of over #300 million by 2003–04 to fast-forward the implementation of the mental health national service framework published in September 1999.

Local services are engaged in the implementation of new service models such as early intervention, assertive outreach and crisis resolution, which aim to provide alternatives to in-patient care.

NHS Mental Health Beds in England and North West Region 1996–97 to 2000–01

Year	England	North West
1996–97	37,640	5,171
1997–98	36,601	5,030
1998–99	35,692	4,748
1999–2000	34,173	4,636
2000–2001	34,214	4,499

The table below shows the number of mental health nursing beds in private nursing homes, hospitals and clinics intended for people with mental health problems from 1998 to 2001.

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At 31 March   Rounded numbers

	1998	1999	2000	2001
St Helens & Knowsley HA	210	210	210	210
Merseyside	1,580	1,640	1,480	1,580
North West	5,130	5,340	5,560	5,000
England	26,770	29,000	28,650	28,780

Source:

Department of Health's annual returns

Information for 1996 and 1997 is not readily available. Projections for 2002 and 2003 are not available.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisation is responsible for the disposal of the remaining NHS mental hospital sites in Epsom. [59090]

Jacqui Smith: NHS Estates, an executive agency of the Department is the accountable body for disposals of land in the Secretary of State for Health's ownership, which has been declared surplus to National Health Service requirements.

The agency therefore has responsibility for the disposal of the remaining hospital sites in the Epsom Cluster namely, Horton, West Park and St Ebba's.

The sale of Horton hospital is expected to be concluded soon.

West Park and St Ebba's have been marketed as part of the one off sale of the Secretary of State for Health's retained estate as provided for in the NHS Plan. However discussions have been opened with the parents and relatives group regarding the possible re-development of St Ebba's as a village community for mental health reprovision.

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) mental health nurses, (b) doctors specialising in mental health care there were and what was (i) the estimated shortfall in mental health nurses and (ii) the estimated shortfall in doctors specialising in mental health care in (A) St Helens and Knowsley Health Authority, (B) Merseyside, (C) the North West and (D) England in (1996), (2) 1997, (3) 1998, (4) 1999, (2000) and (6) 2001; and what the projected amounts are for (x) 2002 and (y) 2003. [71284]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 23 July 2002]: The number of nurses working in mental health between 1996 and 2001 is shown in table 1. The estimated need for additional nurses was included in the NHS Plan and manifesto targets for increasing nurse numbers. Both targets have been met ahead of schedule.

The number of doctors working in mental health is shown in table 2. The need for additional consultants in mental health is recognised in the NHS Plan target for 7,500 more consultants by 2004 than there were in 1999. This target has been broken down by strategic health authority (StHA), and indicative requirements for increases by speciality have been included. The indicative increase for consultants working in mental health within Cheshire and Merseyside StHA, which includes St Helens & Knowsley Health Authority, in 2004 will be 23 or 34 per cent.

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Table 1NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed in Mental Health1 within the specified areas as at 30 September each year Whole-time equivalent (wte)

	1996 wteheadcount		1997 wteheadcount		1998 wteheadcount		1999 wteheadcount		2000 wteheadcount		2001 wteheadcount
England	46,160	50,930	45,180	50,220	43,960	48,880	43,750	48,920	44,200	49,030	45,410	51,320
North West	6,640	7,420	6,420	7,050	6,220	6,850	6,080	6,790	6,170	6,740	5,980	6,510
Merseyside2	950	1,010	1,160	1,230	1,150	1,240	1,030	1,100	1,030	1,100	1,040	1,120
St Helens & Knowsley HA	240	260	230	250	230	240	220	230	220	230	230	240

Notes:

1Mental Health consists of Community Psychiatry and Learning disabilities and Other Psychiatry and Learning disabilities

2Merseyside includes Liverpool HA, Sefton HA, St. Helens and Knowsley HA and Wirrall HA

Due to the new Regional Office boundaries in 1999 the 1996 to 1998 figures are estimated regional splits.

Figures are rounded to the nearest ten

Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts

Figures exclude agency staff

Source:

Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

Table 2Hospital, medical staff within the psychiatry group specialty, in the North West Region by specified Health Authority as at 30 September numbers and whole time equivalents (wte)

	1996numberwte		1997numberwte		1998numberwte		1999numberwte		2000numberwte		2001numberwte
England	6,310	5,210	6,620	5,540	6,900	5,820	7,210	6,070	7,420	6,390	7,440	6,370
of which
North West Region	760	640	770	650	810	700	830	710	850	740	840	720
of which
St Helens & Knowsley HA	30	30	30	20	30	30	30	30	30	30	40	30

Note:

Figures are rounded to the nearest ten

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to meet with (a) the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and (b) local patient groups to discuss the specialist mental health physiotherapy team at Oxleas NHS Trust. [70393]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 22 July 2002]: I have no plans to meet with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists or local patient groups to discuss the specialist mental health physiotherapy team at Oxleas National Health Service Trust.

I understand that Oxleas NHS Trust has had discussions on this matter with Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich Community Health Councils and the trust's user council and has also informed other interested parties including primary care trusts, hon. Members and a range of NHS and other non-statutory providers.

Oxleas NHS Trust has also had several meetings with a representative of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and are arranging a further meeting with the chief executive of the society to discuss this issue further.

Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the role of multidisciplinary services for the treatment of mental health patients; [70388]

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(2) if he will make a statement on the role of specialist physiotherapy services in the implementation and delivery of the National Health Service Framework on Mental Health. [70390]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 22 July 2002]: The national service framework for mental health emphasises the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to care and treatment. There is good evidence that regular physical activity reduces the risk of depression and has positive benefits for mental health including reduced anxiety, enhanced mood and self-esteem. This is important for people with severe mental illness who may be at particular risk of physical ill health.

However, decisions about the configuration of services are a local matter, in the context of national guidance, following Shifting the Balance of Power. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning services for their populations and are accountable to their strategic health authority (StHA) for discharging this function effectively.

With regard to more specialised services that, by their very nature, are provided from relatively few providers, PCTs will increasingly have collaborative commissioning arrangements with other PCTs. This will enable them to pool expertise and ensure sufficient dedicated capacity to develop effective health needs assessments, and plan and secure delivery of services.

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Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 468W, on mental health, what impact the work referred to has had on recruitment and retention of staff in mental health services. [68293]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 11 July 2002]: As yet, it is too early to say what impact this work will make. But, we will examine the effect of these initiatives in order to assess their impact.

This work will build on the major recruitment we have already seen in mental health services. Between September 1997 and September 2001 there has been an increase of 1,670 whole time equivalent (wte) qualified psychiatric nursing staff, 420 wte psychiatrists, 2,030 wte occupational therapists, 1,040 wte clinical psychologists and 150 wte psychotherapists.

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