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14 Oct 2002 : Column 515W—continued
Non-NHS Hospitals
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the usage of private, non-NHS hospitals by PCTS. [64338]
Mr. Hutton: In October 2001, the Department carried out a survey of the use of the independent sector for acute elective care between April and September 2001 by National Health Service organisations, including primary care trusts. A poor response rate means that the survey results are not reliable. A further survey to obtain information about the second half of 2001–02 is currently in progress.
Mixed Sex Wards
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 July 2002, Official Report, column 624W, on mixed sex wards, what information he collates on the amount of mixed sex accommodation in the NHS; what information has been collated since 1997; and if he will place such information in the Library. [68770]
Mr. Hutton: Since 1997, it has been a requirement for trusts to report annually to health authorities on forecast compliance status of the overall trust as at December 2002. Each trust measures their progress with compliance against the three objectives as stated in my previous answer.
Trusts are free to publicise their position.
East Lancashire NHS Trust
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce the decision on whether to establish a new NHS trust in East Lancashire following the consultation on hospital trusts merger. [69159]
Jacqui Smith: The proposal to establish the new trust in East Lancashire was approved on 29 July. The new organisation will be known as the East Lancashire Hospitals National Health Service Trust and will assume formal responsibility for services currently provided by the NHS trusts in Blackburn and Burnley with effect from 1 April 2003.
14 Oct 2002 : Column 516W
Local hon. Members were informed of this decision and I also wrote to my hon. Friend on 7 September following his letter to me dated 1 July on the same subject.
Vaccination Programme
Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government have spent on the vaccination programme in each year since 1972. [69236]
Ms Blears: The information is not collected in the format requested. To provide a detailed response would incur disproportionate costs.
NHS Executive
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in the NHS Executive at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients. [69702]
Mr. Lammy: The NHS Executive as a separate part of the Department did not exist at 1 April 2002.
We cannot give a proportion of these staff who have clinical contact with National Health Service patients as we do not collect this data.
Weston General Hospital
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department will reach a decision about whether to build an extension at Weston General Hospital for accident and emergency cases. [71222]
Ms Blears: No bid has been submitted by the Weston Area Health Service Trust for an extension to Weston General Hospital for accident and emergency cases. The trust did submit a bid for a diagnostic and treatment centre to be developed in the existing newly built extension at the hospital at a cost of #2.1 million. On 15 August we announced investment of #39 million for ten more diagnostic and treatment centres in the next two years which will in total treat over 25,000 extra cases a year, the Weston Area Health NHS Trust was one of these.
Neonatal Services
Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 15 July 2002, when he expects to publish the report on Neonatal Services; and if he will answer the written questions from the hon. Member for Castle Point, refs: 67662, 67671, 67672, 67668, 67675, 67663, 67664, 67673, 67674, 67669, 67670 and 67661. [71245]
Jacqui Smith: A review has been undertaken of provision for neonatal services which addresses the issues raised by the hon. Member. I am considering the report following from this review and expect to determine the next steps in this process shortly.
The hon. Member's written questions were replied to on Monday 15 July 2002, Official Report, vol. 389, col. 120W.
14 Oct 2002 : Column 517W
Newborn Babies
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is introducing to improve intensive care facilities for Newborn Babies. [71765]
Jacqui Smith: A review has been undertaken of provision for neonatal services which addresses the issues raised by the hon. Member. I am considering the report following from this review and expect to determine the next steps in this process shortly.
Cancer Treatment
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 18 June 2002, Official Report, column 229W, on cancer, what the average time has been over the last three years that cancer patients have waited from an urgent referral to the start of the treatment; and if he will make a statement. [70386]
Ms Blears [holding answer 22 July 2002]: The information requested is not available. We are putting in place monitoring arrangements to track the percentage of patients waiting less than two months from urgent general practitioner (GP) referral to treatment for all cancers by 2005. Date is currently available on the percentage of patients waiting.
- Less than two weeks from urgent GP referral for suspected cancer to first outpatient appointment, 93.8 per cent of patients were within two weeks in 2001, and 95.3 per cent so far in 2002.
Less than one month from urgent GP referral to first treatment for children's and testicular cancers and acute leukaemia, 99 per cent patients with acute leukaemia, 93.5 per cent with testicular cancer and 100 per cent of children with cancer were treated with the target time so far in 2002.
Less than one month from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer 94.4 per cent of patients were treated within the target time so far in 2002.
Ms Blears: The membership was:
- Dr. Graham Winyard—NHS Executive: Medical Director Chairman
Dr. Val Chisty—Assistant Director of Public Health: West Midlands Regional Office, Department of Health
Dr. Ruth Carnall—Chief Executive: West Kent Authority
Miss Barbara Dicks—Chair of the RCN Cancer Nursing Society: Royal Marsden Hospital
Mr. Len Fenwick—Chief Executive: Freeman Group of Hospitals NHS Trust
Dr. Howard Freeman—General Practitioner: London
Dr. Clive Harner—Consultant Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology: Royal Marsden Hospital
Professor Bob Haward—Professor of Cancer Studies: University of Leeds
Dr. Arthur Hibble—Chairman: RCGP Cancer Group
Professor David J Kerr—Professor of Clinical Oncology: University of Birmingham
Mr. David Kirby—Patient Representative
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Dr. Azim Lakhani—Central Health Outcomes Unit: Public Health Division
Mr. David Lye—Director of Purchaser Performance Management: West Midlands Regional Office, Department of Health
Mr. Colin McIlwain—Waiting Times: National Health Service Executive
Ms. Jane McKessack—General Health Services: National Health Service Executive
Dr. Rajan Madhok—Director of Public Health: Gateshead and South Tynesdie Health Authority
Mrs. Becky Miles—National Cancer Alliance
Mrs. Jackie Murray—Regional Cancer Co-odinator: Northern and Yorkshire Regional Office, Department of Health
Mr. Graeme Poston—Directorate of General Surgery: Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Dr. Tim Riley—Head of Outcomes and Effectiveness—National Health Service Executive
Dr. David Rosin—Consultant Surgeon: St Mary's NHS Trust
Mr. J H Shepherd—Consultant Gynaecological Surgeon and Oncologist: St Bartholomew's Hospital
Mrs. Gill Oliver—Director of Patient Services: Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Trust
Professor Mike Richards—Sainsbury Professor of Palliative Medicine: St Thomas' Hospital
Professor Irving Taylor—BASO President: University College London Medical School
Eye Scans
Noman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential health implications resulting from (a) repeated iris scans and (b) repeated retina scans. [71796]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 22 July 2002]: The use of iris or retinal scanning systems in order to verify the identity of an individual is a relatively new development. This Department and the Health and Safety Executive are not aware of any evidence that repeated scanning is likely to be a health and safety problem for users. Existing health and safety law requires employers wishing to market and use this technology to undertake an adequate risk assessment of its safety so that appropriate control measures can be specified and used as necessary.
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