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7 Nov 2002 : Column 503W—continued
NHS Trust Land
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each NHS trust, the value of land
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and buildings disposed of in the last three years; what targets he has set for the next three years; and what proposals he has to amend the guidance on disposals so that more affordable housing can be provided for low paid employees in the NHS. [76389]
Ms Blears: A list of National Health Service trust disposals by value during the last three years has been placed in the Library.
The Department does not set targets for NHS trust disposals of land and buildings. Guidance on the disposals of surplus NHS property is contained in Estatecode which is continually kept under review.
All NHS trusts have to prepare an estates strategy. As part of that strategy the need for residential accommodation for NHS staff has to be assessed before any assets are declared surplus. However, in some instances it may be more appropriate for the land or asset to be developed in a wider context of sustainable communities of which a component could be housing for NHS staff.
The Department is keen to ensure that an adequate provision of affordable housing for NHS employees is available. Since publication of the NHS Plan agreements have been reached and/or accommodation made available for over 2,000 additional residential units in London. Fifty per cent, of the #250 million starter homes initiative has been allocated to nurses and health care workers.
Health Professions Council
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to allow more representatives from the professional advisory committees onto the Health Professionals Council; and if he will make a statement. [76795]
Mr. Hutton: The membership of the Health Professions Council is set out by statute in the Health Professions Order 2002 and the Government has no plans to change that. The Health Professions Council has power to establish professional advisory committees to obtain advice on professional matters for the council and its statutory committees. The size, format and composition of any such committees are a matter for the Health Professions Council to determine.
Out-Patient Consultations
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many out-patient consultations with private patients were held in NHS hospitals in each NHS region in each of the last six years. [76608]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested will be placed in the Library.
Seroxat
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what investigation he has made into the (a) side effects associated with and (b) general safety of Seroxat; [76966]
- (2) what representations he has received regarding the safety of the anti-depressant drug Seroxat; and if he will make a statement. [76965]
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Ms Blears: The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has received a range of representations including parliamentary questions, letters from hon. and right hon. Members, patients and health care professionals about the safety of Seroxat.
Seroxat (paroxetine) is a member of a group of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Before a product is granted a licence for use in the UK it must meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy. After licensing the safety of all medicines including SSRIs is continually monitored by the MCA and the independent expert advisory body, the committee on safety of medicines (CSM) and any new evidence which emerges is carefully reviewed.
The MCA/CSM carried out a major review of all side effects associated with SSRIs, which was completed in 2000 and resulted in product information for all SSRIs including Seroxat being updated and harmonised to reflect the common safety profiles of these medicines. An article in ''Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance'' in 2000 informed prescribers about this review and reminded them about the risk of withdrawal reactions.
Withdrawal reactions are an important and well-recognised side effect of Seroxat and also occur with the other SSRIs. The MCA/CSM warned prescribers about the possibility of withdrawal reactions associated with Seroxat via an article in the bulletin ''Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance'' in 1993. The CSM re-reviewed the issue of withdrawal reactions and possible dependence with Seroxat and the other SSRIs in 1998–99. From detailed review of all available data, the CSM concluded that all SSRIs may be associated with withdrawal reactions on stopping but on current evidence they are not associated with dependence. As a result of this review product information for all SSRIs was updated in relation to withdrawal reactions. This issue was also reviewed at a European level by the committee on proprietary medicinal products which reached similar conclusions.
The product information for Seroxat which includes the summary of product characteristics for prescribers and the patient information leaflet, contains full details of side effects and warnings about withdrawal reactions. Doctors are advised to consider gradual tapering of dose when Seroxat is discontinued rather than abruptly stopping to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Teenage Pregnancy Strategy
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed on girls (a) under the age of 16 and (b) under the age of 18 since commencement of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; and what these figures are, expressed as a percentage of (i) those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy and (ii) the total number of girls in each age range. [78065]
Ms Blears: The Government's teenage pregnancy strategy was launched in June 1999.
The following table provides abortion numbers and rates for resident women of England and Wales, aged under 16 and 16–19, for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001.
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Rates for under 16s are based on the population of women aged 13–15. The information requested is not available for under 18s.
| Under 16s | Under 16s | 16–19 | 16–19 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Rate | Number | Rate | |
| 1999 | 3600 | 3.8 | 32800 | 26.0 |
| 2000 | 3700 | 3.8 | 33200 | 26.7 |
| 2001 | 3600 | 3.7 | 33400 | 26.1 |
Source:
Health Statistics Quarterly, No. 15
Information on abortion data as a percentage of those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy, is not available as requested.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sexually transmitted infections have been recorded in girls (a) under the age of 16 and (b) under the age of 18 since commencement of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; and what these figures are, expressed as a percentage of (i) those girls to whom contraception including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy and (ii) the total number of girls in each age range. [78066]
Ms Blears: The Government's teenage pregnancy strategy was launched in June 1999. The table shows numbers of females diagnosed with the following sexually transmitted infections: infectious syphilis, uncomplicated gonorrhoea, uncomplicated chlamydial infection, first attack genital herpes simplex virus and first attack genital warts, for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001. Rates per 100,000 13–15 year olds and 16–19 year olds in the population are in brackets. Data for the under 18 age band is not collected.
| Condition | (All) | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | England | |||
| Sex | Female | |||
| Age group | Under 16 | 1404 (156) | 1510 (164) | 1765 (192) |
| 16–19 | 21612 (1822) | 23712 (2023) | 25345 (2163) |
Source:
A joint publication between PHLS (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), DHSS and PS (Northern Ireland) and the Scottish ISD (D) 5 Collaborative Group (ISD, SCIEH and MSSVD). 2002.
Information on sexually transmitted infections data as a percentage of those young women to whom contraception, including emergency contraception has been provided through the strategy, is not available as requested.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) pharmacies and (b) supermarkets in England and Wales are authorised to provide emergency contraception, including the so-called morning after pill, to teenagers under the age of 16 years; since when each business has been authorised to do so; and on what terms the provision of emergency contraception is authorised. [78070]
Ms Blears: Information on independent, chain or supermarket pharmacies providing emergency contraception is not collected centrally. The involvement of pharmacies in the National Health
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Service provision of emergency contraception is a local decision taken by the primary care trusts in liaison with local pharmacies.
Pharmacists providing emergency contraception under NHS arrangements do so under patient group directions (PGD). A PGD is a written instruction for the supply or administration of medicines to groups of patients without an individualised doctor's prescription. The supply of medicines under PGDs remains under medical supervision.
PGDs are drawn up locally under regulations and guidance issued in August 2000. They apply to pharmacists, nurses and other designated health professionals and are authorised by the clinical governance lead in the primary care trust or community NHS trust.
Pharmacists providing emergency contraception to under 16s do so under the established legal framework for all health professionals. This involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and encouraging them to talk to their parents. Pharmacists are trained to ensure that young women are informed about and encouraged to visit local services that provide regular forms of contraception and condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections.
All health professionals, including pharmacists, are bound by their professional code of confidentiality. A young person's request for confidentiality is respected unless there are serious child protection issues.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many conceptions have been recorded in girls (a) under the age of 16 and (b) under the age of 18 since the commencement of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy; and what these figures are expressed as (i) a percentage of those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy and (ii) a percentage of the total number of girls in each age range. [78005]
Ms Blears: The Government's teenage pregnancy strategy was launched in June 1999.
The table shows conception numbers and rates by age of woman at conception for residents of England for 1999 and 2000. Rates for under 16s and under 18s are based on the population of women aged 13–15 and 15–17 respectively. The data for 2000 remains provisional.
| 1999 | 1999 | 2000 | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Rate | Number | Rate | |
| Under 16 | 7408 | 8.2 | 7617 | 8.3 |
| Under 18 | 39,247 | 44.7 | 38,690 | 43.6 |
Source:
Office for National Statistics
Information on conception data as a percentage of those girls to whom contraception, including emergency contraception, has been provided through the strategy, is not available as requested.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which schools in England and Wales are authorised to provide (a) contraception and (b) emergency
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contraception to their pupils; since when each school has been authorised to do so; and in which schools and on what terms (i) contraception and (ii) emergency contraception is available to girls and boys under the age of 16 in these schools. [78067]
Ms Blears: Information on the number of schools providing contraception as part of a school based health service is not collected centrally.
The provision of school based health services is a decision for the governing body of the individual school, where the governing body and school community identify a need. Services should be developed in consultation with parents and information clearly provided as part of the school's sex and relationship education policy.
Within a school based service, contraception, including emergency contraception, is only provided to young people under 16 by health professionals under medical supervision. This includes the supply by school nurses, working to patient group directions. A patient group direction is a written instruction for the supply or administration of medicines to groups of patients without an individualised doctor's prescription. There are no circumstances where teachers provide contraception.
Health professionals can provide contraception to young people under 16 provided they are satisfied that the young person is competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment involved. Health professionals work within an established legal framework which involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and encouraging them to talk to their parents. All professionals are bound by their professional code of confidentiality. A young person's request for confidentiality is respected unless there are serious child protection issues.
School based health services provide advice on a wide range of health and emotional issues. The benefits of providing pupils with easy access to one to one advice from a health professional are recognised in a recent OFSTED report ''Sex and Relationships'' (2002), which cites a school based clinic as an example of best practice.
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