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4 Dec 2002 : Column 897W—continued

Flu Immunisation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2002, on flu immunisation, (ref. 83320), what the national average take-up by the over-65s of flu vaccinations was; [84897]

Ms Blears [holding answer 2 December 2002]: Nationally, the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) monitor the uptake of flu immunisations in those aged 65 years and over only. The number of those aged 85 and over receiving a flu immunisation is not available. Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority has advised me that information is also only available locally on the same 65 and over basis.

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Monitoring figures from the PHLS at the end of October, show that the national average of those aged 65 and over receiving their free flu immunisation was 55 per cent.

Foreign Nurse Recruitment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual cost of running the NHS Overseas Nurses Advice Line was in the last six months. [83329]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 25 November 2002]: The annual cost of the national health service overseas nurses advice line will not be available until March 2003.

Foster Carers

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 136W, regarding recruitment of foster carers, how many people requested information packs; how many people who requested information packs subsequently became foster carers; and whether there is a shortage of foster carers. [84760]

Jacqui Smith: Over 6,000 people contacted the call centre and were sent information packs. Of these, 1,000 were converted into completed expression of interest forms. It is unclear exactly how many foster carers were recruited as a result of the campaign, as local authorities subsequently had their own campaigns, and not all those who applied will have got to final approval. The Department does not collect figures on the number of approved foster carers.

Health and Neighbourhood Renewal Guidance

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of (a) writing and (b) producing XHealth and Neighbourhood Renewal: Guidance from the Department of Health and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit-2002". [84093]

Ms Blears: Development of the guidance document cost £10,000, with a further £10,995 for producing and distributing hard copies. The guidance is also available on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/healthinequalities and has been placed in the Library.

Health Care (Tamworth/Sutton Coldfield)

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average amount of money allocated to the health care of residents in the (a) Tamworth and (b) Sutton Coldfield constituencies was in the last 12 months. [84177]

Mr. Lammy: Primary care trusts commission health care for their populations. The primary care trusts for Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield constituencies are respectively Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth and North Birmingham.

Health authorities share their recurrent revenue allocations between their primary care trusts in line with guidance issued by the Department. Primary care trust shares of 2002–03 health authority recurrent revenue

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allocations per head of population are £718 for Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth and £773 for North Birmingham.

Horton Hospital, Epsom

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government has changed the price at which it is offering to sell land at Horton hospital in Epsom to local housing associations during the past two years. [84273]

Mr. Lammy: Horton hospital is one of five former mental hospitals in the Epsom area.

A proportion of the land from these sites will be for affordable housing. The planning permission provides that sale of the affordable housing to housing associations will be at 40 per cent. of the open market value—as land values change, the sale price for affordable housing will also change.

Hospital Hygiene

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the last hygiene spot check inspection in English hospitals took place; and if he will publish the findings. [83294]

Mr. Lammy: The NHS Plan announced that all hospitals would receive unannounced inspections of cleanliness by independent inspection teams. Since 2000 the patient environment action team (PEAT) programme has been undertaking inspections against a range of environmental criteria, including cleanliness. The PEAT visit is not a hygiene inspection.

This is a continuous programme of inspection, which has seen a massive improvement in the standards seen by patients and visitors alike. A programme of visiting to mental health and learning disabilities sites is currently under way.

The last inspection of acute and community hospitals was undertaken between February and May 2002 and the results of this exercise will be published in due course on the NHS Estates website.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvement has been made by hospitals which had previously been put on special measures as a result of their poor hygiene standards. [83295]

Mr. Lammy: The NHS Plan said that hospitals would receive unannounced inspections of cleanliness by independent teams.

Since autumn 2000 these inspections have been undertaken by patient environment action teams (PEATs), who assess hospitals against a range of 18 criteria, including standards of cleanliness at ward level and in common areas.

Since August 2001 PEATs have confirmed that there are no hospitals where overall standards are less than acceptable.

However, there are some hospitals where, although overall acceptable levels have been achieved, we felt that there were grounds for additional support to be provided to ensure that standards are maintained and any shortfalls identified remedied.

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Following the most recent PEAT inspections, 52 hospitals were identified where such support has been deemed appropriate. NHS Estates advisers have been working closely with these hospitals, to ensure that remedial action is taken and appropriate systems put in place to ensure that the improved standards achieved are maintained.

To date this action has resulted in 24 of the hospitals being removed from the list of those requiring additional support. We continue to work with the remaining 28 hospitals to ensure that the standards in these hospitals reach and remain at levels which patients expect and have a right to receive.

Hospital Security

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to increase hospital security. [82994]

Mr. Lammy [holding answer 2 December 2002]: It is the responsibility of individual national health service trusts to ensure that an appropriate security strategy is in place to provide a safe and secure environment for patients, staff and visitors in NHS hospitals. The procedures to be put in place are decided at a local level as they depend very much on the design and physical layout of individual hospital sites.

The NHS Security Manual is a practical guide to addressing the full range of security issues within health care organisations. It is currently being re-written.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has allocated funding to hospital trusts to be spent on increased security measures for staff and patients in hospitals. [83297]

Mr. Lammy: It is the responsibility of individual national health service trusts to ensure that an appropriate security strategy is in place to provide a safe and secure environment for patients, staff and visitors in NHS hospitals.

Procedures to be put in place are made at a local level, as they depend very much on the design and physical layout of the individual hospital sites. Additional funding is being made available to the NHS as part of the average annual real terms increase of 7.4 per cent., across England over the years 2003–08. Trust management will decide what funding levels will be needed to meet their security needs.

The NHS Security Manual is a practical guide to addressing the full range of security issues within health care organisations. It is currently being re-written.

Hospital, Pease Pottage

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for assessing the proposal to build a new hospital at Pease Pottage. [84134]

Ms Blears: The appraisal of this option is still continuing. At this time I cannot give the right hon. Member a firm date for completion of this process.

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Hospitals (Hotel Charges)

Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list hospitals which charge for (a) television services, (b) telephone access and (c) internet access. [83345]

Mr. Lammy: Major acute hospitals are introducing bedside television and telephones (Patient Power) under the NHS Plan. The introduction of these services is free to national health service trusts. Patients pay a charge for the services. 61 hospitals now have an operational patient power system and of these seven currently have internet access. The following list shows these hospitals.







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