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10 Dec 2002 : Column 303W—continued
NHS Litigation Authority
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many caseworkers are employed by the national health service litigation authority; and how many were employed in each year since 1998. [84894]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 2 December 2002]: As at 31 October 2002, there were a total of 93 caseworker posts within the national health service litigation authority. For the previous years, the numbers of caseworkers employed by the authority were as follows:
| Number of caseworkers | |
|---|---|
| March 2002 | 76 |
| March 2001 | 56 |
| March 2000 | 39 |
| March 1999 | 16 |
| March 1998 | 8 |
NHS Professionals
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposed review of the workings of NHS Professionals. [85300]
Mr. Hutton: An internal assessment team has been established to take stock of the progress to date on implementation of NHS Professionals. The assessment will include a review of the different approaches in the provision of temporary staffing and recommend the most viable options for continuing to deliver this service in-house.
The assessment team will report their findings by mid December.
NHS Salaries
Mr. Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-medical employees of the national health service were paid a salary of more than #80,000 in each year since 1997–98. [86249]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 9 December 2002]: Information in the precise form requested is not available because some sources do not distinguish between medical and non-medical staff. What information we have is in the table.
The figures are for health authorities (HAs), national health service trusts, primary care trusts (PCTs) and special health authorities (SHAs).
| HAs all staff and directors | NHS trusts administration, others and directors | PCTs administration, others and directors | SHAs all staff and directors | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 153 | 324 | Not applicable | 36 |
| 1998–99 | 215 | 399 | Not applicable | 45 |
| 1999–2000 | 290 | 483 | Not applicable | 66 |
| 2000–01 | n/a | 593 | 3 | 82 |
| 2001–02 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Notes:
Staff in HAs are not analysed into medical and non-medical in the accounts or summarisation forms. The figures include all staff employed in HAs although a number of these will be classified as medical.
All figures include directors with remuneration over #80,000. However medical directors cannot be excluded from the numbers from the information available in the accounts or schedules, i.e., the numbers are inflated in terms of the question actually asked.
Figures in health authorities in 2000–01 and in all bodies for 2001–02 are not available as they are not disclosed in the accounts or summarisation schedules.
Sources:
Health authority audited accounts 1997–98 and 1998–99
Health authority audited summarisation forms 1999–2000
NHS trust audited summarisation schedules 1997–98 to 2000–01
Primary care trust audited summarisation schedules 2000–01
Special health authority audited accounts 1997–98 to 2000–01
10 Dec 2002 : Column 304W
NICE
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his policy that compulsory NHS funding will not be required for older NICE-approved technologies where they are superseded by newer, more cost-effective and medically advanced NICE-approved treatments. [85045]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 5 December 2002]: The statutory funding obligation applies to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) technology guidance which is extant at this time. When NICE reviews it's earlier guidance it takes account of new technologies which may have emerged since the original appraisal.
Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's recommendations to the NHS in England and Wales regarding the drugs donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl) are implemented at a local level. [85466]
Mr. Lammy: Primary care trusts (PCTs) in England are under a statutory obligation to provide funding for treatments recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. We expect PCTs to meet these statutory obligations and will arrange to investigate allegations that patients are being denied treatment deemed appropriate by relevant clinicians.
Mr. Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the National Institute of Clinical Excellence's decision-making process, with particular reference to the effect of the speed of its decision-making process on the United Kingdom pharmaceutical industry. [85469]
Mr. Lammy: No. This is a matter for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence itself. The Institute reviewed its appraisal process in consultation with stakeholders in February 2001 and will carry out a further review in 2003. The Health Select Committee has also completed an inquiry into the work and processes of the institute.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 512W, on NICE, if he will list the NICE appraisals that have received appeals. [86803]
10 Dec 2002 : Column 305W
Mr. Lammy: The 19 technology appraisals that received appeals were:
- 1. Computerised cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety
2. Cox -II inhibitors for skeletomuscular disease
3. Docetaxel and paclitaxel for ovarian cancer
4. Hip prostheses for primary total hip replacement
5. Human growth hormone in adults
6. Inhaler devices for treatment of asthma in older children
7. Inhaler devices for under fives
8. Interferon beta and glatiramer for multiple sclerosis (first appeal)
9. Interferon beta and glatiramer for multiple sclerosis (second appeal)
10. Irinotecan oxaliplatin and raltitrexed drugs for colorectal cancer (first appeal)
11. Irinotecan oxaliplatin and raltitrexed drugs for colorectal cancer (second appeal)
12. Laparoscopic surgery for hernia
13. New advances in hearing aid technology for hearing disability
14. Proton pump inhibitors for dyspepsia
15. Riluzole for motor neurone disease
16. Rituximab for follicular lymphoma
17. Taxanes for breast cancer
18. The use of the newer (atypical) antipsychotic drugs in treatment of schizophrenia19.Vinorelbine for breast cancer
Non-Barrier Textiles
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the extent of the use of cotton and other non-barrier textiles in operating theatres in the NHS. [85296]
Mr. Lammy: Market data for 2001 indicates that approximately 50 per cent. of the textiles used in operating theatres in the national health service are made of cotton and other non-barrier textiles. The remaining 50 per cent. are made of high tech synthetic barrier fabrics and single use disposable products.
Occupational Therapy
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times are for occupational therapy services for children in (a) Birmingham health authority, (b) Birmingham and Black Country strategic health authority area and (c) England. [84967]
Mr. Lammy: Waiting times for occupational therapy services for children are not collected centrally and therefore the information is not available.
Patient Discharge
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King) of 28 November 2002, Official Report, column 413W, on patient discharge, what financial incentives the Community Care (Delayed Discharges, etc.) Bill places on the national health service to ensure that they tackle delayed transfers of care. [86256]
10 Dec 2002 : Column 306W
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 9 December 2002]: The national health service has clear incentives to reduce the time that people wait for discharge; not least because this frees up capacity to treat more patients who are waiting for treatment. The access and capacity targets and the monitoring of performance ensure that this is given a high priority. The provisions in the Community Care (Delayed Discharges) Bill will ensure that there are financial incentives for social services to play their part in providing community services where delays are their responsibility. In addition, from April 2004, the NHS will be introducing a new system of financial flows that will ensure that acute trusts do not benefit financially where patients are re-admitted to hospital within a set period.
Primary Care Trusts
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many PCTs have signed head leases on GP surgeries; and if he will make a statement. [85719]
Mr. Hutton [holding reply 9 December 2002]: Primary care trusts have delegated authority to enter into head leases and to sublet to general practitioners and other tenants. However, the Department does not collect this information centrally and it is therefore not known how many premises PCTs have signed head leases for which are occupied by GPs or others.
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