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17 Dec 2002 : Column 791W—continued

Lung Cancer

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died of lung cancer in 2001; and what percentage of the cancer research budget is spent on lung cancer research. [86574]

Ms Blears: There were 26,922 deaths from lung cancer in England in 2001. The recent National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) report, XStrategic Analysis 2002", analysed most of the directly-funded cancer research of government and charity funders. The analysis revealed that 60 per cent. of research spend was relevant to all tumour sites. The other 40 per cent. was relevant to specific tumour sites. Approximately 3 per cent. of the site-specific research was on lung cancer.

The NCRI has identified lung cancer as an area that might need more attention. We will be working with our research funding partners through the NCRI to fully understand the reasons for this and consider any actions that might be required.

Maidstone Hospital

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 157W, regarding Duplex Scans at Maidstone hospital, who Kent and Medway SHA

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consults on whether a scan is clinically necessary, in cases where patients are referred by a general practitioner. [87232]

Ms Blears [holding answer 16 December 2002]: Decisions on the clinical necessity for duplex scans are made by clinicians at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust, not Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority. The strategic health authority, as part of its management function, advised me on the practice at the trust in respect of duplex scans.

Psychiatry

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors per 100,000 people were in training in each year since 1997 for (a) child and adolescent psychiatry, (b) forensic psychiatry, (c) general psychiatry, (d) old age psychiatry, (e) psychotherapy and (f) psychiatry of learning disability. [85638]

Mr. Hutton: The table shows the number of doctors in training within the psychiatry specialties from 1997 to 2001 and a per population figure for 2001 only. Population figures are due to be updated shortly following publication of results from the 2001 population census. This will include a revised set of estimates for the years 1997 to 2000, but these figures are not yet available.

Hospital medical doctors in training⁽²⁶⁾ within the psychiatry specialties—England, 30 September

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	Number per 100,000 population
Child and adolescent psychiatry	240	230	230	270	250	0.5
Forensic psychiatry	110	140	120	140	140	0.3
General psychiatry	1960	1990	2030	2040	2010	4.1
Old age psychiatry	220	230	240	240	260	0.5
Psychiatry of learning disability	80	90	100	100	100	0.2
Psychotherapy	50	40	40	40	40	0.1

⁽²⁶⁾ Doctors in training includes the Registrar Group, Senior House Officers and House Officers

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

Office of National Statistics, 29 April 2001 population census

MRSA

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many MRSA patients were recorded in NHS hospitals in each of the last eight years; how many and what proportion of NHS hospitals recorded MRSA outbreaks; and how many and what proportion of NHS hospitals have full-time staff dedicated to the prevention and control of MRSA and related infections. [86683]

Mr. Lammy [holding answer 12 December 2002]: These data are not collected centrally and I refer the hon. Member to the reply he received on 14 October 2002, Official Report column 521W. This provides the available data on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections until April 2001 when mandatory MRSA bacteraemia surveillance was introduced. Data from the new surveillance system are available for every acute national health service hospital trust and the first year's results were published in the Communicable Disease Report Weekly on 20 June 2002 and are on the Public Health Laboratory Service website at www.phls.co.uk/publications/ cdr/PDFfiles/2002/cdr2502.pdf. Information on the composition of infection control teams is not collected routinely.

NHS Administrative Staff

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio of administrative staff to total number of beds operating in the national health service was in each of the last 10 years. [83287]

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Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.

NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Ratio of senior managers and managers in Administration and Estates to the daily average number of NHS beds in England, 1991 to 2001

	Senior managers and managers in Administration and Estates (headcount)	Total daily average number of beds	Ratio
1991	13,500	258,550	0.05
1992	16,860	246,080	0.07
1993	20,320	236,170	0.09
1994	23,350	224,380	0.10
1995	20,840	217,510	0.10
1996	21,260	212,680	0.10
1997	22,170	210,520	0.11
1998	22,690	206,410	0.11
1999	24,290	203,340	0.12
2000	25,260	199,730	0.13
2001	27,420	199,670	0.14

Notes:

1. Figures referred to are the overnight beds i.e. beds in wards open overnight.

2. Beds data are collected on a financial basis each year.

3. Senior managers and managers figures were collected on 30 September each year.

4. A new classification of the non-medical work force was introduced in 1995.

5. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years.

6. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

7. Ratios are rounded to two decimal places.

Sources:

1. Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

2. Bed figures are taken from the annual Korner return KH03 'bed availability and occupancy'.

Orthopaedic Treatment

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the longest current NHS waiting time is for orthopaedic treatment. [86036]

Mr. Hutton: Data on waiting times is collected by specialty. The relevant specialty is trauma and orthopaedic.

The latest published commissioner data for England in September 2002 show there were 11 patients waiting between 15 and 17 months for inpatient admission in the trauma and orthopaedic specialty.

Overseas Nurse Advice Line

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 4 December 2002, Official Report, column 909, on the overseas nurse advice line, how many whole-time equivalent staff are employed by the advice line; and what the budget for the advice line is for each of the next three years. [87239]

Mr. Hutton: The national health service overseas nurses advice line is operated in conjunction with NHS careers. There is a pool of NHS careers staff employed as call operators, who handle calls in addition to a team with health careers expertise advising on supervised practice and NHS careers.

Decisions on the future financing of the advice line have not yet been made.

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Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 4 December 2002, Official Report, column 909W, on the Overseas Nurse Advice Line, how many calls were received on 08458 50588 in each month since the line was set up. [87240]

Mr. Hutton: Over the three months that the national health service Overseas Nurses Advice Line has been operating it has received a total of 63 calls.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 4 December, Official Report, column 909W, on the Overseas Nurse Advice Line, how he plans to inform (a) NHS organisations, (b) overseas governments, (c) overseas nurses and (d) other interested parties, of the Overseas Nurse Advice Line. [87241]

Mr. Hutton: National health service organisations, overseas governments and overseas nurses have been informed of the NHS Overseas Nurses Advice Line through various means.

Quarterly briefing meetings held by the chief nursing officer for the strategic health authorities has brought the advice line to the attention of nursing directors and primary care trust lead nurses throughout the NHS. In addition, the advice line was featured in the chief nursing officer's bulletin in October.

Overseas governments with an interest in the recruitment of nurses have been informed about the NHS overseas nurses advice line through the issue of a card advertising the advice line.

Cards advertising the advice line have been produced and distributed by organisations including the Royal College of Nursing and Unison, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Independent Healthcare Association. The Nursing and Midwifery Council will be distributing cards to overseas representatives in the New Year.

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