| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Dec 2002 : Column 1045W—continued
Foster Care
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the success of the foster carer recruitment campaign launched in July 2000; and if he will make a statement. [83712]
Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 136W.
GP Registers (Patient Removal)
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rules govern the right of doctors to remove patients from their registers. [83258]
19 Dec 2002 : Column 1046W
Mr. Hutton: These are set out at paragraphs 9 and 9A of Schedule 2 to the NHS (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992 and direction 4 of the Directions to Health Authorities Concerning Patient Lists (Personal Medical Services) 1998.
Health Statistics
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are affected by (a) obesity, (b) depression, (c) coronary heart disease, (d) stroke and (e) poor nutrition, in each health authority; and if he will make a statement. [84184]
Ms Blears: According to the latest survey figures available, 21 per cent. of men and women in England are classified as obese; 3 per cent. of women and 2 per cent. of men reported a depressive episode in a selected one week period; 7.1 per cent. of men and 4.6 per cent. of women are classified as having ischaemic heart disease (angina or heart attack) and 8.5 per cent. of men and 6.2 per cent. of women as having ischaemic heart disease or stroke. The above figures are not available at health authority level. There is no recognised definition of Xpoor nutrition".
Homeless People
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of homeless people suffered from tuberculosis in each year since 1997. [87187]
Ms Blears: In the year 2001–02, there were 10 admissions for tuberculosis with a home address of no fixed abode. This totals 0.1 per cent. of admissions for all diseases with a home address of no fixed abode.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has carried out on the longevity of homeless people. [87188]
Ms Blears: No recent assessment has been made of the longevity of homeless people, although research by Crisis (1996) found that the life expectancy of someone who sleeps rough is 42 years.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of homeless people used accident and emergency units at hospitals in the last 12 months. [87190]
Ms Blears: The homeless people interviewed as part of the recent research carried out by Crisis (December 2002) found that homeless people were over four times more likely than the general public to turn to accident and emergency when they could not access a general practitioner, 43 per cent., compared to 10 per cent.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of homeless people suffered from (a) chest infections (b) leg sores and (c) asthma in the last 12 months. [87191]
Ms Blears: In the year 2001–02, there were 46 admissions for asthma and 75 admissions for chest infections with a home address of no fixed abode. Data are not available for leg sores. This totals 0.6 per cent. and 1 per cent. of admissions for all diseases with a home address of no fixed abode for asthma and chest infections respectively.
19 Dec 2002 : Column 1047W
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in NHS hospitals are homeless, broken down by health authority. [87202]
Ms Blears: In the year 2001–02 there were 7,620 admissions with a home address of 'No Fixed Abode'. A breakdown by health authority is shown in the table.
19 Dec 2002 : Column 1048W
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that homeless people are able to register with a general practitioner; [87205]
- (2) if it is his Department's policy to encourage homeless people to register permanently with a general practitioner. [87189]
Mr. Hutton: National Health Service medical primary care services are available free to all persons who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, including those who are homeless. To that end patients do not need a permanent address to register with a general practitioner.
Primary care trusts can also provide targeted primary care services for homeless people through a tailored personal medical services contract, or general medical services local development scheme or through provision of a walk-in service.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of homeless people suffered from diabetes in the last 12 months. [87208]
Ms Blears: In the year 2001–02, there were 46 admissions for diabetes with a home address of no fixed abode. This totals 0.6 per cent. of admissions for all diseases with a home address of no fixed abode.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients whose address was listed as no fixed abode were admitted to NHS hospitals between (a) December 1998 and January 1999, (b) December 1997 and January 1998, and (c) December 1996 and January 1997. [87209]
19 Dec 2002 : Column 1049W
Ms Blears: Information on the number of patients admitted to national health service hospitals between December 1996 and January 1999 with an address listed as no fixed abode is shown in the table.
| Year | Number of patients |
|---|---|
| December 1996-January 1997 | 557 |
| December 1997-January 1998 | 758 |
| December 1998-January 1999 | 895 |
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the dates since 1997 when he and his officials have met representatives of homeless charities and voluntary organisations to discuss the health needs of homeless people. [87446]
Ms Blears: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and officials have had numerous meetings with charitable and voluntary organisations since his appointment in October 1999. These meetings have discussed a range of topics including health issues which affect homeless people.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage a greater take-up of GP services by homeless people. [87473]
Mr. Hutton: National health service medical primary care services are available free to everyone who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, including anyone who is homeless. We have in place a range of initiatives to improve access to general practitioner services for homeless people. These include the development of a model general medical service local development scheme for primary care trusts to use to develop such and the promotion of locally agreed personal medical services (PMS) contracts with a similar focus. There are now more than 80 PMS pilot schemes, which include the homeless as a priority objective.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |