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Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of treatment with drugs

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for child and adolescent mental health patients (a) since 1 January and (b) in each of the previous five years. [88527]

Jacqui Smith: Information is not collected centrally in the form requested.

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his assessment is of the adequacy of mental health provision in Leeds West; and if he will make a statement. [81492]

Jacqui Smith: The Leeds West Primary Care Trust (PCT) remains committed to the provision of high quality mental health services, which are easily accessible. A working group, which has representation from the PCT and the voluntary sector, as well as service users, has been formed to help determine the options for closer working and service improvements across the community.

Secondary care mental health services will also be further enhanced following the opening of a new community unit for older people in 2003.

The West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority is responsible for overseeing the local modernisation of mental health services in line with the National Service Framework and the NHS Plan. Strategic health authorities will be clarifying through their local delivery plans, to be completed by March 2003, how mental health services should be developed over the next three years to help meet the needs of the local population.

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of carers of mental health patients in Shropshire have been given a carer's assessment. [87419]

Mr. Lammy: 27 per cent. of carers of mental health patients in the Shropshire Primary Care Trust area have been offered an assessment to date in 2002–03.

Source:

Shropshire PCT

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the underlying reasons for the recent change in numbers of prisoners transferred under the Mental Health Act 1999 from prisons to hospitals. [87440]

Jacqui Smith: The XStatistics of Mentally Disordered Offenders 2001", published on 28 November 2001, shows that the number of prisoners being transferred to hospital on mental health grounds has reduced in 2000 and 2001, compared to 1999. It is too early to begin to say what the causes might be. The past three years represent a period of considerable change for prison health, and for mental health in particular, with the development of mental health in-reach to prisons from the national health service. These changes need more time to work through before we can assess their effects with any certainty.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is putting in place to ensure that users of mental health services are treated in a respectful manner. [88198]

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Jacqui Smith Empowering patients to take an active role in their own care is a key theme in the NHS Plan. We know that people are more likely to have a better outcome from treatment when they understand and agree with their treatment and have been active partners in decision making. Increasing the involvement of service users and carers in all aspects of service development and delivery will help to increase their status and the respect they are afforded by all those involved.

A number of programmes of work attest to the importance of this. For example the mental health stigma campaign Mind out for mental health and National Institute of Mental Health England's Experts by experience programme.

Mental health performance indicators for 2002–03 include indicators on patient focus. There is a specific indicator on 'Privacy and dignity', with objectives set to support the elimination of mixed sex accommodation in general wards.

The mental health patient survey, which is being carried out by the Commission for Health Improvement, is timed to provide data for the performance rating of mental health trusts in 2002–03. It will provide information to trusts to enable them to offer mental health patients better information and more choice.

Ministerial Correspondence

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters to him from (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public remain unanswered, broken down by those which are (i) over six months, and (ii) over one year. [83279]

Mr. Lammy [holding answer 25 November 2002; pursuant to his answer, 17 December 2002, Official Report, c. 783W]: I regret my previous answer was incorrect. The first sentence should read as follows:

XAt 11 December there were 38 letters from hon. Members dated before 10 June which had not received a reply and none over a year."

MMR Vaccine

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will lift the limit on the daily quota for vaccine for the single MMR injection. [87165]

Ms Blears [holding answer 16 December 2002]: Single measles and single mumps vaccines, which are prescribed and administered outside the national childhood immunisation programme, are imported unlicensed medicines. Licensed single rubella vaccine is currently available in the United Kingdom. Unlicensed single rubella vaccine may only be imported and supplied when the licensed vaccine is unavailable. Importers, who must be licensed by the Medicines Control Agency, are required to notify the Agency on each occasion that they intend to import an unlicensed medicine. Notifications may be submitted daily, but the maximum quantity that may be imported per notification is controlled by legislation.

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Monitored Dosage Systems

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to keep the use of monitored dosage systems for elderly patients free at the point of demand; and if he will make a statement. [87429]

Mr. Lammy: Under their national health service terms of service, pharmacies are not required to provide monitored dosage systems. Primary care trusts can negotiate contracts with pharmacies to pay for the provision of monitored dosage systems where they consider it appropriate to meet the needs of patients locally.

NHS Catering

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the NHS takes to provide varied meal options in hospitals for patients from different ethnic backgrounds. [88765]

Mr. Lammy: Each hospital's menu should reflect the needs and preferences of all patients although the range of choice available will depend on the diversity of the local population. The new national health service menu format, launched in May 2001, includes a section for XCultural and Religious Choices" which sets out example menus for halal, vegetarian, kosher and African-Caribbean meals.

During 2003, NHS Estates will be working with the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency to tender for a national contract for supplying the NHS with halal, kosher and other authentic ethnic dishes.

NHS Cleaning Contractors

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS cleaning contractors have lost their contracts in each of the past five years. [85776]

Ms Blears: Figures for private sector cleaning contractors who have had their contracts terminated by national health service trusts for poor performance in each of the last five years are as follows:

1998—one contract terminated


1999—one contract terminated


2000—one contract terminated


2001—two contracts terminated


2002—six contracts terminated

NHS Dentistry

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage recruitment of NHS dentists. [87721]

Mr. Lammy: The number of dentists practising in the general dental service has risen consistently in recent years. Most of these dentists spend most of their time on national health service work. However, access to routine NHS dentistry can be an issue in some parts of the country.

A number of initiatives have been implemented to address this shortfall. New ways of working and new ways of paying dentists will be explored in the Options for Change field sites, which have been identified by the NHS Modernisation Agency, working closely with the

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profession. The learning gained from these field sites will be used to inform future changes to NHS dentistry as a whole.

The report XBetter Opportunities for Women Dentists" reflects changes in the work force and aims to make NHS dentistry a more attractive profession for women.

Doctors' and Dentists' review body recommendations on increases to gross fees have been implemented in full since 1999.

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists are accepting NHS patients in (a) Morecambe, (b) Lancaster and (c) Carnforth. [87722]

Jacqui Smith: The information asked for is not collected centrally in the format requested.

The number of practices taking on new patients in the Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust (PCT) was, estimated at August 2002, 29 out of 57 practices or 51 per cent. The average for England is 45 per cent. However, 98 per cent. of the PCTs population was within a five mile (urban) and 10 mile (rural) radius of dentists accepting new patients.

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