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20 Jan 2003 : Column 136W—continued
National Service Framework for Older People
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to assess the implementation of the national service framework for older people in England. [91150]
Jacqui Smith: Monitoring the implementation of the national service framework for older people is ongoing and draws on a variety of processes. Information on meeting the 2001 and 2002 milestones has been collected from health and social care organisations. Less formal information gathering takes place regularly through a network of national health service and social services older people leads. A two-year progress report is due to be published in March 2003.
NHS Targets
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the baseline date was for the 24 and 48 hour access targets set out in the NHS plan; and what proportion of GP practices in England met the 24 and 48 hour access targets at that date. [83717]
Mr. Hutton: The NHS Plan primary care access target was informed by the results of the 1998 National Patient Survey, which found that 53 per cent. of patients had been able to get an appointment with their general practitioner within two days of their preferred date. Both the baseline data and the target are expressed in terms of the access available to patients rather than the performance of practices.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the national targets adopted by the NHS. [88169]
Mr. Hutton: The NHS Plan set out the Government's vision for the national health service and makes clear the commitments that we have made for improving services. A copy is available in the Library.
We also recently published "Improvement, Expansion and Reform: Planning and Priorities Framework 2003–20056 (PPF)" which sets out the health and social care priorities for the next three years.
A copy of the PPF is available in the Library.
NHS Trusts (Foundation Status)
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why he will not disclose the names of the NHS trusts which expressed an interest in foundation status. [89541]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 13 January 2003]: 31 national health service trusts expressed an interest in foundation status in June 2002. A number of these 31 NHS trusts did not retain their three star status in the performance ratings published in July 2002 and are no longer eligible to apply for foundation status so this list is out of date.
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Following publication of "A Guide to NHS Foundation trusts" on 11 December 2002, applications have been invited from current three star acute and specialist NHS trusts to become NHS foundation trusts. The application process has now begun and the closing date for preliminary applications is February 2003. In March 2003, we intend to announce a shortlist of candidates once the preliminary applications have been assessed.
Overseas Doctors (Language Requirements)
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the relationship between the change to the English language requirement for overseas doctors as outlined in the Medical Act 1993 Amendment Order 2002 and the provisions of Article 49 of the European draft directive on medical qualifications. [88173]
Mr. Hutton: It is desirable that a doctor should have to satisfy the General Medical Council that he or she has the necessary knowledge of English before he or she can be registered. Our recent changes to the Medical Act and our position on the Commission's proposal both express this principle. We have also made it clear that we expect employers to ensure that all staff have the knowledge of English necessary for the work to be done, regardless of their registration status.
Overseas Doctors
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the proposed 16 week rule for doctors coming to work in the UK from elsewhere in Europe; and what representations he has made to the EU about the proposed 16 week rule for doctors; [88170]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the draft EU directive on the recognition of professional medical qualifications. [88175]
Mr. Hutton: The aim of improving mobility of workers in the European Union is one we fully support. Exchanges of professional staff bring mutual benefits to this country, the national health service and other member states. However, free movement provisions must be balanced with proper safeguards for service quality and public protection and this view has been represented in European Union working groups and council debates on the Directive by both the United Kingdom and other member states. We shall ensure that this concern, including reservations about the 16-week provision of services, is addressed in ongoing negotiations on the Directive.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors who are citizens of (a) Pakistan and (b) India are working (i) in NHS hospitals and (ii) in general practice. [88958]
Mr. Hutton: The Department does not collect data on citizenship, as requested. The number of national health service hospital doctors and general medical practitioners by country of primary medical qualification is shown in the table.
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The data for country of qualification by individual countries are far from complete. There are large numbers of doctors who qualified outside the United Kingdom, for whom we cannot ascribe an individual country. Information for country of primary medical qualification is derived from data supplied by the general medical council.
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| NHS Hospital Medical Doctors | 5,783 | 1,106 |
| GMPs | 2,768 | 374 |
(18) Includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para. 52 SFA), PMS Other and GP Retainers.
Note:
Data as at 30 September 2001.
Sources:
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census.
Overseas Treatment
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition his Department uses of undue delay when assessing rights of NHS patients to access treatment in continental European hospitals. [89932]
Mr. Hutton: The concept of undue delay applied by the European Court of Justice in Case 157/99 Geraets-Smits and Peerbooms was concerned with the conditions for the grant of authorisation for treatment in another member state.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Dr. Harris) on 2 November 2001, Official Report, column 895W.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his assessment is of the pilot scheme to send NHS patients for treatment in continental Europe; and when he plans to extend the availability of treatment in continental European hospitals of all NHS patients. [89931]
Mr. Hutton: The evaluation report of the overseas treatment pilot carried out by York University Health Economics Consortium was published in August. Copies are available in the Library and on the Department of Health website at http://www. doh.gov.uk/international/evaluationreports.htm.
Overseas treatment is an option open to national health service commissioners seeking to increase the number of patients treated, and reduce waiting times. Any NHS body can legally commission treatment abroad for its patients. However, it is up to local commissioners to decide, in the light of capacity constraints across their local health economies, and taking into account the different commissioning options available to them, whether or not to refer patients overseas for treatment.
The Department has advised any trust wishing to refer patients overseas to contact one of the two "lead commissioners" who are responsible on behalf of the
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NHS in England for selecting overseas providers and contracting with them for treatment for NHS patients. These lead commissioners are based in Guy's and St. Thomas' Trust, and Kent and Medway Health Authority.
Public Health Laboratory Service
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the risks that those public health laboratories transferring to NHS trusts will lose their accreditation with United Kingdom Accreditation Services or with Clinical Pathology Accreditation; and what action has been taken to minimise these risks. [90093]
Ms Blears: Our assessment is that transfer to national health services trusts does not affect the accreditation status of transferring laboratories with either Clinical Pathology Accreditation or United Kingdom Accreditation Services.
Polish Health Care Staff
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on progress towards the recognition of qualifications and accreditation of dentists trained and qualified in Poland with a view to their being allowed to practise in the United Kingdom on Poland's accession to the European Union; [89859]
- (2) if he will make a statement on progress towards the recognition of qualifications and accreditation of (a) surgeons, (b) doctors and (c) nurses trained and qualified in Poland with a view to their possible recruitment to the NHS on Poland's accession to the European Union. [89860]
Mr. Hutton: Once ratified, the Accession Treaty, which is currently being finalised following the agreement in Copenhagen, will provide for the recognition of Polish health professional qualifications on the same basis as for those awarded by other member states. Qualifications awarded following training begun after accession will comply with minimum Community requirements and be automatically recognised. In other cases, evidence of recent and substantial experience in Poland may be required. Arrangements for the recruitment of health professionals to the national health service are currently the subject of separate discussions between the Department and the Polish authorities.
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