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14 Mar 2003 : Column 460W—continued
NHS Managers
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many managers recruited from the private sector since 1998 have left the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [101885]
- (2) how many private sector managers have been recruited since 1998 (a) to run central NHS facilities and (b) to work in primary care trusts; and if he will make a statement. [101884]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the cost of managers to the NHS. [102520]
Mr. Hutton: The Department of Health has not commissioned any research into the cost of managers to the national health service.
Mental Health
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific financial provision he has made for increase in demand for specialist mental health services following forthcoming military action in the Gulf. [101083]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 6 March 2003]: There are no funds specifically earmarked for the provision of additional specialist mental health services following any military action in the Gulf.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on the performance rating system in the mental healthcare sector. [102178]
Mr. Hutton: In July 2002, mental health trusts received an indicative rating on their performance during 2001–02. Later this year, the Commission for Health Improvement will publish full performance ratings for mental health trusts based on their performance during 2002–03.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adolescent mental health patients have been accommodated in adult mental wards in NHS establishments in the last 12 months; and what percentage of the total number treated this represents. [96059]
Jacqui Smith: The following data are taken from the Mental Health Service and Financial Framework Report, 2001–02 outturn, the latest available. There were 64,920 occupied bed days (OBDs) for patients under age 18 on adult psychiatric wards during 2001–02.
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This represents 36 per cent. of the total number of hospital OBDs (180,642) for that age group on both child and adolescent and adult wards during that year. 82 per cent. of the OBDs of under 18 year olds on adult wards, that is 53,243 out of 64,920, represented patients in the 16–18 age range; only 18 per cent. 11,677, represented those under age 16.
MRI Scans
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting time is for an MRI scan at (a) Airedale NHS Trust and (b) Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust. [101207]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not available centrally.
Multiple Sclerosis
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on increasing the availability of beta interferon for MS sufferers in Sutton. [101513]
Mr. Hutton: Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust (PCT) has implemented the risk-sharing scheme for drugs for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). All eligible patients are being fully funded. These services are being provided to MS patients in Sutton and Cheam at Atkinson Morley Hospital, which is part of St. George's Healthcare National Health Service Trust.
Muscular Dystrophy
Mr Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on his plans to increase the funding spent on research into (a) the treatment and (b) the causes of muscular dystrophy; and if he will make a statement; [100968]
- (2) what estimate he has made of the amount of Government funding in 2002–03 for research into (a) the treatment and (b) the causes of muscular dystrophy; and if he will make a statement. [100966]
Jacqui Smith: The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body, which receives its grant-in-aid from the Office of Science and Technology. In 2001–02, the MRC spent an estimated 2 million on muscular dystrophy research. This was an increase on the estimated £1.1 million spent in 2000–01. Figures for 2002–03 are not yet available.
National Institute for Clinical Excellence
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on NHS funding of a growing list of NICE approved treatments. [101577]
Ms Blears: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon (Dr. Evan Harris) on 12 February 2003, Official Report, column 824W. The cost of implementing appraisal guidance issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been taken into account in the funding provided to the national health service.
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Neurology
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions he is taking to reduce waiting lists for neurologists; and if he will make a statement. [100106]
Mr. Hutton: The Government are reducing maximum waiting times. As part of the NHS Plan, the maximum waiting time for a first outpatient appointment will fall each year from over six months, down to five, four and finally three months by 2005. The Government's eventual objective is to reduce the maximum wait for any stage of treatment to three months. Provided that the Government can recruit the extra staff, and the National Health Service makes the necessary reforms, the Government hopes to achieve this objective by the end of 2008.
Manpower has been recognised as key to the successful delivery of the NHS Plan and the national service frameworks (NSF). The long term conditions care group workforce team has been set up to support workforce development in the fields of diabetes, renal and long-term conditions. Its aim is to help deliver a multidisciplinary and integrated health and social care workforce to support service improvement.
With regard to neurology, the care group makes recommendations on workforce numbers across the specialty including doctors and nurses. Recommendations are also made on changes in service delivery models to facilitate the best use of all staff.
Between September 1997 and March 2002, consultant numbers in neurology increased by 34 per cent.. During the same period, consultant numbers in neurosurgery increased by 21 per cent..
We are developing a national service framework for long-term conditions, which will have a particular focus on neurological conditions. It is scheduled for publication in 2004, and implementation from 2005. The NSF will help to drive up standards and improve the quality of, and access to, care for people with neurological conditions.
NHS Funding
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS bodies have received direct funding from the Regional Office; and how much was paid to each NHS body, broken down by Directorate of Health and Social Care, in each of the last three years. [100711]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 5 March 2003]: Disclosure of these amounts can be analysed, along with other sources of income, in the income note of a national health service body's accounts. NHS accounts are published locally and are available from the individual NHS body.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the annual performance rating system for NHS trusts (a) is independent from the Government and (b) takes into account hospital specialisation; and if he will make a statement. [102175]
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Mr. Hutton: The Commission for Health Improvement is the independent regulator of national health service performance and is responsible for developing indicators and publishing NHS performance ratings. Ministers continue to select key targets and the priority areas to be covered. In July 2002, specialist NHS trusts received their first performance rating based on performance during 2001–02.
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new requirements for entry to the Nursing and Midwifery Council Register have been agreed for implementation by 2005 by health visitor members of the NMC since April 2002. [102102]
Mr. Hutton: It is for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to propose, and the Privy Council to determine the requirements for entry to the register. The NMC, which comprises equal numbers of nurse, midwife and health visitor members, is considering in consultation with the professions the parts of the future register and standards required for entry to those.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of respondents to the public consultation on the Nursing and Midwifery Council Register supported direct entry to the proposed third part of the register. [102099]
Mr. Hutton: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is an independent statutory body and is required to consult on its proposals for a new register. The NMC has not published a response to its consultation.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the proposed third part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Register will allow direct entry for community public healthcare professionals. [102100]
Mr. Hutton: The Nursing and Midwifery Council has powers to regulate only the professions of nursing and midwifery.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Nursing and Midwifery Council supports the proposals to expand the third part of the NMC register to include nurses and midwives who work as specialists in community and public health. [102101]
Mr. Hutton: The Nursing and Midwifery Council is the body responsible for making proposals in respect of the parts of the register.
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will approve a non direct entry proposal for the proposed third part of the NMC Register only as an interim measure until the children's workforce planning group has reported its findings. [102104]
Mr. Hutton: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has powers to regulate only the professions of nursing and midwifery. A proposal for a non-direct entry third part of the NMC register will be considered and if appropriate, approved by the Privy Council.
The NMC will want to consider the implications for the register of any report by the children's workforce planning group when that report is available.
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Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 to allow a three part register that is equitable across the three groups regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. [102105]
Mr. Hutton: No. The Order allows, if the Council propose it and the Privy Council agree it, for there to be a three part register that is equitable across the three groups regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, each part with a designated title indicative of different qualifications and different kinds of educational training.
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