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25 Mar 2003 : Column 190W—continued
Aspirin
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to commission research into the effect of aspirin in reducing the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and oesophagus. [103190]
Ms Blears [holding answer 18 March 2003]: The Department has no plans at present to commission research into the effectiveness of aspirin in preventing cancers of the mouth, throat and oesophagus. For all three types of cancer the main risk factors are known to be smoking and heavy drinking, and efforts to reduce these are the main preventive measures. But the Department has of course noted with interest the report published in the British Journal of Cancer of a study on the effects of aspirin undertaken at the Institute of Pharmacological Research in Milan. The Department is working closely with its partners in the National Cancer Research Institute to plan strategically national research efforts on the prevention of cancer.
Cancer
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what dietary action he has recommended to reduce the occurrence of cancer in deprived communities; [101387]
- (2) what action the Government is taking to encourage people to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption. [101388]
Ms Blears: The Government's 5-a-day programme, an NHS Plan commitment, aims to increase access to, and availability and consumption of, fruit and vegetables particularly in low income groups. The 5-a-day message includes the health benefits of eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables in helping to reduce the risk of some cancers. Resources bearing a new 5-a-day logo that explains the 5-a-day message and suggests ways of increasing fruit and vegetable intake are being distributed through primary care settings.
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Following successful piloting of the 5-a-day local community initiatives by the Department, the New Opportunities Fund is providing £10 million to support another 66 initiatives based in primary care trusts (PCTs) in the most deprived areas of England. The 5-a-day handbook will help staff in PCTs and other organisations to establish community-wide approaches to increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. The New Opportunities Fund is also providing £42 million to support the National School Fruit Scheme, which will be fully operational by 2004, when it will entitle every child aged four to six in infant schools to a free piece of fruit each school day, as part of a national strategy to improve the diet of children. We are also working with industry to improve people's access to fruit and vegetables.
In addition, there are local initiatives to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, especially but not only in low income groups, in health action zones, sure start, healthy living centres and other PCTs.
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Cervical Cancer Screening
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what limitations there are on the hours of NHS staff screening for cervical cancer. [104188]
Ms Blears [holding answer 21 March 2003]: National guidelines state that screeners can be safely and effectively utilised on cervical cytology microscopy for four hours in a normal working day 1 . The working day should be organised such that a break in continuous screening should be of at least 20 minutes' duration. This break should be taken after no more than two hours at the microscope.
- 1 Laboratory Organisation: A guide for Laboratories Participating in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (January 2003)
Chorley Hospital
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other staff were employed at Chorley hospital in each of the last five years. [103842]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust | 1,980 | 2,100 | 2,170 | 2,200 | 1,960 |
| Medical and dental staff | 130 | 140 | 140 | 140 | 160 |
| Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff | 700 | 750 | 780 | 770 | 600 |
| All other non-medical staff | 1,150 | 1,210 | 1,260 | 1,300 | 1,200 |
Notes:
Figures are rounded to the nearest ten
Source:
Department of Health non-medical workforce census
Department of Health medical and dental workforce census
Department for Health and Social Care
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his decision to abolish the Department for Health and Social Care; and what he plans to replace it with. [97040]
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to disestablish NHS Directorates of Health and Social Care; and where each of their functions will be transferred. [100710]
Mr. Lammy [holding answer 5 March 2003]: The Department has announced a change programme, which reflects the change in its role. This includes the integration of the functions and responsibilities of Directorates of Health and Social Care into other parts of the Department, which will be completed by October 2003. The Directorates' public health function will remain co-located with the Government Offices of the Region, strengthening inter-departmental links on health protection, health promotion and inequalities.
Departmental Capital Expenditure
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the information on capital expenditure by his Department in each month since March 2002 provided to the Office for National Statistics for the purposes of the public finances first release; and if he will make a statement. [103800]
Digital Hearing Aids
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on digital hearing aid provision on the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [104561]
Jacqui Smith: We have invested £30.75 million on the first two waves of the modernising hearing aid services project. As a result, there will be 50 sites providing digital hearing aids as part of a modernised service by the end of March 2003 and a further 17 trained and equipped to provide digital aids from April.
A further £94 million has now been allocated to ensure that a modernised service is rolled out to all national health service hearing aid services in England by April 2005.
Drugs
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to discuss drugs treatment with primary care trusts. [103534]
Ms Blears [holding answer 18 March 2003]: The Government recognises that primary care trusts (PCTs) have a crucial role to play in the delivery of effective drug treatment services. It is because of this that mechanisms have been set up to ensure that we have regular contact with PCTs and other key stakeholders.
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The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) monitors the performance of all drug action team (DAT) members, including PCTs, via a DAT treatment plan, which is completed on an annual basis. Progress against this treatment plan is reviewed by the NTA, with all DAT partners, on a quarterly basis. These regular reviews ensure that all DAT partners are making a positive contribution to the effective delivery of drug treatment services.
Dyspepsia
Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the cost to the NHS was for treatments prescribed for dyspepsia; and what percentage of this amount was spent on (a) proton pump inhibitors, (b) H2 receptor antagonists, (c) alginates and (d) antacids in each year since 1997; [102999]
25 Mar 2003 : Column 194W
- (2) what cost savings have been made to the NHS drugs bill for proton pump inhibitors since July 2000. [103001]
Mr. Lammy: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published its guidance on the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the treatment of dyspepsia in July 2000. The guidance made a number of recommendations intended to achieve the most clinically and cost-effectiveness use of PPIs. NICE estimated that its advice, if fully implemented, could lead to a reduction in the use of PPIs. Such a reduction has not yet occurred. We anticipate that the impetus to better target these treatments will increase when NICE publishes its clinical guideline on the primary management of dyspepsia, due later this year.
Information on the net ingredient cost of all drugs used to treat dyspepsia that were dispensed in the community in England from 1997 is shown in the table.
| BNF description | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.2 Alginates | 20.2 | 21.1 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 21.5 |
| Alginates as a percentage of total dyspepsia drugs | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 1.1.1 Antacids | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Antacids as a percentage of total dyspepsia drugs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1.3.1 H2-receptor antagonists | 169.8 | 139.2 | 124.2 | 83.8 | 53.5 |
| H2-receptor antagonists as a percentage of total dyspepsia drugs | 36 | 31 | 26 | 19 | 12 |
| 1.3.5 Proton Pump Inhibitors | 279.1 | 291.1 | 323.1 | 327.8 | 364.4 |
| Proton Pump Inhibitors as a percentage of total dyspepsia drugs | 59 | 64 | 69 | 75 | 82 |
| Grand total | 472.2 | 454.3 | 471.5 | 435.6 | 441.7 |
Notes:
1. The therapeutic classifications are based on British National Formulary sections 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.3.1, and 1.3.5.
2. The data are based on prescription items dispensed in the community, ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England.
3. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions.
4. The net ingredient cost (NIC) refers to the cost of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees. It does not include any adjustment for income obtained where a prescription charge is paid at the time the prescription is dispensed or where the patient has purchased a pre-payment certificate.
Source:
Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority
Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department is conducting into the management of dyspepsia. [103000]
Ms Blears: The Department funds research to support policy and delivery of effective practice in health and social care. The Department's health technology assessment (HTA) programme commissioned a systematic review of the management of dyspepsia that reported in 2001.
The HTA programme has four current projects related to dyspepsia. These are:
- randomised trial comparing the efficacy and costs of endoscopy with Helicobacter pylori testing versus non-invasive Helicobacter pylori testing alone in the management of dyspepsia;
systematic review and modelling of the cost-effectiveness of screening for Helicobacter pylori to reduce mortality and morbidity from gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease;
the place of minimal access surgery amongst people with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease—a UK collaborative study; and
comparison of the cost effectiveness of four strategies for the prevention of non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug induced gastrointestinal toxicity—a systematic review with economic modelling.
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