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Infant Mortality

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his response to the Confidential Enquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy, released on 24 March; and what measures his Department is taking to implement the report's recommendations. [108221]

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Jacqui Smith: We welcome the latest report of the Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy (CESDI). It is not usual Government practice to publish a formal response to reports of confidential inquiries but we examine the findings of all reports very carefully and take action as appropriate. We note particularly that the report published on 24 March underlines the significant improvements that have taken place in care leading to twice as many premature babies being saved than was the case 15 years ago. CESDI rightly pays tribute to the work and dedication of the antenatal and neonatal intensive care staff who continue to improve outcomes for these smallest and most vulnerable of babies.

However, it is right that efforts continue to improve the level of care further in this area. Clinical guidelines have now been issued by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the use of electronic fetal monitoring, the induction of labour and the routine use of Anti-D prophylaxis for rhesus negative pregnant women. Additional guidelines are due to be published later this year on antenatal care, including antenatal screening, and the use of caesarean section. We have recently commissioned NICE to develop further guidelines on intrapartum care (delivery), and postnatal care. NICE'S work will enhance and support the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services, which will set national standards of care for antenatal, intrapartum and post natal services.

CESDI advises the introduction of national standards to ensure appropriate referral and transfer arrangements in neonatal intensive care. The Department established an expert working group to advise on the most effective ways of caring for very sick and premature newborn babies and the delivery of these services. The group's conclusions were published on 10 April 2003 for wider consultation and are available on www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/neonatal.htm. In order to help implement the outcome of the review and consultation, we are making available £20 million capital funding this year, and additional revenue funding of £12 million this year, £19.8 million next year, increasing to £20 million in 2005–06.

We have also established the National Patient Safety Agency to improve the safety of national health service patient care, by promoting an open and fair culture and by introducing a national reporting and learning system for adverse events, including those involving mothers and their babies. The system will be rolled out across the NHS from summer 2003. Using data from the reporting system and other sources, the Agency will identify priorities to address areas of known risk to patients and develop solutions to prevent errors being repeated. The Agency plans to develop a patient safety programme in obstetrics and gynaecology and is in the process of appointing a specialist clinical adviser, jointly with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, to develop this work.

The CESDI report pointed to a shortfall in specialist pathology services. We fully accept that specialist paediatric pathologists are best placed to perform all post mortem examinations on preterm infants, where resources allow—and we are very aware of the challenges facing NHS pathology services, including

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specific subspecialties such as paediatric pathology. There is no quick and easy solution: it takes time to train new doctors and for them to gain the relevant experience. However, the Department is committed to addressing these staffing difficulties and is taking action to increase the number of pathologists overall, to fund specific projects to support paediatric pathology in the short-term, including funding Conversion Fellowships in paediatric pathology, and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the service.

Mental Health

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to abolish the Mental Health Act Commission; and if he will make a statement. [106642]

Jacqui Smith: The Government is committed to reforming the Mental Health Act 1983 and a Bill will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows. The new legislation will provide for the abolition of the Mental Health Act Commission. As proposed in the Mental Health Bill Consultation Document, published in June 2002, responsibility for scrutinising the use of the compulsory powers in the Mental Health Bill will be given to the planned new health care inspectorate, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection.

We believe these new arrangements will have several advantages for patients subject to compulsory powers. Concerns about all aspects of a patient's care—legal issues, clinical quality, cleanliness and food standards—will be dealt with by one body. As a larger, more joined-up organisation, the new Commission will have greater influence and will be equipped to tackle identified problems in a co-ordinated way. In this way, it will build on the very good work being done by the Mental Health Act Commission.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the oral answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Health to the hon. Member for Hendon, 18 March 2003, Official Report, column 739, on mental health (Barnet), what effect the reprovision of the acute in-patient service at Barnet will have regarding meeting the Government's targets on mental health single sex hospital accommodation; [107839]

(2) whether the temporary ward at Edgware hospital meets the Government's criteria for single sex accommodation for mental health patients. [107838]

Mr. Hutton: The temporary ward at Edgware Hospital meets the Government's criteria for single sex accommodation for mental health patients. The reprovision of the acute in-patient service at Barnet will also be fully compliant with the Government's targets on mental health single sex hospital accommodation.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total expenditure per head for mental health services in each primary care trust was in 2002–03. [108638]

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Jacqui Smith: The figures for expenditure for 2002–03 are not yet available. Information on the expenditure per head on mental illness by primary care trusts for 2000–01 and 2001–02 have been placed in the Library.

The data related to the commissioning by PCTs of secondary mental illness only; the Department of Health does not have data for primary expenditure in this area.

There are considerable variations in expenditure as different primary care trusts have differing commissioning arrangements for mental illness. Also, some primary care trusts may commission on behalf of others hence increasing their apparent spend. Figures between different primary care trusts and between different years are not therefore directly comparable.

Nebulisers

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether nebulisers are available on prescription for patients with chronic lung disease. [107170]

Ms Blears: We have no plans to make nebulisers available on prescription. It has been a long-standing policy that when the national health service supplies items of equipment, such as nebulisers, it would be most appropriate for them to be provided to patients on loan from primary care trusts and NHS trusts. We think that it is most appropriate for them to remain as NHS property to monitor their usage and ensure that NHS resources are used most effectively.

NHS Trusts

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each NHS trust in Great Britain the (a) total budget and (b) amount of budget deficit in each year since 1997 for which figures are available. [104845]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 25 March 200]: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) on 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 242W, and also to the response my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Lammy) gave the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) on 5 March 2003, Official Report, column 1115W.

Nurses

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the aggregate number was of agencies used by NHS trusts to recruit nurses in each year since 1997–98; [108641]

(2) which agencies were used by NHS trusts to recruit nurses in 2002–03. [108640]

Mr. Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 14 April 2003, Official Report, column 616W.

Occupational Therapists

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many occupational therapists have been recruited

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in the last three years; and if he will make a statement on the work of his Department in encouraging applications. [107912]

Mr. Hutton: Between September 1999 and 2001, there was a net increase in the number of occupational therapists employed in the national health service of 1250, 10 per cent.

The Government have put in place a range of recruitment initiatives to facilitate the NHS meeting the challenging targets set out in the NHS Plan and Delivering the NHS Plan. Initiatives in place to encourage recruitment, retention and return into the allied health professions, including occupational therapy, includes media campaigns, conferences and specifically for occupational therapy, the 'Positively Diverse' campaign to bring people with disabilities into the profession.

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