| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
MRI Scans
8. Dr. Vincent Cable (Twickenham): If he will make a statement on waiting times for MRI scans. [116531]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Ms Hazel Blears): A patient's clinical condition will determine how long they may have to wait for a scan. Emergency cases need to be seen immediately; other cases will be carried out as quickly as possible, depending on the clinical priority of all patients waiting to be scanned.
Dr. Cable : In my local district general hospital there are 800 sick people, all of whom have been waiting for more than eight months for a diagnostic scan. How much credibility does the Minister attach to the staff's explanation that although early diagnosis is crucial in avoiding life-threatening diseases, it is given low priority by health service administrators because such diagnosis means more patients, longer waiting lists and missed targets? Will she investigate this potentially serious distortion of clinical priorities?
Ms Blears: Early diagnosis and early treatment are top priorities for the Government, because it has been shown that they result in much better health outcomes for patients. That means increasing capacity, and I can tell the hon. Gentleman that the New Opportunities Fund has provided for 57 extra MRI scanners and cancer plan funding for 50 extra MRI scanners and 50 CT scanners—a vast improvement in the amount of modern equipment in our NHS, which will enable many more scans to be carried out. In 2001–02, the last year for which figures are available, an extra 73,000 scans were carried out in this country to secure early diagnosis and much better treatment. Capacity is improving, and the hon. Gentleman's local hospital was provided with a new CT scanner in April this year, which should go some way towards improving the local position.
Mr. Bill O'Brien (Normanton): I thank my hon. Friend for her advice and for outlining an interesting programme to the House. However, I know of patients in my constituency who are diagnosed early, but for whom it takes months rather than weeks to have the MRI scan. Is she satisfied that the equipment is being used to its full advantage, and if not, will she ensure that it is?
Ms Blears: My hon. Friend makes an important point. As well as making more equipment available, we also need trained and qualified staff to operate it, and we have increased the number of radiotherapists in training by 55 per cent. We are also working on programmes to enable assistant and advanced practitioners to carry out procedures that were previously carried out only by radiologists. A report published today on pilot programmes carried out across the country shows that radiographers can extend their skills and make a real contribution to shortening waiting times for patients, which is so important.
Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): Ninety-five per cent. of patients attending hospitals for scans require diagnostic imaging services that are delivered by radiographers. However, last year the Audit Commission found that 250,000 patients had to wait up to five months for MRI scans, with an estimated national shortage of 5,000 radiographers. Since then, the Royal College of Radiologists believes that the position has deteriorated. Given that new recruits are simply not entering the profession, that too many radiologists are leaving early and that the Society of Radiographers has just become the first health service union to vote against "Agenda for Change", which would have meant a working year that was three weeks longer without extra pay, how on earth is the Minister going to meet her new recruitment targets by 2004 and bring down waiting times for scans without counting it as yet another top priority?
Ms Blears: The hon. Gentleman has a cheek, in view of the cuts in training places—not just for radiographers, but for GPs, doctors, nurses and a whole range of services—that took place under the Conservative Government. We are not only turning around those cuts but securing growth in the service.
Radiotherapy training places are now up by 55 per cent. from 1997 levels. Furthermore, radiographers are welcoming the new ways in which they can extend their skills. [Interruption.] If the hon. Gentleman listens to the information that I am providing, he might learn something. I urge him to read, in detail, the report on radiography published today, which shows that projects on skills mix have enabled advanced practitioners to interpret X-rays. They can now put the markers on the X-rays, which identify where breast lumps are, and other practitioners can carry out basic radiotherapy. It is not just about increasing capacity, but reforming and redesigning how the service works, using imagination and creativity, which the hon. Gentleman lacks.
Dr. Brian Iddon (Bolton, South-East): Is not one way of improving services that require expensive machinery such as MRI scanners to extend the hours of operation, assuming that we can secure the staff to carry out those tasks?
Ms Blears: As usual, my hon. Friend makes a good, practical, down-to-earth and common-sense suggestion. The Audit Commission found that the majority of machines were being used for more than 10 hours a day, but we can do much more to achieve round-the-clock working. Through "Agenda for Change" and the changes to the pay system for consultants, we need to ensure that we have flexibility in the system so that we can make maximum use of our theatres, diagnostic equipment and the new investment that the Government are putting in to the national health service.
Respite Care
9. Rev. Martin Smyth (Belfast South): What assessment he has made of the need for greater provision of respite care. [116532]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Jacqui Smith): Carers make an enormous contribution to our country and to those for whom they care. We have supported carers through new legislation and by increasing funding to provide support and services. In particular, the carers grant will more than double to £185 million by 2006. That will provide 130,000 more short breaks for carers.
Rev. Martin Smyth: I thank the Minister for that answer, but does she agree with Mencap that those who care for young people—who may need more attention as they grow older—need more help in the form of respite care? Will she try to assess the unmet need and also talk to ministerial colleagues in Northern Ireland about the situation there?
Jacqui Smith: The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. I am aware of Mencap's work, and it is partly why this year the learning disability task force—on which Mencap works with us, in the person of its chief executive, who plays an important role—has been asked, along with the implementation team that
works to develop the points set out in "Valuing People", to concentrate on how we can ensure that the general progress that we are making for carers includes those caring for people with learning disabilities. They, too, need access to the better services and deserve the support that can be provided.
David Taylor (North-West Leicestershire): The hospice movement provides terminal and day care, as well as the respite care to which the question refers. Have the Government moved closer to the commitment by successive Governments to match the amount raised by voluntary funding with contributions from the taxpayer? Many adult hospices are struggling. Staunton Harold hospice in north-west Leicestershire closed some months ago, and it was a major provider of respite care for that area and for south Derbyshire.
Jacqui Smith: I strongly agree with my hon. Friend about the important role that hospices play in respite care. That is why we have increased funding for palliative care, through NHS funding, by an unprecedented amount. We have also ensured that when the money goes into the system—the extra £50 million, for example—it gets through to benefit those who provide that important service in hospices and more widely through palliative care.
Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge): What is the Minister doing to make carers aware of the provision of respite care, so that they can take advantage of it? What education is she providing about carers assessments, which ensure that their needs are met?
Jacqui Smith: The hon. Gentleman will know that under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 carers can receive an assessment of their needs. He makes an important point about the need to provide better information. We support Carers UK financially, to help it to run its helpline. We also support the learning disability helpline, alongside Mencap, to which about a quarter of the callers are carers. We also support some innovative ways of reaching carers, including the ring-around carers scheme, which uses telephone conferencing to ensure that carers are aware of their new rights to assessments and their ability to access some of the increasing investment that is being made to support them.
Mr. Kevin Hughes (Doncaster, North): Millions of people care for their relatives and friends 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks a year. They save the state millions, if not billions, of pounds, and ask for little in return. Does the Minister agree that the least that we can do is to provide respite care for those carers at the time that they deem that they need it?
Jacqui Smith: My hon. Friend makes a very important point. He is right: carers make a massive contribution to this country and to the people whom they serve. In fact, six carers out of 10 have suggested that short breaks are often their most effective support. To enable us to provide such breaks, the Government
have doubled the amount of money going through the carers grant. In addition, we must make sure that the provision is more flexible. That is why we issued regulations—I think just last week—to develop the short-break voucher scheme. It is now easier for local authorities to issue carers with vouchers for their breaks, so that carers can take breaks at times, and with providers, that are more flexible and useful for them. However, my hon. Friend is right. The Government will do all that we can to support carers and the vital work that they do in our communities.
| Next Section
| Index | Home Page |