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1 Jul 2003 : Column 228W—continued
Aston Hall Hospital
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to support the re-provisioning of Aston Hall Hospital in Derbyshire. [122423]
Dr. Ladyman: This Government have allocated £20 million per year to the capital element of the Learning Disability Development Fund (LDDF). In 2002–03, Greater Derby Primary Care Trust—the lead commissioner for Learning Disabilities in Southern Derbyshire—successfully bid for £200,000 of this, which will be used to help the re-provision of care to residents of Aston Hall Hospital.
In 2003–04, responsibility for allocating LDDF capital fell to strategic health authorities.
Carers Grant
Mr. Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the net expenditure from the carers grant by each social services authority in England (a) was in each year since 1997–98 and (b) is projected for financial year 2003–04. [122383]
Dr. Ladyman: The figures for net expenditure are not collected centrally.
The Carers Grant started in 1999–2000 and information on gross expenditure is available for 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02. A copy of these figures has been placed in the Library.
Continuing Care
17. Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to announce the Department's response to the Health Service Ombudsman's report on continuing care. [122435]
Dr. Ladyman: The Department has been responding vigorously to the key recommendations since the publication of the Health Service Ombudsman's report on continuing care. We have already announced a number of actions to address the key issues raised.
I will be meeting with the Ombudsman in the autumn to review progress.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his Answer of 9 June, Official Report, column 681W, on continuing care, how many people may have been wrongly denied full NHS funding for continuing care based on local information, broken down by strategic health authorities; [121596]
- (2) pursuant to his Answer of 19 June 2003, Official Report, columns 428–9W, on continuing care, how he will inform (a) the National Care Standards Commission, (b) the Health Service Ombudsman, (c) strategic health authorities and (d) individuals of the numbers of people who may have been wrongly assessed under criteria not consistent with the Coughlan judgment; and if he will make a statement. [121767]
Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 26 June 2003]: We have no current plans to publish the numbers of people who may have been wrongly assessed under criteria not consistent with the Coughlan judgment.
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We will communicate with the National Care Standards Commission, the Ombudsman, strategic health authorities and individuals as and when appropriate.
Domiciliary Oxygen Users
Mrs. Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the need for the provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use; and what plans he has to make conserving devices available on prescription for domiciliary oxygen users. [118480]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Swindon (Ms Drown) on 10 June 2003, Official Report, columns 1071–72W by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Lammy).
Endometriosis
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to promote awareness of endometriosis. [122419]
Miss Melanie Johnson: We will be making funds available to the National Endometriosis Society to help raise awareness of endometriosis among women and general practitioners. They will produce two leaflets. The first will be a leaflet to raise awareness among women of the condition and encourage those with symptoms to discuss them with their GP. They will also produce a leaflet for GPs that will highlight the signs and symptoms to help early diagnosis and encourage appropriate treatment.
Eye Health
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the spending on preventative eye health education was (a) in total, (b) on school age children and (c) on people over the age of 50 in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 2000; and what expenditure has been allocated for financial year 2003–04. [119705]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department does not allocate funding specifically to eye health education. We are, however, doing much to improve the detection and treatment of those with sight problems.
Free sight tests are available under the national health service to large parts of the population, including all those aged 60 and over, children, those aged 16–18 in full-time education, people on benefits, those people at particular risk of developing eye disease, and people who are registered blind or partially sighted or who have a complex spectacle prescription. Sight tests are the ideal opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for signs of disease. Those at risk of specific eye disease, for example, diabetic retinopathy, may be asked to attend regular screening. Overall, the number of NHS sight tests undertaken continues to increase. 9.8 million NHS sight tests were paid for by health authorities in 2001–02, an increase of three per cent. on 2000–01. 41 per cent. or four million, of these sight tests were performed on patients aged 60 or over, a group most vulnerable to eye disease. 24 per cent. or 2.4 million, were performed on children.
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In addition, we announced on 21 May the investment of an additional 52 million to deliver shorter waiting times for cataract patients, so that no patient will wait more than three months by December 2004, with most areas achieving this by the summer of 2004. We are also aiming to ensure that a minimum of 80 per cent. of people with diabetes are offered screening for the early detection and treatment, if needed, of diabetic eye disease, rising to 100 per cent. coverage by the end of 2007. This includes investment of £27 million for the NHS to purchase state of the art digital cameras and related screening equipment.
We have promoted a system of child health and development checks. The programme of home visiting and community development makes an important contribution to many areas of health education, and fosters the early detection of problems, including those associated with eye sight in young, pre-school children. The programme also provides the opportunity to develop closer relationships between the family and the primary care team.
Information about the extensive arrangements for providing help with NHS optical services and other health costs are publicised in leaflet HC11, "Are you entitled to help with health costs?" Posters are also available for display in optical practices and hospital out-patient departments.
Falls
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to issue guidance on falls. [122322]
Dr. Ladyman: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) anticipates that the guidance on falls will be published in August 2004. Details of the anticipated publication date of all NICE guidance can be found on the NICE website at: www.nice.org.uk
Food Supplements
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last discussed his policy objectives for food supplements with counterparts in other European Union member states; with whom such discussions were held; what progress was made; and if he will make a statement. [119831]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government are firmly committed to the view that, in the interests of consumer choice, the law should allow food supplements that are safe and properly labelled to be freely marketed.
The most recent formal discussions on this issue took place in the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses in November 2002 and involved representatives of all European Union Member States other than Luxembourg; no firm conclusions were reached. The next stage at EU level will be discussions about maximum permitted levels of nutrients in food supplements. The Government's view is that these should be based on safety considerations rather than supposed need so as to neither unnecessarily limit consumer choice nor unduly restrict trade.
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The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which is responsible for negotiations on this issue, takes every opportunity to press this case bilaterally with Member States. In addition, in May, the FSA wrote to EU Member States to advise them of the conclusions of the UK Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) on safe intakes of vitamins and minerals. The EVM's advice will form the basis of the United Kingdom's position when substantive discussions at EU level take place in due course.
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts with regard to the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements; and if he will make a statement. [120764]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 20 June 2003]: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton South-East (Dr. Iddon) today.
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