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3 Jul 2003 : Column 493W—continued
Parliamentary Questions
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the questions from the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham, ref 116459 tabled on 22 May, refs (a) 114052, (b) 114085, (c) 114056, (d) 114033, (e) 114001, (f) 114048, (g) 114060, (h) 114003, (i) 114019, (j) 114002, (k) 114050, (l) 114065, (m) 114164, (n) 114084, (o) 114012, (p) 114062, (q) 114054, (r) 114058, (s) 114002, (t) 114049, (u) 114063, (v) 114163, (w) 114055, (x) 114059, (y) 114051, (z) 110461, (aa) 114053, (bb) 114090, (cc) 114057, (dd) 114061, (ee) 114053, (ff) 114090, (gg) 114057 tabled on 13 May, and refs (i) 116467 and (ii) 116468 tabled on 3 June. [123460]
Mr. Hutton: The table shows the dates on which the hon. Member's questions were answered.
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Paroxetine
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have (a) self-harmed and (b) committed suicide whilst taking prescribed paroxetine in each year since 1997. [122390]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) receive reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) submitted by doctors, dentists, pharmacists and coroners via the Yellow Card Scheme by doctors and there is a legal requirement for companies to report suspected ADRs to their drugs.
The number of reports received via the Yellow Card Scheme does not directly equate to the number of people who suffer adverse reactions to drugs for a number of reasons including an unknown level of under reporting. It is important to note that the reporting of a reaction does not necessarily mean it was caused by the drug and may relate to other factors such as the patient's underlying illness or other medicines taken concurrently.
A total of 196 reports of 'suspected' ADRs have been received through this scheme in association with paroxetine in children aged 18 years or under, including three reports of deliberate self-harm, all occurring in 1999 and two reports of suicide (accomplished)—one each occurring in 2002 and 2003.
Physical Activity
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to develop partnerships with sports bodies at (a) national and (b) local level to promote physical activity. [119429]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department of Health recognises the important contribution sport and leisure activities can make to a healthy, active lifestyle. Therefore we are already working in partnership with a range of sports bodies at both a national and local level.
The Department of Health and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport are jointly leading the Sport and Physical Activity Board (SPAB), which will meet for the first time in July 2003. Sports organisations, such as national governing bodies of sport, will be encouraged to contribute to the work of SPAB, whose aim will be to increase participation through a co-ordinated, strategic approach to the planning and delivery of sport and physical activity at a national and regional level.
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The Department of Health is hosting a two-year physical activity secondment post from Sport England. The aim of this post is to develop stronger links between sport and health.
Nine Regional Sports Boards (RSBs) established by Sport England provide the mechanism for sport and health to link more effectively. Their membership includes a range of health professionals, including the Regional Director for Public Health.
The Department is working in partnership with Sport England and the Countryside Agency to fund the local exercise action pilots (LEAP) programme. The three-year programme will test out a range of community approaches to increasing access to and levels of physical activity in nine primary care trust (PCT) led pilots across England. Sports development and leisure services are contributing to the pilots through their local strategic partnerships. Two of the pilots are based in sport action zones and the majority of the PCTs are working closely with sports bodies to deliver health-related outcomes.
In the context of the national service framework for coronary heart disease, PCTs and individual general practitioner practices are working with sport and leisure services to implement local policies for promoting physical activity, for example, through the delivery of exercise referral schemes, free swimming initiatives and weight management programmes.
Physical Disability
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most common cause of physical disability is in (a) England, (b) South Sefton, (c) Southport and (d) Formby. [122235]
Dr. Ladyman: The most common cause of physical disability in England is diseases of the musculoskeletal system, particularly arthritis and rheumatism. Such information is not available for South Sefton, Southport and Formby, but there is no evidence to suggest that they vary from England as a whole.
Prisons
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in developing the prison health development network between primary care trusts and prisons. [123303]
Dr. Ladyman: 1 July 2003 marked the launch of the Prison Health Development Network with an event in London attended by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Department (Mr. Goggins) and Sir Nigel Crisp, National Health Service Chief Executive and Department of Health Permanent Secretary.
The launch event follows the Home Office announcement on 25 September 2002 that funding responsibility for health care within the Prison Service would become part of the NHS. The front line commissioning responsibility for individual prisons will have transferred to their local primary care trust (PCT) by 1 April 2006.
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The aim of the Prison Health Development Network is to support prisons and PCTs and develop their partnership roles. The network will provide invaluable lessons as the gradual transfer of responsibility takes place.
Work on the network has been divided into two separate phases:
- Firstly, a diagnostic stage that will involve the PCTs and prisons identifying the potential problem areas for their organisations and highlighting areas of interest that they will be involved in;
The second phase, which will start in September, will focus on helping PCTs and prisons develop practical solutions to the issues identified and share the experience and good practice with others. It is expected that those prisons and PCTs in the network that have made sufficient progress and are ready will 'go live' from April 2004.
Private Health Care
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent undertakings have been given to the Government of South Africa about the recruitment of health staff; how many South African health care companies have been asked to tender for private contracts for the provision of care to NHS patients; and what restrictions the British Government intend to impose on the South African staff working for such companies. [121457]
Mr. Hutton: A code of practice for national health service employers recruiting from overseas was published in 2001 and sets out standards for international recruitment, including the need to protect the needs of developing countries such as South Africa and to only work with those countries which have formal agreements in place with the Department of Health to recruit healthcare professionals.
The Department's agreement with the South African Health Ministry on the recruitment of overseas clinical teams is on the basis that only private sector providers will be considered. The agreement is on the assumption that clinicians come to the United Kingdom for a maximum of six weeks per year on a rotational basis; this is designed to aid to the long-term retention of staff in the South African healthcare system.
A total of 14 South African companies have been asked to tender for contracts to provide overseas clinical teams in the UK. Contracts have been awarded to South African companies at Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust.
In addition, two South African healthcare companies are included in the list of qualifying bidders preparing tenders for independent sector diagnosis and treatment centres contracts and we have assurances from both companies that, if selected, they will abide by the NHS code of practice for international recruitment.
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