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8 Jul 2003 : Column 776W—continued
Hospital Food
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the most recent measurements are from the Phase I Better Hospital Food Programme's six key targets; [121618]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2003, Official Report, column 1211W, on hospital food, what the most recent figures are for 2003 of the Stage I Better Hospital Food Programme 6 key targets. [123097]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The figures will be made available shortly.
Measles
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of measles has been in each primary care trust in London in each of the last five years. [119870]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of notifications of infectious diseases are collected through the notifications of infectious diseases system (NOIDS). The Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, part of the Health Protection Agency, is responsible for administering the NOIDS system. It is also responsible for collating information on laboratory confirmed cases.
The number of laboratory confirmed cases of measles between 1997 and 2002 in London are shown in the table. Information has been provided for London, rather than by primary care trust, as the numbers are small. The data for 2002 is provisional and is therefore subject to change.
| Year | Number of cases in London |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 20 |
| 1998 | 13 |
| 1999 | 51 |
| 2000 | 50 |
| 2001 | 25 |
| 2002 | 198 |
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Milk Welfare Scheme
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to change the Milk Welfare Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [124032]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 7 July 2003]: The consultation paper setting out the Government's intention to reform the Welfare Food Scheme, "Healthy Start: proposals for reform of the Welfare Food Scheme", was published in October 2002. The Government published a summary of the responses received on 16 March 2003. Copies of both documents are available in the Library and are also available on the Department of Health's website at www.doh.gov.uk/healthystart. The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, which is before Parliament, contains the required legislation to reform the Welfare Food Scheme.
Mobile Defibrillators
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to expand the distribution of mobile defibrillators into (a) public buildings, (b) aeroplanes and (c) other areas. [119566]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The second phase of the Department of Health's national defibrillator programme was completed in November 2002. 679 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed across a total of 109 sites in England, including airports, railway stations, bus/coach stations, ferry ports and one shopping centre.
In July 2000, the NHS plan made a commitment to provide 3,000 AEDs in public places throughout England. The Department of Health is working in partnership with the New Opportunities Fund and the British Heart Foundation to take this forward.
Muscular Dystrophy
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer from (a) muscular dystrophy and (b) carry the muscular dystrophy gene. [122452]
Dr. Ladyman: Information on the incidence of individual diseases and on the number people carrying a particular gene is not held centrally.
Myeloma
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was available for research into a cure for myeloma in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement about future funding. [122028]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding from the Department of Trade and Industry
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via the Office for Science and Technology. The MRCs expenditure on research on myeloma is shown in the table.
| Year | £ |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 410,000 |
| 1999–2000 | 390,000 |
| 2000–01 | 360,000 |
| 2001–02 | 420,000 |
| 2002–03 | not available |
The MRC has also supported two major myeloma studies: Myeloma VII and Myeloma VIII. Because the MRC has changed the way in which information is kept about funding of trials, the figures in the table do not include spend on these two studies. The MRC has recently awarded £1 million to the Myeloma IX trial involving 1,600 patients. This trial will evaluate a number of different therapies and modalities of treatment used and being developed for myeloma, to provide information on their impact on response rates, survival and quality of life.
The MRC funds a considerable amount of basic underpinning research which is excluded from site-specific figures. As a guide, the MRC spent £75 million on cancer research in 2001–02. In addition, research classified as undertaken in one site may well have implications in another—leukaemia would be a relevant example in the case of myeloma.
The Department of Health meets the national health service support costs of research funded by the MRC and research charities. In 2000–01, an estimated £73.2 million was spent on cancer research through research and development allocations to NHS organisations. Management of the research supported by these allocations is devolved and expenditure at project level is not held centrally by the Department.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much it cost the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to place the article, 'We're making breakthroughs every day', in the Nursing Times on 17 June. [122400]
Dr. Ladyman: The 'Making Breakthroughs' advertisement placed by the Nottinghamshire Healthcare National Health Service Trust in the Nursing Times of the 17 June cost £4,900. The advertisement was aimed at attracting a significant number of high quality applicants to vacant nursing posts within the trust. Previous experience has shown that similar advertisements have had a high impact and deliver return on investment. Early evidence suggests the 17 June advertisement will be similarly successful.
Obesity
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what obesity management treatments are available on the NHS; and what plans the Government have to increase these. [118965]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued guidance on the anti-obesity drugs orlistat and sibutramine, treatment
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with which should be accompanied by specific concomitant advice, support and counselling on diet, physical activity and behavioural strategies. In July 2002 NICE also issued guidance which confirmed that surgical intervention was an appropriate treatment in some cases for the treatment of morbid obesity, when other options have proved unsuccessful. There are also 10 national health service obesity clinics in England.
In 2001, the Department of Health published a National Quality Assurance Framework on Exercise Referral Systems. The document offers guidance to primary care and fitness professionals, who work together to offer tailored exercise and physical activity programmes to patients whose health would benefit from increased exercise.
National service frameworks (NSFs) have been introduced—for example, for coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer, older people, diabetes and mental health—which set out the national standards that should be expected for treatment and services. The forthcoming NSF for children will address the health and social care needs of all children and will include the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity. Under the new arrangements for the NHS as outlined in "Shifting the Balance of Power", primary care trusts (PCTs) allocate funding from their own devolved budgets to deliver national targets and milestones and to meet local priorities.
The NHS Priorities and Planning Framework for 2003–06 includes targets on reducing CHD and diabetes. One of these targets requires practice-based registers and systematic treatment regimes, including appropriate advice on diet, physical activity and smoking, to cover the majority of patients at high risk of coronary heart disease, particularly those with hypertension, diabetes and a body mass index greater than 30 (i.e. people who are obese).
NICE and the Health Development Agency are also undertaking collaborative work to develop guidance on the identification, prevention and management of obesity and maintenance of weight reduction.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps the Government take to inform the public about weight loss options; [118967]
- (2) what information the Government issues regarding proven and unproven weight loss programmes; [118968]
(3) what research the Government have undertaken to evaluate the different weight loss programmes available in the commercial market; [118969]
(4) what research the Government have undertaken into the long-term effects of commercial weight loss programmes. [118970]
Miss Melanie Johnson: An evidence-based approach is being taken to tackle the prevention and management of obesity.
The Health Development Agency (HDA) will publish its review of effective interventions for the prevention and treatment of obesity later this year. A systematic review carried out by the University of York in 1997 indicated that effective interventions for obesity include diet, physical activity and behavioural strategies for
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adults in combination where possible. The health technology assessment programme, a national programme of research established and funded by the Department of Health research and development programme, currently includes a systematic review of obesity treatments which will update the 1997 review, publication of which is expected in January 2004. Commercial programmes which meet the inclusion criteria of these reviews will be assessed.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), collaborating with the HDA, have been tasked by the Department to develop guidance on the identification, prevention and management of obesity and maintenance of weight reduction.
Novel diets can be a variation of a "very low calorie diet" (VLCD): one which provides approximately less than 800 calories per day. A Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA 1987) report on VLCDs highlighted that a major criticism of them is that individuals frequently re-gain any weight lost after the diet has ended. A 1998 report by the Royal College of Physicians on the "Clinical management of overweight and obese patients" supported the findings of the COMA panel.
Primary care has a particularly important role in the prevention and management of obesity. Local action is being delivered through the national service frameworks, which aim to improve standards of care, and the Priorities and Planning Framework.
The Department has also funded the British Dietetic Association, as part of their "Weight Wise" campaign, to undertake project work on consumer messages and communication methods relating to weight management. The Department also contributed to the funding of the charity Weight Concern (through a Section 64 grant) to develop a "toolkit" on obesity for health professionals to use with patients in a group setting.
The Food Standards Agency supports projects relating to diet and nutrition and promoting the uptake of a healthy balanced diet in order to maintain a healthy weight throughout life and have an important role in providing consumers with information on healthy eating.
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