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8 Sept 2003 : Column 168W—continued
Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford in the last available quarter; and what percentage of the cancelled operations were consequently carried out within four weeks. [127461]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not collected for individual hospital sites. Broomfield hospital is part of Mid-Essex Hospital Services National Health Service Trust. The number of last minute cancellations for non-medical reasons at Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust in the period January to March 2003 was 174. Information is not collected on the proportion of these cancellations that were consequently carried out within four weeks.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mixed sex wards and wards have been artificially divided into single-sex bays at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford. [127464]
Dr. Ladyman: The information is not available in the format requested. Ward level data are not collected.
The Department of Health has set three objectives to support the elimination of mixed sex accommodation with a deadline of December 2002, designed to deliver separate sleeping areas, separate toilet and washing facilities and safe facilities for the mentally ill. That deadline has now been reached and today over 98 per cent. of wards across the national health service meet these standards. Given that there are some 10,000 wards in use, this is a significant achievement. A number of new hospitals and health care facilities are currently in construction, which will ultimately bring all wards to the required standards.
Cancer
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed directly in the management of cancer within the NHS. [127653]
Mr. Hutton: Of the staff directly involved in the management of cancer, the workforce census only separately identifies the medical specialties in the cancer group.
The specialties included in the cancer group are clinical oncology, clinical radiology, haematology, histopathology, palliative medicine and medical oncology. As at 31 March 2003, there were 4,059
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hospital medical consultants within the cancer group in England. This represents an increase of 29 per cent. since September 1997.
Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the quality of care cancer patients receive from the NHS. [127784]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Some of the cancer research funded by Government (an estimated total of £190 million in 2001–01) is on quality of cancer care. The National Health Service Research and Development Programme on Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) is currently commissioning projects on the evaluation of cancer services quality with an expected total value of around £0.6 million. The SDO Programme is also funding a £0.4 million project studying patient experience of cancer services. The NHS R&D Health Technology Assessment Programme commissions research on the comparative clinical effectiveness of interventions in cancer care.
The NHS Plan set out the intention to make available authoritative, evidence-based guidance on all aspects of NHS cancer care. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence was therefore asked to build on the existing cancer service guidance programme by commissioning a comprehensive package of guidance for cancer services covering all cancers. The Department's policy research programme has funded the evidence-based reviews underpinning the development of this guidance.
The findings of the National Cancer Patients Survey were published in July 2002, with 65,500 responses covering all 172 NHS trusts in England with eligible patients agreed to participate in the survey. In this, patients were commenting on treatment they received between July 1999 and June 2000—before publication of the NHS Cancer Plan in September 2000. The survey provides a benchmark against which implementation of the National Cancer Plan can be monitored.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time cancer specialists were working in the NHS, broken down by speciality, in each of the last six years. [127315]
Mr. Hutton: The table shows the number of hospital medical staff within the cancer group specialties, with full-time contracts for the last six years. Only consultant data are available for March 2003.
(34) Not available. 2003 data are taken from the medical and dental work force mini census, which only counted consultants.
Note:
1997 to 2002 data as at 30 September and 2003 data as at 31 March.
Source:
Department of Health medical and dental work force census.
8 Sept 2003 : Column 170W
Care Homes
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing care and residential care beds were provided by local authorities in each year since 1997. [127355]
Dr. Ladyman: The latest available information on the number of nursing and residential care home places provided by local authorities in each year since 1997 is shown in the table.
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| Number of places | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | |
| Residential care | |||||
| LA staffed | 65,820 | 63,980 | 59,030 | 55,460 | 50,860 |
| Independent(35) | 246,550 | 252,810 | 252,290 | 253,360 | 252,380 |
| Nursing care | |||||
| Independent(36) | 196,270 | 205,590 | 202,150 | 193,330 | 186,830 |
| Dual registered | 25,770 | 31,120 | 32,720 | 37,090 | 37,940 |
| Total all homes | 534,410 | 553,490 | 546,190 | 539,240 | 528,000 |
(35) Includes places in voluntary, private and small residential homes.
(36) Places include beds in general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
Source:
RA form A and KO36, RH(N) forms, Department of Health.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of care home beds in Essex. [127493]
Dr. Ladyman: The latest available information on the number of care home beds in Essex is shown in the table.
| Essex Area(37) | (38)Total number of care home places |
|---|---|
| As at 31 March | |
| 1999 | 14,730 |
| 2000 | 14,200 |
| 2001 | 14,230 |
(37) Care home places in nursing homes in North and South Essex health authorities and residential homes in Essex shire county and Southend and Thurrock unitary authorities.
(38) Total includes places in residential LA staffed, independent and dual registered homes, and beds in general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
Source:
RA Form A and RH(N) forms, Department of Health
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care home beds there are in (a) Greater London and (b) England. [127502]
Dr. Ladyman: The latest available information on the number of care home places in Greater London and England as at 31 March 2001 is shown in the table.
| As at 31 March 2001 | Total number of care home places(40) |
|---|---|
| England | 528,000 |
| London | 47,430 |
(39) All residential homes in councils with social services responsibilities in inner and Outer London and all nursing homes in Health Authorities within London.
(40) Includes places in residential LA staffed, independent and dual registered homes and beds in general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
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