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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1263W—continued
Antibiotic-resistant Infections
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reports there were of antibiotic resistant E. coli in the NHS in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. [128921]
Dr. Ladyman: Under a voluntary reporting scheme, the Health Protection Agency receives reports of E. coli blood stream infections with their susceptibility to antibiotics from microbiology laboratories in England and Wales. Gentamicin resistance is monitored because it is used to treat the more serious E. coli infections.
Table 1 shows data on gentamicin resistance for England and Wales from 1997 to 1999. Data on gentamicin resistance in England, broken down by region, is available only from 2000. This is shown in table 2. Data by strategic health authority is not available.
| Number resistant | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 132 |
| 1998 | 161 |
| 1999 | 175 |
| Number resistant | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Northern and Yorkshire(69) | 12 | 28 | — |
| North East | — | — | 8 |
| Northern and Humberside | — | — | 45 |
| East Midlands | 21 | 6 | 24 |
| Eastern | 24 | 48 | 58 |
| London | 45 | 30 | 67 |
| South East | 37 | 54 | 64 |
| South West | 17 | 20 | 31 |
| West Midlands | 12 | 15 | 108 |
| North West | 13 | 17 | 36 |
| Total | 181 | 218 | 441 |
(69) Northern and Yorkshire was divided into two regions—North East and Yorkshire and Humberside—in 2002.
Source:
Health Protection Agency—Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre.
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reports of MRSA outside hospitals there were in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. [128922]
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Dr. Ladyman: A new national mandatory surveillance system for healthcare associated infection started with reporting of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections (bacteraemias), in April 2001. All acute trusts in England now collect this information and results for the first year of this scheme (April 2001 to March 2002) were published by individual trust in the Communicable Disease Report Weekly on 20 June 2002. They are available at www.phls.co.uk/publications/cdr/PDFfiles/2002/cdr2502.pdf.
Information for 2002–03 will be published shortly.
The data do not include information on where the infection was acquired (hospital or elsewhere). However, the majority of cases are acquired in hospital.
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of urinary tract infections resistant to antibiotics were recorded in the NHS in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. [128920]
Miss Melanie Johnson: This information is not held centrally.
Antibiotics
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many antibiotic and antimicrobial drugs were bought by the NHS in each of the last six years; and what the expenditure was on these drugs in each year. [128902]
Dr. Ladyman: There is currently no comprehensive national data available on the costs of antibiotic and antimicrobial drugs in the national health service.
The number of prescription items and the associated net ingredient cost for anti-bacterial drugs (antibiotics), dispensed in the community in England from 1997 to 2002 is shown in the table.
| Prescription items | Net ingredient cost | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 46.4 | 172.0 |
| 1998 | 42.6 | 163.0 |
| 1999 | 38.6 | 177.1 |
| 2000 | 36.9 | 172.2 |
| 2001 | 37.9 | 162.8 |
| 2002 | 37.0 | 164.4 |
Notes:
1. The prescription information was obtained from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Total prescriptions include not only prescriptions originating from general medical practitioners in England but also from hospital doctors, nurses, and dentists, provided they were dispensed in the community. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions.
2. Antibacterial drugs are those defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 5.1, "Antibacterial drugs".
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies he has assessed of a possible correlation between GP antibiotic prescribing levels and antibiotic resistance. [128924]
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Dr. Ladyman: Prescribing of antimicrobials by general practitioners in England decreased by 16 per cent. between 1996 and 2002, but there is currently no system in place to link prescribing levels to antibiotic resistance.
The Department is currently funding three research projects, which are investigating to link antimicrobial prescribing data to diagnosis and clinical outcome.
Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital
Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new buildings will be provided for the new treatment centre at Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital. [130934]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 18 September 2003]: It is proposed that existing facilities at Ashford Hospital be refurbished to provide an operating theatre and in-patient beds.
Asian Health Indicators
Mrs. Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the health indicators specific to the (a) Indian, (b) Bangladeshi and (c) Pakistani communities. [131007]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The public assessment of the national health service through indicators is the responsibility of the Commission for Health Improvement the independent regulator of NHS performance.
The Department's strategy for meeting the needs of minority ethnic communities is to set action on race equality within the overall framework for planning and delivering the Department's priorities. The Department has a detailed programme of work under way to take forward our race equality commitments and has strengthened the arrangements for supporting and accounting for progress on race equality.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [130262]
Dr. Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence appraisal of the use of methylphenidate in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) estimated the prevalence of all types of ADHD at around 5 per cent. of school-aged children, approximately 345,000 of six to 16-year-olds in England.
Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of using coloured spectacle lenses in the treatment of children with autistic spectrum disorders. [128701]
Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 9 September 2003]: There is currently little evidence in this area and we are not aware of any widely accepted benefits to specific groups such as children on the autistic spectrum. We will, however, continue to consider the issue as evidence becomes available.
6 Oct 2003 : Column 1266W
Batten's Disease
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funding has been given to research of Batten's Disease; and how many children he estimates have the condition; [131240]
- (2) what steps his Department has taken to increase the awareness among (a) general practitioners and (b) other health professionals of Batten's Disease. [131241]
Dr. Ladyman: The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC has large current portfolios on neurological disorders and genetics. However, none of this research is specifically into Batten's disease. Nevertheless, this work includes a considerable amount of underpinning research that may be of relevance. The MRC has funded some research on Batten's disease in the past and currently carries out work on the main symptoms of the disease.
Information on the number of children with Batten's disease is not collected centrally.
The Department has for many years provided section 64 funding to Climb (Children Living with Inherited Metabolic Diseases), a voluntary organisation which provides information, advice and support to children suffering from metabolic diseases, including Batten's disease, and their families, as well as educating health care professionals. Climb is currently in receipt of a project grant for £63,220 over the period from 2002–03 to 2005–06.
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