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6 Oct 2003 : Column 1336W—continued
Operation Costs
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the variation in the cost of operations in NHS hospitals and health authorities in the last 12 months. [127481]
Mr. Hutton: Data showing the variation of national health service unit costs are provided through the reference cost index. Since the data are provided at health care resource group (groupings of treatment episodes similar in resource use and clinical response) level, it is not possible to determine the variation in the cost of operations specifically. In addition, reference cost data for the financial year 2002–03 will not be available until the autumn.
The Department's report provides an analysis of 2001–02 reference cost data. This shows that the variation in unit costs across NHS trusts, measured by the standard deviation, fell from 21.2 in 2000–01 to 16.9 in 2001–02.
Ophthalmology
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce tariffs for ophthalmological procedures which take into account the complexity of a case. [129590]
Mr. Hutton: The Department is currently introducing a new way of funding national health service providers for the care that they provide. Under this system, the prices charged to primary care trusts will be based on a national tariff which takes account of the complexity of different cases by using healthcare resource groups.
The first phase of this implementation started this year and includes all additional in-patient and daycase activity for cataract surgery. From 2005–06, all activity within ophthalmology will be undertaken at the national tariff.
Organ Donors
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effect of using the electoral registration form to increase the number of organ donors; what discussions he has had with (a) ministerial colleagues and (b) others about this scheme; if he will make it his policy to ensure the scheme continues; what other plans he has to increase the number of organ donors; and if he will make a statement. [128321]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Electoral Commission has issued guidance on including additional non-electoral material on or with electoral registration forms. Circular EC23/2003 can be found at http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk. The guidance makes clear that the ultimate decision on whether or not
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to include any additional material with electoral registration forms rests with individual electoral registration officers.
People are encouraged to join the organ donor register through a number of initiatives, including when they apply for a driving licence, register with a new general practitioner or, apply for a new passport. Additionally, UK Transplant runs publicity campaigns and targets action to raise the profile of organ donation, including specific advertising and information campaigns to increase organ donation from the South Asian and black African and Caribbean populations.
Out-patient Care
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the (a) percentage change in elective activity and (b) percentage change in out-patient referrals from general practitioners in each of the last five years. [130329]
Mr. Hutton: The tables show national figures for elective admissions and general practitioner referrals for first out-patient appointments over the last five years.
| Elective admissions (thousand) | Percentage growth from previous year | Percentage growth over five years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 4,655 | 2.0 | |
| 1998–99 | 5,093 | 9.4 | |
| 1999–2000 | 5,160 | 1.3 | |
| 2000–01 | 5,277 | 2.3 | |
| 2001–02(109) | 5,314 | 0.7 | |
| 2002–03(110) | 5,552 | 4.5 | 19.3 |
(109) Earlier figures are from health authorities. With the abolition of health authorities, figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03 are estimated based on growth in NHS trusts.
(110) These are provisional figures for admissions commissioned by the NHS.
Source:
Department of Health, SaFFR
| Number of referrals | Percentage growth from previous year | Percentage growth over five years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 8,991,722 | ||
| 1998–99 | 9,139,785 | 1.6 | |
| 1999–2000 | 9,141,425 | 0.0 | |
| 2000–01 | 9,362,770 | 2.4 | |
| 2001–02 | 9,470,342 | 1.1 | |
| 2002–03 | 9,655,874 | 2.0 | 7.4 |
Note:
These figures are for GP and dental practitioner written referrals received by NHS hospitals "provider based". They will include some private patients, and some patients who live outside England.
Source:
Department of Health form QM08
Overseas Nurses
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it a requirement for all private nurse
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recruitment agencies, who supply staff to the NHS, to sign up to his Department's code of practice governing the recruitment of overseas nurses. [129117]
Mr. Hutton: Workforce development confederations are working with trusts to ensure they comply with the code of practice and only work with agencies who are compliant.
We strongly recommend trusts to incorporate the code of practice in contracts with agencies.
A list of agencies compliant with the code of practice is available at www.doh.gov.uk/international-recruitment.
PAF PI C33
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions due to falls or hypothermia as recorded in PAF PI C33 were recorded in each of the last five years. [130847]
Dr. Ladyman: The number of admissions due to falls or hypothermia as recorded in PAF PI C33 for the last five years are shown in the table.
| Number of admissions | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 72,416 |
| 1998–99 | 77,854 |
| 1999–2000 | 80,711 |
| 2000–01 | 78,787 |
| 2001–02 | 80,034 |
The figures have been calculated on the same basis as those used to form the numerator part of the C33 indicator. Data are calculated for patients aged 75 or over and resident in England.
Patient Care
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guarantees of further treatment are given to patients whose operations are cancelled at the last minute. [130316]
Mr. Hutton: Since 1 April 2002, the NHS Plan cancelled operations guarantee has been in place. It states:
- "if a patient's operation is cancelled by the hospital on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons, the hospital will have to offer another binding date within a maximum of the next 28 days or fund the patient's treatment at the time and hospital of the patient's choice".
Patient Environment and Action Team Reports
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the most recent reports of the Patient Environment and Action Team inspection units for acute trusts in the Northern and Yorkshire statistical area. [129586]
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Mr. Hutton: The results of the Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) assessments for all hospitals included in the 2003 assessment were published on the NHS Estates' website on 13 August 2003.
There are no plans to publish PEAT reports, although each national health service trust received a copy for each of their hospitals included in the assessment.
Personal Care (Voluntary Organisations)
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of (a) the increase in aggregate indemnity insurance costs borne by voluntary organisations involved in the personal care sector between 2000–01 and 2003–04 and (b) the resultant impact on activity levels of such voluntary organisations. [130699]
Dr. Ladyman: Information on the level of insurance costs paid by voluntary organisations involved in personal care is not collected centrally. We have consequently no way of relating back any measure of activity relating to the care sector with any change to insurance costs. However, overall activity levels in the care sector have increased over this period: since 1997 the number of older residents supported by local authorities in care homes has increased by 3,000, and the number of households receiving intensive home care, ten hours or more and six plus visits, increased from 72,300 in 2000 to 81,500 in 2002. We cannot, however, determine any relationship between this increase in overall activity to either voluntary sector providers or to any change in liability insurance costs.
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