| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
20 Oct 2003 : Column 470W—continued
Private Operations
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people classed as self pay undertook operations in the private sector in each year since 1997, broken down by type of operation. [122791]
Mr. Hutton: The Department of Health does not collect information on the number of patients having operations carried out in the private sector, nor on the source of funding for those operations.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his response to the Adjournment Debate on rheumatoid arthritis of 17 July 2003, Official Report, columns 537–42, what the evidential basis was for his statement that postcode prescribing of anti-TNF therapy is now rare. [131899]
Dr. Ladyman: Implementation of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence drug appraisals in the national health service has had an impact in reducing
20 Oct 2003 : Column 471W
postcode prescribing. More patients are now able to get the drugs they need. The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance report appears to support this, as almost two-thirds of the rheumatologists surveyed reported no problems. Anti-TNF drugs should help approximately 15,000 people. The manufacturers of these drugs estimate that around 9,000 patients are already benefiting.
Sexual Health
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to introduce a national service framework for sexual health. [132779]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government have no plans to introduce a national service framework for sexual health. The Government have already published the national strategy for sexual health and HIV in 2001 and has outlined progress and plans in the response to the Health Select Committee's report on sexual health, published in September 2003.
This recognises the value of developing and spreading good practice and identifying recommended standards for sexual health and HIV. Recommended standards for HIV treatment and care were published on 6 October this year and similar work is under way for sexually transmitted infections, reproductive health and psychosexual services.
Smoking
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to encourage other Government Departments and agencies to become smoke-free; [130062]
- (2) what plans the Government have to bring in legislation to control smoking in the workplace; [130063]
(3) what guidance the Government give to employers regarding smoking in the workplace; [130064]
(4) what plans he has to introduce a code of practice on smoking in the workplace in (a) England and (b) Wales; [130065]
(5) whether he plans to ban smoking on government premises. [130066]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The White Paper, "Smoking Kills", states that smoke-free places are the ideal. We will continue to encourage employers and the managers of public places to introduce smoke-free policies.
An employer already has a duty, under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to
- "ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees",
and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require that
"rest rooms and rest areas shall include suitable arrangements to protect non-smokers from discomfort caused by tobacco smoke".
20 Oct 2003 : Column 472W
Psychologists (South Essex)
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychologists were employed by South Essex Mental Health and Community Care NHS Trust on September. [132629]
Dr. Ladyman: South Essex Mental Health and Community Care National Health Service Trust was replaced by South Essex Partnership NHS Trust in April 2002. The number of psychologists employed by South Essex Partnership NHS Trust in September 2003 has not been published. Figures for September 2002 are shown in the table.
| Headcount | ||
|---|---|---|
| RWN | South Essex Partnership NHS Trust | 31 |
(19) The services provided by South Essex Mental Health and Community Care NHS Trust, as at 30 September 2002, were provided by South Essex Partnership NHS Trust.
Source:
Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.
Stroke Services
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action his Department is taking to accelerate the spread of information on functional electrical stimulation techniques for the rehabilitation of stroke sufferers; [132586]
- (2) what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of functional electrical stimulation techniques for the rehabilitation of stroke sufferers; [132587]
(3) how many NHS trusts provide functional electrical stimulation as a treatment for stroke sufferers. [132588]
Dr. Ladyman: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is available only in specialist centres where there is an interest in the procedure. It requires physiotherapists who have specialist training in the technique supported by specialist medical physicists. The forthcoming National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke from the Royal College of Physicians states that FES should not be used on a routine basis and that it should only be considered for a very select group of stroke patients as determined by local protocols. We do not know how many national health service trusts provide FES as a treatment for stroke.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many stroke physicians there were in (a) 1998 to 1999 and (b) 2002 to 2003. [130115]
20 Oct 2003 : Column 473W
Mr. Hutton: The Department does not collect data on stroke physicians; a number of specialties are linked with the treatment of patients with strokes. The main specialties are geriatric medicine, neurology and rehabilitation medicine but it is not possible to say how many of the physicians within these specialties specialise in the treatment of strokes.
20 Oct 2003 : Column 474W
The table shows the number of hospital medical staff in geriatric medicine, neurology and rehabilitation medicine from 1998 to 2003.
Between September 1997 and June 2003, total consultant numbers in geriatric medicine, neurology and rehabilitation medicine increased by 380 (37 per cent.).