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23 Oct 2003 : Column 733W—continued
Elderly Care
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research into the provision of elderly care by the independent care sector; and if he will make a statement. [132914]
Dr. Ladyman: There are no current plans to commission research into the provision of older people's care by the independent care sector. We believe that older people and their families should be able to choose from a range of options that will best meet their needs. The quality of care available to individuals is much more important to them than the type of organisation that provides the care.
Foundation Hospital Trusts
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the criteria he intends to apply when deciding the value of the asset base and the charge on assets for foundation trusts. [132144]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 14 October 2003]: All national health service bodies are at present required to earn an annual return of 3.5 per cent. of their average relevant net assets held during the year. This charge is
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paid by NHS trusts as public dividend capital dividend. Relevant net assets are all the assets and liabilities held by the NHS body, with the exceptions of donated assets, assets provided by Government grant and cash held in paymaster accounts. The legislation currently before Parliament requires that the Public Dividend Capital dividend payment required from foundation trusts would be calculated on the same basis as that for NHS trusts.
Foundation Trusts (Assets)
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the criteria which he intends to apply when deciding the value of the asset base and the charge on assets for foundation trusts will be the same for private finance initiative hospitals and other hospitals. [132145]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 14 October 2003]: All national health service bodies are at present required to earn an annual return of 3.5 per cent. of their average relevant net assets held during the year. This charge is paid by NHS trusts as Public Dividend Capital (PDC) dividend. The assets of NHS foundation trusts will be valued on the same basis as those of NHS trusts at present, using the current cost accounting base.
The cost of capital charged on NHS foundation trusts' asset base in 2004–05 will also be calculated on the same basis as for NHS trusts at present. Clause 13(4) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill will require that the PDC dividend payment required from foundation trusts would be calculated on the same basis as that for NHS trusts. Details of the criteria are available in the "NHS Capital Accounting Manual", which is obtainable from the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk.
GP Contract
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implementation of the new general practitioner contract. [132351]
Mr. Hutton: The Government remain committed to the implementation of the new practice-based general medical services contract by April 2004, as set out in contract document "Investing in General Practice", a copy of which is available in the Library.
Home Improvements (Waiting Times)
Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of waiting times for (a) stairlifts and (b) downstairs extensions and modifications when people have been assessed as unable to climb stairs or to use standard toilet or washing facilities; and if he will make a statement. [133484]
Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
Housing adaptations for disabled people such as stair lifts, level access showers and downstairs extensions can be grant aided under the disabled facilities grant programme. This is a mandatory grant available to eligible applicants in order to help them to continue to live independently in their own homes. It is funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and administered through local authorities.
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The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's budget for this grant has been increased substantially to £100 million for this year. However demand for the grant remains high and waiting lists do occur. Local authorities are required to respond to any full application for a disabled facilities grant within six months.
The Government do not collect information on the length of any waiting lists. However jointly with the Department of Health we have issued draft guidance to local authorities setting out best practice in delivering this service. This includes target times for the complete delivery process including needs assessment, processing of the application and the completion of building works. These target times will depend on the complexity of, and priority attached to, individual cases but the guidance suggests that the maximum target time for the entire process should in any event be no more than 260 working days and only 80 working days in high priority cases. We are currently considering responses to this consultation and hope to issue final guidance to local housing and social service authorities before the end of this year.
Hospital Subsidies
Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the criteria he will use in exercising his discretion over subsidies to hospitals will be the same for foundation and non-foundation trusts. [132146]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 14 October 2003]: To the extent that any public funds are made available for any central initiative from the Department (for example, implementation of national service framework initiatives) national health service foundation trusts should have access to an equitable proportion of those funds, whatever the actual source.
This is why we are taking powers, under Section 11 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, to ensure that the Secretary of State is able to make loans, issue Public Dividend Capital or grants when providing financial assistance to NHS foundation trusts. These powers mirror the equivalent legislative provisions applying to NHS trusts.
Influenza Vaccinations
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Department is taking to encourage older people to get immunised against influenza. [133213]
Miss Melanie Johnson: We launched a campaign on 1 October incorporating a number of strategies aimed at encouraging older people to receive their influenza immunisation. The campaign incorporates:
- National television advertising.
Advertising in national and regional newspapers and magazines, including ethnic media.
Advertising in buses, on pharmacy bags and online.
Work with commercial partners, such as Gala Bingo and voluntary organisations such as Heart UK and the National Asthma Campaign.
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Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact the new guidelines issued by his Department on eligibility for protective injections against influenza will have on those with (a) asthma and (b) other medical respiratory conditions. [133091]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The guidelines on eligibility for influenza vaccination has remained unchanged since its introduction in 2000–01. Those with asthma and other chronic respiratory disease should therefore continue to receive their free flu vaccination, as they have in previous years.
Living Wills
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibility (a) primary care trusts and (b) hospital trusts have to check whether patients have signed living wills; what the procedure is for carrying out such checks; what guidance he gives on recognition of such documents; and if he will make a statement. [134047]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is a general principle of law and medical practice that a person with the necessary capacity has the right to consent to or refuse treatment. A healthcare professional will therefore discuss with a patient possible treatment options. This would, where it is appropriate and as a matter of good practice, include how a patient would like to be treated if he or she were to become incapacitated.
There are no formal procedures for checking whether a patient has made a "living will". But the process of obtaining consent should lead to a discussion of the subject where a patient's condition makes it appropriate.
Guidance on advance refusals is included in the Department of Health's ReferenceGuide to Consent for Examination or Treatment published in March 2001.
The draft Mental Incapacity Bill contains proposals for putting advance decisions to refuse treatment on a statutory footing.
Meat Inspections
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which (a) countries of the present European Union and (b) applicant countries allow meat inspection by the meat industry. [133119]
Miss Melanie Johnson: European Union legislation, that applies to all member states and will apply to applicant countries on their accession, requires meat inspection to be carried out by the official competent authorities. The legislation does not allow the meat industry to carry out meat inspection. However, the legislation does permit, in some circumstances, trained plant staff to assist with post-mortem inspection of poultry and rabbits, but only under the direct supervision of the official veterinarian. This system of inspection is currently in place in a number of United Kingdom poultry plants.
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Information about the extent to which the meat industry in other member states makes use of this provision and the current situation in applicant countries is not available.
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