| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
10 Nov 2003 : Column 136W—continued
Multiple Sclerosis
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients receiving a disease modifying treatment for multiple sclerosis are included within the formal monitoring arrangements of the risk-sharing scheme; and what assessment he has made of whether the estimate of 7,000 patients by November will be reached. [135766]
Dr. Ladyman: Up to the end of August, around 6,300 patients were receiving treatment with a disease modifying treatment for their multiple sclerosis. Around 300 patients each month are being initiated on treatment. Sheffield University's School of Health and Related Research is collecting scheme data and we are discussing with them how best to publicise a breakdown of patients currently being treated to show the subsets being treated under the scheme and those subject to detailed monitoring. As yet, we have no precise estimate of the likely date on which full recruitment of the cohort of patients subject to detailed monitoring will be achieved.
NHS Estate
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 52W, on the NHS Estate (Health and Safety), what percentage of patient-occupied floor area was below (a) health and safety compliance and (b) fire safety standards in (i) England, (ii) each strategic health authority and (iii) each NHS trust in each year since 1997. [133430]
Mr. Hutton: Nationally, figures for the proportion of patient occupied floor area that is not compliant with statutory health and safety and statutory fire safety regulations, including compliance with the National
10 Nov 2003 : Column 137W
Health Service Firecode Standards, are 9.71 per cent. and 7.31 per cent. in 2002–03, a reduction from the 2001–02 figures.
Data collection began in 2001–02 and the information requested has been placed in the Library. Owing to trust mergers in 2002–03, direct comparison with data for 2001–02 is not possible in all cases.
These figures reflect the proportion of the estate that is not fully compliant. Non-compliance covers a wide variety of conditions, including that which is just below standard. Therefore, the figures do not indicate levels of risk. Trusts make every effort to remedy any concerns from local enforcement bodies as quickly as possible. This is reflected in the very small numbers of injuries and deaths arising as a result of fires and reportable health and safety incidents in NHS hospitals in England, despite the very high numbers of people who use healthcare premises.
NHS Staff
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are employed by the Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority. [136885]
Dr. Ladyman: Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) reports that it currently employs 120 permanent members of staff. That includes Shropshire and Staffordshire Workforce Development Confederation, which joined with the SHA on 1 October 2003.
Nurse Practitioners
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he intends to allow nurse practitioners to run medical practices. [136466]
Mr. Hutton: The Government are committed to widening career opportunities for nurses and increasing recognition of the role nurses play in delivering primary care.
Under personal medical services arrangements, nurses may already run medical practices.
We intend to continue these arrangements, and carry them over into the new general medical services contract so that nurses may be co-signatories to the contract.
Prescribed Drugs
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to reduce the waste of prescribed drugs through their not being used; [133044]
- (2) if he will estimate the annual value of prescribed drugs not used. [133045]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is estimated that unused medicines returned to pharmacies are probably worth £100 million per year. The Department is concerned about the wastage of unused medicines and has introduced a number of initiatives to address this.
These include, the medicines management collaborative schemes that demonstrate innovation and good practice in medicines management. Reducing the
10 Nov 2003 : Column 138W
volume of unwanted medicines is one of the local objectives being pursued by some of the primary care trusts participating in the programme.
Repeat dispensing makes it possible for patients to get their repeat medicines for up to a year from their community pharmacy without having to contact their general practitioner's surgery. At each repeat dispensing episode, the community pharmacists checks that the medicines are still needed and being used appropriately by the patient.
The first wave of 30 pathfinder sites is no under way, with another 50 or so coming on stream early nest year, ahead of national roll-out by end of 2004. Evidence from previous pilot studies has shown that repeat dispensing helps reduce waste.
In the Government statement of 17 July on the proposed framework for a new community pharmacy contract, disposal of medicines would form one of the essential services for all national health service pharmacies. Discussions on this front continue with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the NHS Confederation. We aim to start implementing by April 2004. www.doh.gov.uk/pharmacyframework
Modernising hospital pharmacy services, where patients can now continue to use their medicines when admitted to hospital, together with dispensing medicines at the outset sufficient for discharge, has also been shown to reduce waste.
Prescriptions
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average amount paid to Her Majesty's Government from each prescription charge was for financial year 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [136867]
Ms Rosie Winterton: For the financial year 2001–02, the amount of each prescription charge was £6.10.
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost of wastage caused by patients returning unused prescription medicine to chemists was in the last year for which figures are available; and what steps the Department is taking to reduce such wastage. [136713]
Ms Rosie Winterton: While the Department regularly obtains information on the extent of local national health service schemes for the collection and disposal of unwanted medicines, and these are available across the country, this does not include the cost of medicines returned. The latest estimate is that unused medicines returned to pharmacies are probably worth £100 million per year.
The Department is concerned about the wastage of unused medicines and has introduced a number of initiatives to address this. These include the medicines management collaborative schemes that demonstrate innovation and good practice in medicines management. Reducing the volume of unwanted medicines is one of the local objectives being pursued by some of the primary care trusts (PCTs) participating in the programme.
10 Nov 2003 : Column 139W
Repeat dispensing makes it possible for patients to get their repeat medicines for up to a year from their community pharmacy without having to contact their general practitioner's surgery. At each repeat dispensing episode, the community pharmacist checks that the medicines are still needed and being used appropriately by the patient. The first wave of 30 pathfinder sites is now under way, with another fifty or so coming on stream early next year, ahead of national roll-out by end of 2004. Evidence from previous pilot studies has shown that repeat dispensing helps reduce waste.
We are funding a joint task force, based at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, to lead implementation of a national strategy to spread better understanding of and partnerships between patients and health professionals on taking their medicines. This will promote the benefits of helping patients to take a more active role in managing their own care.
In the Government statement of 17 July on the proposed framework for a new community pharmacy contract, available at www.doh.gov.uk/pharmacyframework, it was highlighted that disposal of medicines was expected to form one of the essential services normally provided by all NHS pharmacies. Discussions on this front continue with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the NHS confederation. We aim to start implementing from April 2004.
Modernising hospital pharmacy services, where patients can now continue to use their medicines when admitted to hospital, together with dispensing medicines at the outset sufficient for discharge, has also been shown to reduce waste.
Primary Care Trusts
Mr. Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the three most (a) advantaged and (b) disadvantaged primary care trusts, giving their respective distance from their funding target allocation in percentage terms for 2003–04 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [136037]
Mr. Hutton: As a result of the 2003–04 to 2005–06 revenue allocations all primary care trusts in England will make progress towards their target shares of resources as determined by the weighted capitation formula.
Information on distances from targets for primary care trusts in England for 2003–04 to 2005–06 is available in the Library.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was allocated to each primary care trust to pay for the new consultant's contract. [131637]
Mr. Hutton: Primary care trust allocations for 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 include 0.3 per cent., 0.4 per cent, and 0.5 per cent, of main allocations for the new consultants' contract.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |