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17 Nov 2003 : Column 590W—continued

Health Service Ombudsman

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Health Service Ombudsman cases were considered in the last year for which figures are available; how many cases were (a) upheld and (b) rejected; what the average time taken to consider a case was; and what the average cost per case was. [137334]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Health Service Ombudsman publishes information about the handling of cases in her annual report, copies of which are available in the Library and on the Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk.

Health Services (Somerset)

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) children and adolescents, (b) adults and (c) pensioners were treated by the Somerset Partnership Mental Health Trust in each year since 1997. [135422]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Information on the total number of patients admitted for treatment by Somerset National Health Service Trust since 1997 is available by age, and is shown in the table. Admissions are defined as the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. These figures do not represent the number of in-patients as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

Total patients by age within Somerset Partnership NHS Trust

	Age group
	0–14 years	15–59 years	60–74 years	75+ years
1997–98	7	1,210	473	715
1998–99	*	1,262	372	707
1999–2000	6	1,298	378	711
2000–01	10	1,338	357	789
2001–02	*	1,274	312	609

Notes:

1. Due to reasons of confidentiality, figures between one and five have been suppressed and replaced with an asterisk.

2. Figures for 2001–02 have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data.

Source:

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 5 November 2003, Official Report, column 689W, on Health Services (Somerset), what the reasons are for the increases in (a) places in private residential homes in 1998 and (b) places in independent nursing homes in 1998. [138828]

Dr. Ladyman: The years 1997–99 showed a steady increase in the numbers of places in private residential homes and places in independent nursing homes, in Somerset, as shown in the table. The reasons behind this trend have not been determined.

17 Nov 2003 : Column 591W

Number of places in Somerset, 1997–99

	Private residential homes	Independent nursing homes
1997	2,265	2,575
1998	2,995	2,830
1999	3,000	2,870

Source:

K036, RA and RH(N) FORM A

Hearing Aids

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average current waiting time is in the South West London Strategic Health Authority for a hearing aid assessment to fit digital hearing aids. [136823]

17 Nov 2003 : Column 592W

Mr. Hutton: These figures are not held centrally.

Health Services (Taunton)

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) consultants and (b) junior hospital doctors there were in each clinical speciality at (i) Taunton and Somerset NHS Hospital Trust and (ii) Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust in each year since 1997. [137243]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The numbers of consultants and junior hospital doctors in each clinical speciality at Taunton and Somerset National Health Service Hospital Trust and Taunton Deane Primary Care Trust are shown in the table.

Hospital Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services: Medical and Dental Consultants (including Directors of Public Health) and Doctors in Training within specified organisationsNumber (headcount)

	Taunton Deane PCT			Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust
	2002	March 2003	June 2003	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	March 2003	June 2003
Consultant (including Directors of Public Health)	2	2	1	86	90	92	99	104	109	115	115
Accident and emergency	0	0	0	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	3
Anaesthetics (inc. Intensive care medicine)	0	0	0	11	12	14	14	15	17	18	18
Cardiology	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	4	4	4
Chemical pathology	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Clinical radiology	0	0	0	7	8	8	9	9	9	10	10
Dermatology	0	0	0	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Endocrinology and diabetes mellitus	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	2	2	2
Gastroenterology	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	3	3	2
General surgery	0	0	0	6	6	7	7	8	9	9	9
Genito-urinary medicine	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Geriatric medicine	0	0	0	4	4	4	4	5	4	5	5
Haematology	0	0	0	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Histopathology	0	0	0	4	3	4	4	4	4	6	7
Medical microbiology and virology	0	0	0	0	2	1	2	2	2	2	2
Neurology	0	0	0	2	2	2	3	3	2	3	3
Obstetrics and gynaecology	0	0	0	5	5	5	6	6	6	7	6
Occupational health	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Ophthalmology	0	0	0	6	6	6	5	5	5	5	6
Oral and maxillo facial surgery	0	0	0	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Orthodontics	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	2
Otolaryngology	0	0	0	3	3	2	3	3	4	4	4
Paediatrics	0	0	0	6	6	5	6	6	6	6	6
Public health medicine	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rehabilitation medicine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Respiratory medicine	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	2	2	2
Rheumatology	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	2	2	2
Trauma and orthopaedic surgery	0	0	0	6	6	6	7	8	8	8	8
Urology	0	0	0	3	3	3	4	4	4	4	4
Other	0	0	0	10	11	12	0	0	0	0	0
Doctors in training	0	n/a	n/a	108	114	115	124	133	139	n/a	n/a
Accident and emergency	0	n/a	n/a	5	5	6	7	9	10	n/a	n/a
Anaesthetics (inc. Intensive care medicine)	0	n/a	n/a	11	11	10	12	13	15	n/a	n/a
Cardiology	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a
Gastroenterology	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a
General surgery	0	n/a	n/a	12	13	13	15	17	18	n/a	n/a
Geriatric medicine	0	n/a	n/a	1	2	3	3	1	0	n/a	n/a
Haematology	0	n/a	n/a	3	4	4	4	2	2	n/a	n/a
Neurology	0	n/a	n/a	1	1	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a
Obstetrics and gynaecology	0	n/a	n/a	9	10	8	10	10	11	n/a	n/a
Occupational health	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	0	1	1	1	n/a	n/a
Ophthalmology	0	n/a	n/a	7	7	7	6	7	7	n/a	n/a
Oral and maxillo facial surgery	0	n/a	n/a	3	3	3	3	3	3	n/a	n/a
Orthodontics	0	n/a	n/a	1	1	1	1	1	1	n/a	n/a
Otolaryngology	0	n/a	n/a	4	5	5	5	5	5	n/a	n/a
Paediatrics	0	n/a	n/a	14	13	12	15	16	18	n/a	n/a
Rehabilitation medicine	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a
Respiratory medicine	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	0	0	1	5	n/a	n/a
Rheumatology	0	n/a	n/a	0	0	0	0	1	—	n/a	n/a
Trauma and orthopaedic surgery	0	n/a	n/a	10	11	10	11	11	12	n/a	n/a
Urology	0	n/a	n/a	5	4	5	5	4	5	n/a	n/a
Other	0	n/a	n/a	22	24	28	26	27	25	n/a	n/a

Notes:

n/a = not available. March and June 2003 data are taken from mini censuses that collected Consultants only. Data as at 30 September 1992 to 2002 and 31 March 2003 and 30 June 2003.

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

17 Nov 2003 : Column 593W

Heath Care (Bath/North East Somerset)

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) GPs and (b) nurses were employed in Bath and North East Somerset in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003. [136325]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of general practitioners and nurses employed in Bath and North East Somerset in 1997 is not available. The latest available information for 2002 and 2003 is shown in the tables.

All general medical practitioners⁽⁹²⁾ for Bath and North East Somerset Primary Care Trust

	Number (headcount)
2001	142
March 2002	143
2002	136
March 2003	154
June 2003	144

⁽⁹²⁾ All practitioners include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, GP registrars, salaried doctors (Para. 52 SFA), PMS other, GP retainers and flexible career scheme GPs.

Note:

Data as at 30 September 2001–02, 31 March 2002–03 and 30 June 2003.

Source:

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Total qualified nursing staff for Bath and North East Somerset Primary Care TrustNumber (headcount)

	2001	2002
	529	517
Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff	422	424
GP practice nurses	107	93

Note:

Data as at September each year.

Sources:

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

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