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17 Nov 2003 : Column 602W—continued
Midwives
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average vacancy rate is for midwives in the NHS, broken down by region; what proportion of midwife vacancies have remained vacant for more than three months in (a) England and (b) each region in the last year for which figures are available; which 10 regions of England have the highest vacancy rates; and what these rates are; [139021]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the vacancy rate for midwives on decisions by midwives to leave the profession. [139240]
Mr. Hutton: Information on the number of vacancies for midwives lasting three months or more is collected in the national health service vacancy survey, information on the number of vacancies lasting less than three months is not collected centrally. The available information is shown in the table by Government regional office area and strategic health authority.
No assessment has been made on the effect of vacancy rates for midwives on decisions by midwives to leave the profession. The vacancy rate for midwives is comparable with that for the overall nursing work force. Since 1997, the number of midwives employed in the NHS has increased by 860 and the Government will continue to increase the NHS midwifery work force through a range of recruitment and retention initiatives.
Three month vacancy notes:
1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2003
2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which Trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents)
3. Three month Vacancy Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post
4. Three month Vacancy Rates for non-medical staff are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey, March 2003
5. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place
6. '—' zero
Staff in post notes:
1. Staff in post data is from the Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2002
2. '—' zero
General notes:
1. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number
2. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates
3. Due to rounding, totals may not equal the sum of component parts
4. Strategic HA figures are based on Trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical provision of healthcare
Sources:
Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2003
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2002
17 Nov 2003 : Column 603W
Mixed Wards
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many wards in NHS hospitals have regularly had patients of both sexes staying at the same time in the last 12 months; [138156]
- (2) on how many occasions over the last 12 months hospitals have admitted a patient into a ward reserved for patients of the opposite sex, broken down by NHS hospital trust. [138159]
Mr. Hutton: The Department does not collect information at the level of the individual ward. National health service trusts are required only to report on total patient throughput per annum.
MRI Scans
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the existing capacity for MRI scanning for NHS patients in the (a) public and (b) private sectors; and if he will make a statement. [137083]
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Miss Melanie Johnson: Past under-funding of the national health service led to the inadequate provision of essential diagnostic equipment, unevenly distributed across the country. The Government are committed to putting right this under-investment and is providing unprecedented levels of central funding to expand capacity and replace ageing equipment.
There are currently 207 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners installed in the NHS in England, compared with 110 machines in 1997, representing an 88 per cent. increase in total numbers. By December 2004, this will increase further to approximately 276 MRI scanners, a 150 per cent. increase on 1997.
There are approximately 60 MRI scanners in private hospitals in England. The private sector is only able to provide a small amount of additional capacity for the NHS. The utilisation of any radiology equipment is dependent on the availability of skilled staff. Both the NHS and private sector use staff from the same work force pool.
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Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for MRI scans in England was in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region. [137084]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Data on waiting times for diagnostic tests are not collected centrally.
National Service Framework for Children
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures aimed at children with learning disabilities will be included in the national service framework for children. [138494]
Dr. Ladyman: A key part of the national service framework for children, young people and maternity services will focus on the needs of disabled children, including those with learning disabilities. This will involve looking at how services can respond to their needs more flexibly and improving the transition to adulthood.
NHS Direct
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the maximum period is which he requires should elapse before NICE guidance is reflected in (a) the advice given by NHS Direct and (b) the content of NHS Direct Online. [133369]
Ms Rosie Winterton: When content of National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance requires amendment to National Health Service Clinical Assessment System (CAS) clinical content, the change would normally be made in the next clinical release. Main releases are currently made twice yearly. When the need for change is identified as more urgent than the timetable for the next main release, guidance regarding the change is issued first to all staff by a message system which is part of NHS CAS and this is followed by an interim version release of the clinical content between the main releases. Depending on the timing of release of NICE guidance in relation to the next planned main clinical release, it could otherwise be up to six months before the clinical content was revised. Advice on the urgency of implementing changes is given by the NHS Direct national medical adviser in consultation with the NHS Direct CAS clinical panel. NHS Direct is working with the system supplier to be able to amend clinical content more frequently.
If someone required information only on a treatment, the situation is as follows. The NICE website is on the recommended list for all NHS Direct call centres. Also, a monthly current awareness bulletin is produced and posted on 'indirect' (NHS Direct's Intranet site) as well as being e-mailed to site information staff (they are encouraged to publicise at sites). This would feature any new NICE guidelines.
If NICE guidance requires a change to the content of NHS Direct Online, it would usually be updated in their content within 48 hours, although this process can be shortened to within the hour for urgent cases.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of calls to NHS Direct were answered within 30 seconds in the most recent 12 month period, broken down by month, for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [136874]
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Ms Rosie Winterton: The percentage of calls to NHS Direct that were answered within 30 seconds for the most recent 12 month period, broken down by month are shown in the table. The overall percentage for the most recent 12 month period is 63 per cent.
| Analysis date | Percentage(93) |
|---|---|
| 2002 | |
| November | 60 |
| December | 61 |
| 2003 | |
| January | 70 |
| February | 61 |
| March | 57 |
| April | 55 |
| May | 62 |
| June | 63 |
| July | 64 |
| August | 65 |
| September | 69 |
| October | 67 |
(93) Percentage of calls answered in 30 seconds
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of staff are employed by NHS Direct; and if he will make a statement. [136876]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Currently, all NHS Direct members of staff are employed by their host organisation trust. NHS Direct employs approximately 3,000 (whole time equivalent) members of staff nationally. Of these, around 1,063 are nurses and 543 call handlers. The remaining staff consists of health information advisors, managers, trainers, nurse supervisors and administration staff. Each of the 22 sites for clinical governance purposes employs a medical director (doctor).
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the quality of clinical advice provided by NHS Direct to patients. [138074]
Ms Rosie Winterton: NHS Direct has a well established record for offering good clinical advice. This was confirmed in the sector report published by the Commission for Health Improvement on 10 November, following its review of 19 out of the 23 NHS Direct sites in England.
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