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20 Nov 2003 : Column 1369W—continued
Contingency Planning
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards (a) vaccinating 350 health care staff in the UK against
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smallpox and (b) the other measures outlined in the written statement of 2nd December 2002 on contingency planning. [130201]
Mr. Hutton: To date, 280 frontline healthcare workers across the United Kingdom have been vaccinated with the smallpox vaccine.
Implementation of the smallpox interim guidelines is being co-ordinated by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) regional leads. The HPA has established interim guidelines and on existing local emergency plans and arrangements.
Smallpox vaccine stocks have been substantially increased with the announcement of the Government's intention to secure a contract with Aventis Pasteur in June this year. This means that we have sufficient stocks to vaccinate the whole of the UK, if needed, with new second generation, cell-derived smallpox vaccine.
Dementia
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the availability of the anti-dementia drug Ebixa. [140111]
Dr. Ladyman: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) will appraise Memantine (Ebixa), for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia, as part of the eighth wave of its work programme. The anticipated publication date of its recommendations is May 2005.
Until NICE has made its recommendations it is for local areas to make decisions about availability on the national health service having taken account of published evidence.
Dentistry
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the mean number of decayed, filled and missing teeth for five-year-old children in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. [138185]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry carry out a survey every second year of dental caries among five-year-old children.
Information showing the average number of decayed, missing and filled teeth in children aged five in England, by region and health authority in 1997–98 and 1999–2000 and by region and strategic health authority for 2001–02, has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of five-year-old children had no caries in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. [138186]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry carry out a survey every second year of dental caries among five-year-old children. The information showing the percentage of five-year-old children with no caries in England, by region and health authority in 1997–98 and 1999–2000 and by strategic health authority for 2001–02, has been placed in the Library.
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Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) mean and (b) maximum waiting times for elective admissions for dental treatment were in (i) England and (ii) each region in each of the last six years. [138410]
Mr. Hutton: The table shows the number of patients waiting over 12 months for elective inpatient admission in dentistry specialties (oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry and orthodontics) and the average waiting times for those specialties.
Source:
Department of Health form QF01.
Note:
(71) Dentistry specialties include oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry and orthodontics.
(72) Data is incomplete for September 2003 due to issues arising in Cheshire and Merseyside HA, this may affect data for England, Greater Manchester HA and Cheshire and Merseyside HA.
Data prior to 2002/3 is based on England and Regional Office area, after that it is based on England and Strategic Health Authority.
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Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effects of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill on dentistry patients. [139684]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Government are committed to rebuilding and restoring national health service dentistry to improve the oral health of the nation. The proposals in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, currently before Parliament, represent the most radical reform of NHS dentistry since 1948. Proposals in the Bill will underpin a modernised high-quality primary dental service properly integrated with the rest of the NHS, providing better access and improved patient experience.
Primary care trusts (PCTs) will have a duty to secure the provision of primary dental services to meet all reasonable requirements either through contracts with individual practices or by providing services themselves. PCTs will have a duty to publish information about the primary dental services for which it makes provision. With these new responsibilities will go the £1.2 billion financial resources currently held centrally so that the NHS can secure services locally and develop them in line with local needs.
PCTs will be given directly conferred functions in relation to dental public health, including oral health promotion, surveys and school screening to make a real contribution to reducing oral health inequalities in relation to specific conditions or client groups.
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PCTs will be able to commission specialist dental services, such as orthodontics or minor oral surgery from experienced "'high street" dentists operating in readily accessible settings, located for the convenience of patients.
Under proposals in the Bill, dental charges will no longer be related to the dentists' remuneration. The new arrangements will apply nationally and are intended to ensure there is greater clarity about the cost of treatment for both dentists and the public.
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