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8 Dec 2003 : Column 311W—continued
Epilepsy
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce the number of epilepsy sufferers estimated to be misdiagnosed or inappropriately treated following referral to an epilepsy clinic. [141877]
Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 4 December 2003]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 November 2003, Official Report, column 1111W. We expect several related policies to help reduce the number of people who may be misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated following referral to an epilepsy clinic.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has already made its report of the "National Clinical Audit of Epilepsy Related Death" available to local national health service clinicians and organisations to help improve the management of epilepsy and epilepsy-related death. The NICE clinical guideline for the diagnosis, management and treatment is planned for publication next year and will be available to the NHS to support improvements in services. Additionally, implementation of the clinical quality standards of the new general medical services contract from next April will help improve the management of epilepsy in primary care.
We are also developing the national service framework (NSF) for long term conditions, which will focus on improving the standard of neurology services across England for conditions such as epilepsy. We currently plan to publish the NSF late next year for implementation from 2005.
Fertility Clinics
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements will need to be made to standards of quality and safety in UK licensed fertility clinics in order to comply with European Union Document No. 10122/03 on the Quality and Safety of Human Tissues and Cells. [141563]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The proposed Directive on the quality and safety of human tissues and cells, will, if adopted, set common standards covering donation, procurement, testing, processing, storage and distribution. It will be a legal requirement for all establishments undertaking activities within the scope of the Directive to be inspected and accredited by a designated body in each member state. However, the precise standards of quality and safety required for accreditation have yet to be developed. The Directive will provide for an expert committee to develop detailed annexes setting out the requirements.
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Foundation Hospitals
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers foundation hospitals will have to appoint their own auditors. [141022]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 1 December 2003]: Schedule 1, Paragraph 22 (2) of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 provides for the Board of Governors to appoint the auditor of a national health service foundation trust.
GPs
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government are taking to increase the number of general practitioners in the Weston Area Health Trust. [142492]
Ms Rosie Winterton: We are committed to increasing the general practitioner (GP) work force and have introduced a range of measures to improve GP recruitment and retention. These include financial incentives to new and returning GPs and older GPs who delay their retirement from the national health service, flexible retirement options, a GP Returners Campaign and the Flexible Career Scheme which will help to create additional part-time and flexible posts within general practice.
We have also substantially increased the number of GP Registrars (GPRs)—the GPs of the future and we expect GPR numbers to grow further this year and beyond.
I am advised that North Somerset Primary Care Trust is working closely with all practices to provide flexible packages to encourage GPs into the area.
Haemophilia
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to ensure that recombinant treatment is made available to adults with haemophilia who live in (a) England and (b) Northern Ireland. [141249]
Miss Melanie Johnson: We have been working with key stakeholders, including the Haemophilia Society, clinicians, primary care trusts and others to put in place a strategy to roll out access to recombinant products. We aim to begin the roll out as soon as possible. More information about the issues that the working group has had to consider prior to the roll out can be obtained from www.doh.gov.uk/blood/rcfwg.
Recombinant clotting factors have been made available for all adult haemophilia patients in Northern Ireland, except for a small group of adult patients with severe haemophilia. It is expected that these patients will receive recombinant early in 2004.
8 Dec 2003 : Column 313W
HFEA
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much remuneration the Right Reverend Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford will receive per annum as a member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [141561]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Members of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) spend approximately three days a month on HFEA business and receive £169 per day, plus travel and subsistence expenses.
Long-Term Conditions
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the key priorities are of the National Consultation's Expert Group on long-term conditions for (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05. [141695]
Dr. Ladyman: Eight national task groups, including one for people with continuing, long-term conditions, contributed to the consultation on choice, responsiveness and equity in the national health service and social care. The Government intend to publish a document shortly setting out the broad themes that have emerged from the national consultation and how these will shape future policy and action.
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government will provide ring-fenced funding to implement the national service framework for long-term conditions. [142629]
Dr. Ladyman: We currently plan to publish the national service framework for long-term conditions at the end of next year. Implementation will take place over 10 years from 2005 and will be in line with our overall strategy to support delivery of the NHS Plan, which is to set a clear national framework of standards backed up by independent inspection and, increasingly, to give more responsibility to front-line health and social services providers so that local organisations have more flexibility and freedom to plan, resource and deliver services. As a result we are increasing general funding allocations to local national health service and social care organisations.
Malnutrition
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) causes of malnourishment in England and (b) extent to which the incidence of malnutrition in England has altered since 1990. [141035]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Malnourishment is caused by an imbalance of nutrients, particularly energy intake, which impacts on body weight. Eating a balanced diet and keeping physically active helps people to maintain a healthy body weight.
The table shows the count of finished in year admissions episodes for national health service hospitals in England from 1995–96 to 2001–02, where the primary diagnosis is malnutrition. Comparable data are not available prior to 1995–96.
8 Dec 2003 : Column 314W
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1995–96 | 244 |
| 1996–97 | 234 |
| 1997–98 | 249 |
| 1998–99 | 271 |
| 1999–2000 | 234 |
| 2000–01 | 209 |
| 2001–02 | 299 |
Source:
Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES), Department of Health.
In the NHS Plan (2000), the Government made a commitment to reduce under-nutrition by developing a hospital nutrition policy to improve the outcome of care of patients by 2004. A number of measures and strategies are in place to manage, monitor and screen patients for under nutrition in hospitals, residential care and the wider community. Nutritional screening is recommended for the care of specific groups, such as those outlined in the national service framework for older people (2001).
Medicinal Self-administration
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for monitoring which hospitals have introduced self-administration schemes for medicines for older people. [142052]
Dr. Ladyman: Responsibility for monitoring this service development rests with individual strategic health authorities.
Mental Health Bill
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he will publish the revised Mental Health Bill; [140987]
- (2) whether the consultation responses to the draft Mental Health Bill will be published before the proposed pre-legislative scrutiny committee on the bill is appointed; [140989]
(3) whether the proposed pre-legislative scrutiny committee on the Mental Health Bill will consider a revised version of the draft Mental Health Bill; [140990]
(4) what revisions he proposes to make to the draft Mental Health Bill. [140991]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 1 December 2003]: A revised and completed Mental Health Bill will be brought forward for pre-legislative scrutiny as soon as possible.
We have been carefully considering the responses to consultation on the draft Bill that was published in June 2002, and further points raised in subsequent meetings with stakeholders.
The Government's response to the consultation will be published prior to introduction of the Bill. It will be available in hard copy and on the Department's website. At that time, copies of responses to the draft Bill will be placed in the Library, except in cases where respondents have asked for confidentiality.
The Government response will set out the changes that have been made to the Bill.
8 Dec 2003 : Column 315W
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he intends that Members of both Houses should be included on the proposed pre-legislative scrutiny committee on the Mental Health Bill; [141032]
- (2) what remit he proposes for the proposed pre-legislative scrutiny committee on the Mental Health Bill. [141033]
Ms Rosie Winterton: A revised and completed Mental Health Bill will be brought forward for pre-legislative scrutiny in this session.
What committee, or form of committee, should conduct the pre-legislative scrutiny is currently under negotiation through the usual channels in both Houses.
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