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15 Dec 2003 : Column 762W—continued

Dentistry

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost of dental treatment per (a) adult and (b) child registered patient was in the last year for which figures are available. [141754]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The average costs of a course of dental treatment in the general dental service for adult and children in England for the financial year 2002–03 are shown in the table.

These costs are for payment made to the dentist for dental treatment and include the patient charges where applicable. Dentists also receive additional payments, unrelated to treatment provided, in recognition of the continuing care responsibility for registered patients. These payments contribute approximately 23 per cent. of dentists' gross earnings. Other additional payments, unrelated to treatment, contribute a further 10 per cent. of dentists gross earnings.

Dentists receive a capitation payment for each child registered. The average cost of dental treatment for children excludes treatments covered by capitation payments.

General Dental Service: Average cost of dental treatment—2002–03

England£
Children36.6
Adult37.3

Source:

Dental Practice Board


15 Dec 2003 : Column 763W

Departmental Employees

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many staff were employed in his Department in each of the last six years broken down by (a) headcount, (b) part-time and (c) whole-time equivalents; [143050]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is available in the annual publication Civil Service Statistics which is published by the Cabinet Office. Copies of Civil Service Statistics 2002, which was published on 24 July 2003, and copies of Civil Service Statistics for the previous five years are available in the Library and at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics

Departmental Expenditure Limit

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons were for the transfer from the capital Departmental Expenditure Limit to the resource DEL of £318 million, as mentioned in the Winter Supplementary Estimates; and if he will make a statement. [142240]

Mr. Hutton: The transfer from capital is being used to support the Department's information management and technology programme, part of which will be accounted for as current expenditure and national health service spending by local primary care trusts and NHS trusts accounted for as current rather than capital expenditure.

Diabetes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding will be allocated to treatment of diabetes in fiscal year 2004–05. [141155]

Ms Rosie Winterton: In his 2002 Budget announcement, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the largest sustained increase in funding of any five-year period in the history of the national health service. Over the years 2003–04 to 2007–08, these plans mean that expenditure on the NHS will increase on average by 7.4 per cent., a year over and above inflation. However in keeping with the philosophy of "Shifting the Balance of Power", primary care trusts are free to decide the allocation of resources locally.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investment is in place in diabetes management which will decrease the number of acute cases reaching hospital. [141156]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The diabetes national service framework standards, published in 2001, noted that the risk and severity of diabetic ketoacidosis can be reduced by the provision of guidance and advice to people with diabetes on how to manage changes in blood glucose control that occur during other illnesses and pointed out that episodes of hypoglycaemia can be managed in the community, either by the person with diabetes, a relative or carer, their general practitioner or by ambulance personnel.

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"Improvement, Expansion and reform: the next three years", the planning and priorities framework for 2003–06, includes targets for diabetes services. One such target states the need for primary care trusts (PCTs) to update practice-based registers for people with diabetes by March 2006. This will help to ensure that they receive systematic treatment regimens and advice to help support them in managing their own condition, including acute episodes, more effectively.

In his 2002 Budget announcement, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the largest sustained increase in funding of any five-year period in the history of the national health service. Over the years 2003–04 to 2007–08, these plans mean that expenditure on the NHS will increase on average by 7.4 per cent., a year over and above inflation. However in keeping with the philosophy of "Shifting the Balance of Power", PCTs are free to decide the allocation of resources locally.

Doctor Recruitment

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what private agencies are used to recruit doctors from abroad; and what checks are put in place to ensure that these doctors meet the required standards. [140633]

Mr. Hutton: National health service trusts are responsible for their own recruitment. Trusts are strongly advised when recruiting internationally to use only those agencies that are compliant to the code of practice for NHS employers involved in the international recruitment of healthcare professionals, published in 2001. The list of compliant agencies can be found on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/international.recruitment/agencylist-nhs-ref.htm.

In order to practise as a doctor in the United Kingdom, a doctor must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and satisfy the GMC that they have the acquired necessary knowledge, skills and experience.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it has been determined whether health professionals from (a) Hungary, (b) Slovakia and (c) Poland have the necessary qualifications to practise in this country after these countries join the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [140634]

Mr. Hutton: All acceding states are committed to ensuring that the qualifications they award to doctors, dentists, pharmacists, midwives and nurses responsible for general care who begin their training on or after the date of accession meet specified minimum requirements. Only those who meet these requirements will then benefit from automatic recognition throughout the European Union.

Practitioners from these states who are already qualified or who are currently in training must show that they either meet these requirements in full or have recent and substantial practice experience.

Drug Prescribing

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the increases in funding for

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National Institute for Clinical Excellence approved drug prescribing made to each mental health trust in the current year. [141070]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Funding to meet recommendations of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been included in the allocations notified to primary care trusts for the period 2003–04 to 2005–06. This funding is not separately identified.

Early Intervention Service

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Department's definition of an Early Intervention Service is, as envisaged in the priorities and planning framework 2003–06. [141752]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The definition of an early intervention service, as envisaged in the priorities and planning framework 2003–06 is as follows:

Early intervention in psychosis services provide quick diagnosis of the first onset of a psychotic disorder and appropriate treatment including intensive support in the early years.

The service is for:


An early intervention service should be able to:


East Sussex County Healthcare Trust

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the financial situation of the East Sussex County Healthcare Trust. [142393]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority is aware of the challenging financial position faced by the East Sussex County Healthcare National Health Service Trust. Financial recovery plans have been developed and are currently being implemented.

I understand that the chief executive of the strategic health authority is currently arranging to meet local hon. Members to discuss the issues.

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by (a) East Sussex County Healthcare and (b) primary care trusts in England on (i) locum doctors and (ii) agency nursing in each of the last five years; and what these sums were as a percentage of total NHS staff costs. [142396]

Mr. Hutton: The figures shown in the table relate to all agency staff and other staff not directly employed by the national health service.

15 Dec 2003 : Column 766W

Expenditure by East SussexCounty Healthcare NHSTrust on non-NHSNational PCT Expenditureon non-NHS
NursesDoctorsNursesDoctors
2000–01 (£)(32)(32)(33)885,867(33)437,999
2000–01 (%)(34)0.004(34)0.002
2001–02 (£)(32)(32)(33)24,422,282(33)5,122,963
2001–02 (%)(34)0.105(34)0.022
2002–03 (£)(33)1,306,311(33)1,335,544(33)73,685,708(33)17,691,400
2002–03 (%)(34)3.63(34)3.71(34)0.284(34)0.068
2003–04 (£)(33)923,000(33)1,653,750(36)(36)
2003–04 (%)(34)3.87(34),(35)6.93

(32) Trust not established

(33) Total Expenditure

(34) As a percentage of all staff expenditure

(35) For first seven months of year

(36) Figure not yet available



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