House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Dec 2003 (pt 41)

15 Dec 2003 : Column 780W—continued

Osteoporosis

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have developed policies for osteoporosis in their health improvement programmes for older people; and if he will make a statement. [142993]

Dr. Ladyman: The national service framework for older people sets clear milestones for the planning and development of integrated falls services and provides the basis for a service model that will deliver improvements in prevention, care, treatment and rehabilitation. The most recent reports we have from strategic health authorities indicate that all but a few of the primary care trust local delivery plans include actions to achieve the 2005 milestone. We have collected no systematic information on what local plans cover.

Overnight Hospital Stays

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was to the NHS in (a) England

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and (b) each strategic health authority of overnight stays for patient visitors in NHS beds in each year since 1997. [141579]

Mr. Hutton: The Department does not collect information relating to patient visitors.

Paediatricians

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many consultant paediatricians are currently employed in the NHS on a (a) part-time and (b) full-time basis; [143046]

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(3) what the age profile is of consultant paediatricians currently working in the NHS. [143049]

Mr. Hutton: The Department does not collect data on the number of newly appointed consultant paediatricians. Workforce data are collected through the annual Department of Health medical workforce census. The census is a snapshot of data as at 30 September in the appropriate year. The information in table 1 shows the net increases in the number of paediatric consultants since 1997.

Table 1: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff Consultants in the paediatric group of specialities—EnglandNumber (headcount)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 March 2003 June 2003

Paediatrics Group 1,227 1,299 1,355 1,443 1,507 1,695 1,768 1,801

Of which:

Paediatric cardiology 16 17 18 23 29 64 58 63

Paediatrics 1,211 1,282 1,337 1,420 1,478 1,631 1,710 1,738

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	March 2003	June 2003
Paediatrics Group	1,227	1,299	1,355	1,443	1,507	1,695	1,768	1,801
Of which:
Paediatric cardiology	16	17	18	23	29	64	58	63
Paediatrics	1,211	1,282	1,337	1,420	1,478	1,631	1,710	1,738

Note:

All data as at 30 September except 2003 which is at 31 March and 30 June.

Source:

Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Between September 1997 and June 2003, there has been a 47 per cent. increase in the number of consultants in the paediatrics group.

Table 2 shows how many consultant paediatricians were employed in the national health service on (a) part-time and (b) whole-time basis as at 30 June 2003.

Table 2: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): Consultants within the paediatrics group of specialties by nature of contractNumber (headcount)

As at June 2003 All contracts Full-time⁽³⁸⁾ Part-time Honorary

Paediatric Group 1,801 1,360 290 151

Of which:

Paediatric cardiology 63 45 7 11

Paediatrics 1,738 1,315 283 140

As at June 2003	All contracts	Full-time⁽³⁸⁾	Part-time	Honorary
Paediatric Group	1,801	1,360	290	151
Of which:
Paediatric cardiology	63	45	7	11
Paediatrics	1,738	1,315	283	140

⁽³⁸⁾ Consists of staff on whole time and maximum part time contracts

Note:

In these figures, honorary doctors are staff who provide clinical services to an NHS organisation whilst not having a paid substantive or locum contract with that organisation.

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

The age profiles of consultants in the paediatric group working in the NHS, as at June 2003, are shown in table 3.

Table 3: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff Consultants in the paediatric group of specialitiesNumber (headcount)

Of which:

England at 30 June 2003 All ages 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–69 70 and over

Paediatrics Group 1,801 18 280 430 412 322 238 80 20 1

Of which:

Paediatric cardiology 63 0 10 18 14 7 7 5 2 0

Paediatrics 1,738 18 270 412 398 315 231 75 18 1

			Of which:
England at 30 June 2003	All ages	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60–64	65–69	70 and over


Paediatrics Group	1,801	18	280	430	412	322	238	80	20	1
Of which:
Paediatric cardiology	63	0	10	18	14	7	7	5	2	0
Paediatrics	1,738	18	270	412	398	315	231	75	18	1

Source:

Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census

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Pain Management Services

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to ensure that regional variations in the provision of pain management services are tackled; [140676]

(3) if he will ensure that the recommendations of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group report into pain services are fully implemented; [140679]

(4) if he will commission a review into provision of pain services, based upon the reforms undergone by the national health service since the Clinical Standards Advisory Group report in 2000; [140680]

(5) whether, in light of the Dr. Foster report, Adult Chronic Pain Management Services in the UK, he will reiterate the recommendations of the Clinical Services Advisory Group calling for closer links between local pain and primary care services; [140772]

(6) what action will be taken by his Department in the light of the Dr. Foster and Pain Society report, "Adult Chronic Pain Management Services in the UK". [140773]

Mr. Hutton: The Clinical Standards Advisory Group report showed that many national health service trusts had developed excellent services, but in some places more needed to be done to drive up standards. The report made recommendations to commissioners and trusts to review local provision of pain services, and how these might be improved. The Department welcomed the report, and expects commissioners and trusts to take these recommendations into account when they plan their service so that variations in provision is reduced and links with primary care trusts improved.

The Department encourages openness in the use of NHS performance information and welcomes independent scrutiny of this information, such as the Dr. Foster and Pain Society report on "Adult Chronic Pain Management Services in the UK". We are committed to making NHS performance information widely available to patients, carers and the public in an accessible and readily understandable format.

The Department has no plans to review the provision of pain services in the NHS or to reissue the Clinical Standards Advisory Group Report. The quality of the service should be monitored locally through the trust, primary care trust commissioners and strategic health authorities to ensure it is provided to meet the needs of the local population.

Patient Organisations

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the omission of (a) community health councils and (b) patient forums from the list of patient organisations who were sent the consultation document, "Choice, Responsiveness and Equity". [141936]

Mr. Hutton: The consultation document referred to was a resource pack developed specifically for strategic health authorities (SHAs) and voluntary organisations to support them in leading local consultations. It was

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not sent directly to community health councils (CHCs) as SHAs were responsible for involving CHCs in the local health community's contribution to the consultation. Patient and public involvement forums were not established until after the consultation period closed and therefore could not be consulted.

The resource document was openly available online or through the NHS Response Line.

Patients' Forums

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there was a fully contracted local network provider in place for each patients' forum on 2 December. [142440]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 8 December 2003]: Yes. On 2 December there was a fully contracted local network provider, now known as a forum support organisation, in place for each patients' forum.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff in local network providers were working exclusively on behalf of patients' forums on 2 December. [142442]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 8 December 2003]: It is not possible to give an absolute staffing figure as some staff are employed exclusively to support the patients' forums while others perform additional functions within their organisation. Since the contracts were awarded in September to the forum support organisations, which were formerly known as local network providers, the organisations have been working to recruit staff and build their capacity, ensuring sufficient support for patients' forums was in place from 1 December. Organisations which have been drawn from the not for profit and voluntary sector will continue to build their resources and to respond effectively to demands as they arise from the patients' forums.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients' forums were fully operational on 2 December; and if he will list those that were not. [142443]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 8 December 2003]: On 2 December, the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) had received over 5,000 applications from members of the public volunteering to become members of the 572 patients' forums. At that point 505 forums, over 88 per cent., had the required minimum number of members. However, the position is changing daily as CPPIH continues to process the huge numbers of applicants and make final appointments.

Since 1 September, CPPIH has had in place regional centres and forum support organisations to provide information and guidance to members of the public who may wish to get involved or who have concerns that need addressing locally.

Training of forum members is currently underway and forums will be fully operational shortly. In the meantime all forums are contactable through the forum support organisations.

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Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether each patients' forum had the required minimum of members on 2 December; and if he will list those that did not. [142444]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 8 December 2003]: On 2 December, the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) had received over 5,000 applications from members of the public volunteering to become members of the 572 patients forums. At that point 505 forums had the required minimum number of members. However, the position is changing daily as CPPIH continues to process the huge numbers of applicants and make final appointments.

At 2 December, 100 per cent. targets had been reached in the East Midlands, the North East, North West and West Midlands. In the East of England the Commission required 44 appointments to fill specific forums; in Humberside 10 people; in the South East 61; London 17; and the South West 29.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list (a) the location of each patients' forum's associated local network provider and (b) those patients' forums for which no contracted local network provider was in place on 2 December. [142445]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 8 December 2003]: By 1 September, 140 contracts had been placed with 68 different local network providers (now known as forum support organisations), providing full national coverage of support for all forums as they come on stream from 1 December. Patients' forums have been set up for primary care trusts and national health service trusts and a list of these by forum support organisation is available from the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

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