House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Dec 2003 (pt 43)

15 Dec 2003 : Column 788W—continued

Top-up Fees

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on meeting charges for university variable top-up fees for student (a) nurses and (b) doctors; and if he will make a statement. [142063]

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Mr. Hutton: For the first four years of the standard undergraduate medical course, and for year one of the shorter (4 year) graduate entry course, the Department for Education and Skills' (DfES) means tested arrangements currently apply, whereby students are required to contribute up to £1,125 for fees, depending on parents' or spouses' income.

For years five and six of the traditional medical undergraduate course, and years two to four of the graduate entry course, the Department of Health/national health service-funded arrangements apply, in which students make no contribution to tuition fees; their liability being met from the Department of Health's multi-professional education and training levy and paid direct to higher education institutions by the NHS Student Grants Unit.

While the proposals contained in the DfES' White Paper, "The Future of Higher Education", include allowing universities to increase tuition fees, there is as yet no clear indication from the higher education sector of the scope or scale of any increased charges.

I have already made it clear that we will if necessary take measures to ensure that any increase in the level of tuition fees will not have an adverse impact on the supply, retention, diversity or quality of students undertaking medical training.

I also refer the hon. Member to the response I gave him on 11 December 2003, Official Report, column 600W.

University of Birmingham Hospital Trust

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what powers funds have been allocated to the University of Birmingham Hospital Trust to consult over its proposal to become an NHS Foundation Trust. [141559]

Mr. Hutton: Section 2 of the National Health Service Act 1977 gives the Secretary of State powers to do anything which is calculated to facilitate the discharge of his duty to continue the promotion of a comprehensive health service. Schedule 3, Paragraph 5 A of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 gives the Secretary of State the power to make a payment to a national health service trust. The payments were made under these powers.

Unwanted Pregnancies

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unwanted pregnancies were terminated in each year since 1986 per 100,000 population. [141998]

Miss Melanie Johnson: This information is contained in Table 1 of "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, 2002" (ISBN 1 84182 782 7). Copies are available in the Library, or on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0323.htm.

Waiting Times

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have waited over 18 months for their operation. [141168]

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Mr. Hutton: As at 30 September 2003, there were nine patients waiting over 18 months for elective inpatient admission in England.

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average waiting time for patients admitted to accident and emergency departments in hospitals in the St. Helens area to be admitted to a ward was in each year since 1992; [141479]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected.

Information on the total time patients spend in accident and emergency departments from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge is collected each quarter from national health service trusts and is routinely published on the Department's website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/. Printed copies of the information are also available in the Library.

Working Time Directive

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the cost to each NHS trust of the Working Time Directive. [141403]

Mr. Hutton: The Working Time Directive (WTD) is an integral part of modernising and improving services. The national health service has been aware of the implications of implementing the WTD for doctors in training since 2000, and planning for it forms part of overall NHS planning. Strategic health authorities are currently ensuring that plans will achieve compliance by 2004.

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the change in the number of (a) doctors and (b) nurses needed in each NHS trust as a result of the implementation of the Working Time Directive. [141405]

Mr. Hutton: The Department's guidance to the national health service, HSC 2003/001 'Protecting Staff, Delivering Services—Implementing the European Working Time Directive for Doctors in Training', states that while the number of doctors on an individual rota will generally have to increase, trusts should find ways to reduce the number of resident rotas. A number of methods of doing so are being explored in the 20 Working Time Directive (WTD) pilots and several "Hospital at Night" pilots. Thus, the total staffing requirement does not increase substantially as a result of the WTD.

The NHS is currently developing action plans to achieve compliance with the WTD. As part of this, additional training opportunities will be made available for trusts where the need for a post is agreed by their strategic health authority. This agreement is subject to funding and educational approval being obtained.

It is for local organisations to determine the level of staff needed to implement the WTD and to deliver a quality service. However, the Department is supporting a programme of work to develop new ways of working for nurses and other professional staff.

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Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment has been made of the cost to NHS trusts in (a) Chesham and Amersham and (b) Buckinghamshire of the Working Time Directive; [142523]

(a)

(b)

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Working Time Directive is an integral part of modernising and improving services. The national health service has been aware of the implications of implementing the Working Time Directive for doctors in training since 2000, and planning for it forms part of overall NHS planning.

Strategic health authorities are currently ensuring that plans will achieve compliance by 2004.

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the change in the number of (a) doctors and (b) nurses needed in (i) Chesham and Amersham and (ii) Buckinghamshire as a result of the implementation of the Working Time Directive. [142525]

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Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department's guidance to the national health service—Health Service Circular 2003/001 'Protecting Staff, Delivering Services—Implementing the European Working Time Directive for Doctors in Training' states that while the number of doctors on an individual rota will generally have to increase, trusts should find ways to reduce the number of resident rotas. A number of methods of doing so are being explored in the 20 Working Time Directive (WTD) pilots and several hospital at night pilots. Thus the total staffing requirement does not increase substantially as a result of the WTD.

Strategic health authorities are ensuring that trust plans will deliver compliance. Priority will be given to trusts facing WTD challenges in the allocation of an additional 1,500 locally funded specialist registrars training opportunities, subject to educational approval being obtained.