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12 Jan 2004 : Column 620W—continued

Shellfish

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the latest scientific advice he has received on the testing of shellfish for toxins. [146367]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 8 January 2003]: The testing of shellfish for toxins is a public health matter, which falls within the policy responsibility of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Unusual results have been observed over the last two years in tests for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins under the statutory monitoring programmes, which point to the possible presence of a new neurotoxin. These have therefore resulted in the temporary closure, from time to time, of some shellfish harvesting waters, as a precautionary measure to ensure that public health continues to be protected. The FSA is pursuing an extensive programme of work to resolve the issues associated with these findings.

Skin Cancer

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of how the two week wait rule for skin cancer has affected the waiting times for the treatment of urgent non-cancerous skin conditions. [145144]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 5 January 2003]: The two week outpatient waiting time standard was introduced for urgent cases of suspected cancer from December 2000. Performance data is published

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quarterly and currently (as at 30 September 2003) shows that 98.7 per cent. of patients urgently referred for suspected skin cancer who fall within the standard were seen within 14 days.

By 2005, there will be targets of a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment and a maximum two month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for all cancers.

Comparable data on urgent referrals for non-cancer skin conditions is not collected centrally and therefore no assessment has been made of the impact of the cancer two week wait upon waiting times for treatment of non-cancer skin conditions.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and benefits of rapid referral clinics for skin cancer. [145145]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 5 January 2003]: The Department has commissioned the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop guidance on skin tumours, including melanoma, for use in the National Health Service in England and Wales. This guidance will advise on the optimal configuration of diagnostic and treatment services for patients with skin cancer. In developing this guidance, NICE will assess the best available evidence in order to make recommendations on the optimum provision of skin

12 Jan 2004 : Column 622W

cancer services. This will include consideration of a variety of settings and workforce roles. The guidance is due to be published in March 2005.

In addition, we have asked NICE to update the referral guidelines for suspected cancer published by the Department in April 2000, to assist general practitioners in determining those patients who are most likely to have cancer and therefore need to be referred urgently to see a specialist. Both the existing guidance and the revised guidance will address skin cancers.

St. George's Hospital, London

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigations (a) have taken place and (b) are underway into waiting lists at St. Georges' Hospital, London. [145768]

Mr. Hutton: South West London Strategic Health Authority has advised me that no investigations have taken place or are underway into waiting lists at St. George's Hospital, London.

Staffing (Cambridgeshire)

Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) medical and clinical staff and (b) other types of staff were employed in the NHS in Cambridgeshire according to the most recently available survey of staffing. [146451]

Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the table.

Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff, General Medical Practitioners, Practice staff and Non-Medical staff employed within the specified PCTs, as at 30 September 2002—England
Number (headcount)

of which:of which:of which:of which:
All staffHCHS Staff(26)Medical StaffDental StaffAll General Medical Practitioners(27)NHS Plan GPs(28)Unrestricted Principal and Equivalents (UPEs)(29)
5AF North Peterborough PCT708422585757
5AG South Peterborough PCT45388595252
5GF Huntingdonshire PCT1,045817291048989
5JH Cambridge City PCT806771008686
5JJ South Cambridgeshire PCT56217125776362
5JK East Cambridgeshire and Fenland PCT1,10811907878
RCX Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust2,3602142059
RGN Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust3,44628226913
RGP James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust2,77620519312
RGQ Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust3,52729728017
RGR West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust2,5822011983
RGT Addenbrookes NHS Trust6,18675474014
RM1 Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust5,27752150417
RQQ Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust1,585121121

of which:
Practice staff(30) employed by UPEsTotal Non-Medical StaffProfessionally qualified clinical staffSupport to clinical staffNHS infrastructure supportOther and unknown
5AF North Peterborough PCT23141521415447
5AG South Peterborough PCT1482381406236
5GF Huntingdonshire PCT314546291139116
5JH Cambridge City PCT291408208157376
5JJ South Cambridgeshire PCT2472211304843
5JK East Cambridgeshire and Fenland PCT26075738728783
RCX Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust2,1469027904513
RGN Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust3,1641,4471,2704416
RGP James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust2,5719921,0775011
RGQ Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust3,2301,7221,165343
RGR West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust2,3811,175834372
RGT Addenbrookes NHS Trust5,4322,9841,767681
RM1 Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust4,7562,4101,9324095
RQQ Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust1,4646854623152

(26) Excludes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals.

(27) All Practitioners include UPEs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS Other and GP Retainers.

(28) NHS Plan GPs includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, Salaried Doctors and PMS Other.

(29) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.

(30) Practice Staff includes Practice Nurses, Direct Patient Care, Admin and Clerical and Other.

Source:

Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census


12 Jan 2004 : Column 623W

Strategic Health Authorities

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed by strategic health authorities in (a) April 2002 and (b) April 2003; and what the projected figures are for (i) April and (ii) October 2004. [145370]

Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table for September 2002, the latest available data. Projected figures are not available.

NHS medical, dental and non-medical staff directly employed in strategic health authorities—England, as at 30 September 2002
Numbers (headcount)

All HCHS staff (HCHS medical, dental and non-medical)
England3,968
Q01Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA40
Q02Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA57
Q03Essex SHA103
Q04North West London SHA69
Q05North Central London SHA104
Q06North East London SHA140
Q07South East London SHA84
Q08South West London SHA43
009Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA203
Q10County Durham and Tees Valley SHA84
Q11North and East Yorks and North Lines SHA66
Q12West Yorkshire SHA152
Q13Cumbria and Lancashire SHA36
Q14Greater Manchester SHA301
Q15Cheshire and Merseyside SHA487
Q16Thames Valley SHA115
Q17Hampshire and Isle Of Wight SHA188
Q18Kent and Medway SHA238
Q19Surrey and Sussex SHA333
Q20Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA59
Q21South West Peninsula SHA75
Q22Dorset and Somerset SHA101
Q23South Yorkshire SHA257
Q24Trent SHA142
Q25Leics, Northants and Rutland SHA188
Q26Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA62
Q27Birmingham and the Black Country SHA166
Q28Coventry, Warwicks, Herefords and Worcs SHA75

Sources:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census, Department of Health non-medical workforce census



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