House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 21 Jan 2004 (pt 29)

21 Jan 2004 : Column 1358W—continued

Kidderminster Diagnostic and Treatment Centre

Dr. Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the delay in opening the Kidderminster diagnostic and treatment centre; and whether the contractors are subject to penalty payments. [148698]

Dr. Ladyman: The Kidderminster Treatment Centre has changed significantly from the project as it was originally envisaged. There has been extra investment in services and facilities, including an additional operating theatre.

The contract was agreed on a fixed price basis, which has both protected the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals national health service trust from unexpected financial pressures, and removed the need to impose penalty payments on the contractors.

Nurses

Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the proportion of nurses per head of population was in (a) St. Helens, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in each year since 1992. [147169]

Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.

Qualified nursing staff and practice nurses employed by unrestricted principals and Equivalents (UPEs)⁽⁴⁹⁾ per 1,000 of the population—EnglandNumber (headcount)

1992⁽⁵⁰⁾^,⁽⁵²⁾ 1993⁽⁵⁰⁾^,⁽⁵²⁾ 1994 1995⁽⁵¹⁾ 1996⁽⁵¹⁾

England

Population 47,996,067 48,100,501 48,222,889 48,364,999 48,496,224

Practice nurses 16,635 17,517 16,500 18,243 17,898

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.35 0.36 0.34 0.38 0.37

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ 301,253 293,379 289,284 298,650 297,351

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.20 6.10 6.00 6.17 6.21

of which:

North West Government Office Region

Population 6,866,001 6,867,220 6,854,423 6,840,280 6,818,344

Practice nurses 2,175 2,110 1,862 2,166 2,226

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.32 0.31 0.27 0.32 0.33

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ — — — — 46,895

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population — — — — 6.88

of which:

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Population 2,394,912 2,393,143 2,387,016 2,380,168 2,372,525

Practice nurses 805 713 576 713 726

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.34 0.30 0.24 0.30 0.31

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ — — — — 15,166

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population — — — — 6.39

of which:

St. Helens's and Knowsley HA

Population 333,706 332,623 331,630 330,392 329,915

Practice nurses 100 95 97 104 106

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.30 0.29 0.29 0.31 0.32

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ 1,594 1,578 1,530 1,561 1,642

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 4.78 4.72 4.61 4.72 4.98

1997 1998⁽⁵²⁾ 1999⁽⁵²⁾ 2000 2001 2002

England

Population 48,635,908 48,789,240 48,986,999 49,166,627 49,389,736 49,558.821

Practice nurses 18,389 18,894 19,495 19,200 19,846 20,983

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.38 0.39 0.40 0.39 0.40 0.42

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ 300,467 304,563 310,142 316,752 330,535 346,537

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.18 6.24 6.33 6.44 6.69 6.99

of which:

North West Government Office Region

Population 6,800,318 6,793,833 6,770,152 6,769,483 6,767,217 6,770,981

Practice nurses 2,261 2,335 2,566 2,411 2,602 2,616

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.33 0.34 0.38 0.36 0.38 0.39

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ 46,213 46,901 47,672 48,395 48,821 53,373

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.80 6.90 7.04 7.15 7.21 7.88

of which:

Cheshire and Merseyside SHA

Population 2,365,631 2,361,200 2,350,901 2,349,300 2,349,581 2,347,088

Practice nurses 690 682 794 782 849 905

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.29 0.29 0.34 0.33 0.36 0.39

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ 14,874 15,319 15,766 16,473 17,150 19,091

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.29 6.49 6.71 7.01 7.30 8.13

of which:

St. Helens's and Knowsley HA

Population 329,194 328,976 327,852 327,592 — —

Practice nurses 101 115 114 110 111 —

Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.31 0.35 0.35 0.34 — —

Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾ 1,637 1,607 1,652 1,682 1,795 —

Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 4.97 4.88 5.04 5.13 — —

	1992⁽⁵⁰⁾^,⁽⁵²⁾	1993⁽⁵⁰⁾^,⁽⁵²⁾	1994	1995⁽⁵¹⁾	1996⁽⁵¹⁾
England
Population	47,996,067	48,100,501	48,222,889	48,364,999	48,496,224
Practice nurses	16,635	17,517	16,500	18,243	17,898
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.35	0.36	0.34	0.38	0.37
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	301,253	293,379	289,284	298,650	297,351
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	6.20	6.10	6.00	6.17	6.21
of which:
North West Government Office Region
Population	6,866,001	6,867,220	6,854,423	6,840,280	6,818,344
Practice nurses	2,175	2,110	1,862	2,166	2,226
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.32	0.31	0.27	0.32	0.33
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	—	—	—	—	46,895
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	—	—	—	—	6.88
of which:
Cheshire and Merseyside SHA
Population	2,394,912	2,393,143	2,387,016	2,380,168	2,372,525
Practice nurses	805	713	576	713	726
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.34	0.30	0.24	0.30	0.31
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	—	—	—	—	15,166
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	—	—	—	—	6.39
of which:
St. Helens's and Knowsley HA
Population	333,706	332,623	331,630	330,392	329,915
Practice nurses	100	95	97	104	106
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.30	0.29	0.29	0.31	0.32
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	1,594	1,578	1,530	1,561	1,642
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	4.78	4.72	4.61	4.72	4.98

	1997	1998⁽⁵²⁾	1999⁽⁵²⁾	2000	2001	2002
England
Population	48,635,908	48,789,240	48,986,999	49,166,627	49,389,736	49,558.821
Practice nurses	18,389	18,894	19,495	19,200	19,846	20,983
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.38	0.39	0.40	0.39	0.40	0.42
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	300,467	304,563	310,142	316,752	330,535	346,537
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	6.18	6.24	6.33	6.44	6.69	6.99

of which:
North West Government Office Region
Population	6,800,318	6,793,833	6,770,152	6,769,483	6,767,217	6,770,981
Practice nurses	2,261	2,335	2,566	2,411	2,602	2,616
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.33	0.34	0.38	0.36	0.38	0.39
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	46,213	46,901	47,672	48,395	48,821	53,373
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	6.80	6.90	7.04	7.15	7.21	7.88

of which:
Cheshire and Merseyside SHA
Population	2,365,631	2,361,200	2,350,901	2,349,300	2,349,581	2,347,088
Practice nurses	690	682	794	782	849	905
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.29	0.29	0.34	0.33	0.36	0.39
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	14,874	15,319	15,766	16,473	17,150	19,091
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	6.29	6.49	6.71	7.01	7.30	8.13

of which:
St. Helens's and Knowsley HA
Population	329,194	328,976	327,852	327,592	—	—
Practice nurses	101	115	114	110	111	—
Practice nurses per 1,000 of population	0.31	0.35	0.35	0.34	—	—
Qualified nursing staff⁽⁵³⁾	1,637	1,607	1,652	1,682	1,795	—
Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population	4.97	4.88	5.04	5.13	—	—

⁽⁴⁹⁾ UPEs includes GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried GPs.

⁽⁵⁰⁾ Figures for 1992 to 1994 may not be fully comparable with other data due to under-reporting of fundholding practice staff by FHSAs.

⁽⁵¹⁾ Includes estimated data for Buckinghamshire.

⁽⁵²⁾ Headcount practice nurse figures are estimated for these years.

⁽⁵³⁾ Refers to qualified nursing staff in the hospital, public health and community health service sectors.

Notes:

1. Data as at 1 October 1992–99 and 30 September 2000–02.

2. A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years.

3.'—' Accurate comparable information is not available.

Sources:

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census

2001 ONS Population Census

21 Jan 2004 : Column 1359W

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 5 January 2004, Official Report, column 203W, on nurse recruitment, if he will list the countries from which his Department has received written representations regarding the recruitment of nurses; and if he will make a statement. [148050]

Mr. Hutton: The Government has nurse recruitment agreements with Spain, the Philippines, India and Indonesia. A memorandum of understanding has recently been signed with the Government of South Africa.

The Chinese Government has recently written to the Department to ask for a meeting to discuss opportunities for nurse recruitment.

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trusts

Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the proposal to amalgamate the South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust with the South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust. [148477]

21 Jan 2004 : Column 1360W

Ms Rosie Winterton: There is currently no proposal for a formal merger of the two primary care trusts (PCTs). The South East and South West Oxfordshire PCTs have been exploring ways of working more closely together in the delivery of services to their populations. This has included the appointment of a single chief executive and management structure, while retaining separate boards.

Prescription Fraud

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average annual cost of prescription fraud has been in the last five years. [148834]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Health Service Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (NHS CFSMS) has an ongoing programme of highly accurate risk measurement exercises—accurate to plus or minus one per cent.—designed to reveal levels of losses and, through repeated exercises, reduction in such losses, where they take place.

The latest available data on pharmaceutical patient fraud is shown in the table.

21 Jan 2004 : Column 1361W

£ million

Year data selected Fraud losses

1998–99 117

1999–2000 69

Year data selected	Fraud losses
1998–99	117
1999–2000	69

Point of dispensing checks were introduced in all community pharmacies on 1 April 1999 to help deter this type of fraud. The check requires pharmacists to ask patients who are claiming free prescriptions to produce evidence to support their claim to exemption from prescription charges. Later data will be produced shortly.

Private Contractors

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he will ensure that private contractors in the NHS will not be able to recruit NHS staff indirectly through private agencies. [148462]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 19 January 2004]: New treatment centres run by the independent sector will be precluded as part of the contracts they sign from poaching National Health Service staff. The recruitment of NHS staff indirectly through private agencies would breach this contract.

Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the staff required by private contractors are expected to come from if they cannot be recruited from the NHS; and what proportion of recruitment is expected to be from abroad. [148463]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 19 January 2004]: The procurement of independent sector treatment centres (IS-TCs) is designed to contribute to a genuine increase in workforce capacity to treat national health service patients. This is why bidders have been asked to provide as many non-NHS staff as possible: primarily from overseas. In some circumstances, it will be appropriate for NHS staff to work in independent sector treatment centres but this will only be done under a structured arrangement that is agreed between the NHS and the IS-TC provider. The number of professional staff working in these new units and the proportion from overseas will be finalised during the stage of negotiations leading to contract close.

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