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2 Feb 2004 : Column 686W—continued
Health Services (Chorley)
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been allocated to NHS services in Chorley in each of the last three years. [151241]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 27 January 2004]: Allocations to the former South Lancashire Health Authority, 2001–02 and 2002–03, and Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust for 2003–04 are shown in the table.
Up to the end of 2002–03 national health service services for Chorley were funded through the South Lancashire Health Authority which covers a wider region. From 2003–04 services are funded through Chorley and South Ribble PCT.
| South Lancashire Health Authority | Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 223,342 | (28)— |
| 2002–03 | 247,205 | (28)— |
| 2003–04 | (28)— | 171,696 |
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Histopathology
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the vacancy (a) rates and (b) numbers for histopathology in (i) England and (ii) each region in each year since 1997. [147932]
Mr. Hutton: The Department has collected vacancy data since 1999.
Information showing the three-month vacancy rates and numbers for histopathology in England by Government office region between March 2001 and March 2003 has been placed in the Library. The individual specialty of histopathology was not collected in the vacancy surveys in 1999 and 2000.
Isolation Wards
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have dedicated purpose-built isolation and infection control wards. [145046]
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many English NHS hospitals have dedicated infection control wards. [147500]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Health Service Circular 2000/002 on the "Management and control of hospital infection" required trusts to undertake a risk assessment to determine appropriate provision of isolation facilities within each trust but these date were not collected centrally.
The Chief Medical Officer published his report "Winning Ways—Working together to reduce Healthcare Associated Infection in England", in December 2003 and this states that "NHS Trust Chief Executives will ensure that, over time, there is appropriate provision of isolation facilities within their healthcare facilities".
Mental Health
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards meeting the National Service Framework for Mental Health in the areas of (a) early intervention, (b) support for carers and (c) waiting times for mental health services; and if he will make a statement. [149867]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Good progress is being made with implementing the national service framework for mental health.
As part of the programme to develop early intervention services, 27 early intervention teams have been put in place.
In accordance with the national service framework for mental health standard six, carers of people with mental health problems are now entitled to an assessment of their caring, physical and mental health needs and to have their own written care plan. Services are also working towards employing 700 carer support workers by the end of the year.
With the development of new community based mental health services such as crisis resolution teams, progress is also being made with reducing waiting times for mental health services.
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Information relating to waiting times for in-patient and out-patient mental health services has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the target to (a) reduce the duration of untreated psychosis to a service median of less than three months and (b) provide support for the first three years for all young people who develop a first episode of psychosis, by 2004. [150046]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In line with the commitments outlined in the "NHS Plan" and the "Priorities and Planning Framework 2003–06", early intervention services are being developed across England. As part of this, 27 early intervention teams have been put in place to provide care and treatment for young people who develop a first episode of psychosis.
It is envisaged that the duration of untreated psychosis will decrease as early intervention teams continue to develop across the country.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition he uses of (a) mental health crisis resolution teams, (b) mental health assertive outreach teams, (c) mental health early intervention teams and (d) secure personality disorder places, as established by his Department; and how many of each there are. [150047]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Detailed service specifications for crisis resolution, early intervention and assertive outreach teams are contained in the "Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide" (2001), which is available from the Department's web-site at www. doh.gov.uk/mentalhealth/implementationguide.htm.
There are 238 assertive outreach, 132 crisis resolution and 27 early intervention teams currently in place in England.
Secure personality disorder places are intended for those people who are assessed as dangerous as a result of a severe personality disorder. These services are being designed to treat those people who demonstrate a clear functional link between their personality disorder and their offending behaviour, and who pose a high risk to the public.
A ten bed pilot unit is already in operation and there will be 140 more secure personality disorder places in Broadmoor and Rampton Hospitals by the end of the year.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the use of primary care models for treating mental health, with specific reference to the role of general practitioners. [151791]
Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 29 January 2004]: The Department of Health and the Royal College of General Practitioners have produced a framework for implementing a scheme for general practitioners with special interests. As part of this framework; guidelines for primary care trusts and staff have been developed to provide more specific recommendations for general practitioners with a special interest in mental health. These developments
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are in line with the NHS Plan commitment to recruit up to 1,000 general practitioners with special interests by 2004.
The new general medical services contract offers new incentives and rewards for practices that meet prescribed quality standards in caring for people with mental health problems. Under the general medical services contract primary care trusts may commission enhanced services. Specialist care of people with depression has been identified as a national enhanced service. Primary care trusts may also commission local enhanced services to address locally identified needs.
Services are also working towards the NHS Plan commitment to recruit up to 1,000 graduate mental health workers who are trained in brief therapy techniques of proven effectiveness to help general practitioners treat common mental health problems in primary care.
Midwives
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to reduce the three-month vacancy rate for midwives in London since March; and if he will make a statement. [140582]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 1 December 2003]: In line with our policy of shifting the balance of power we have devolved more power to the frontline of the national health service to ensure that more decisions, such as staffing levels, could be made locally where they will have a greater impact on delivery. Responsibility for reducing vacancy rates now rests with strategic health authorities.
Between 30 September 2000 and 30 September 2002 the number of midwives in London increased by 202.
In 2003–04, £88,500 has been allocated to London work force development confederations to fund return to practice places for midwives.
Mobile Phones
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the health implications of (a) mobile phones and (b) mobile phone masts. [150906]
Miss Melanie Johnson: On 21 January 2004, I wrote to all right hon. and hon. Members describing the current position as follows:
Mobile phone technology and health issues have hit the headlines again following the publication of a scientific review by the National Radiological Protection Board's Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR). News headlines about such issues tend to raise the levels of people's concern and you may well receive inquiries about mobile phones or mobile phone base stations. I am glad to say that the report confirms the conclusions of the Stewart Report and there is no new evidence suggesting that mobile phone use is likely to cause ill health in the general population. In the words of AGNIR's carefully considered report:
- "The weight of evidence now available does not suggest that there are adverse health effects from exposures to RF fields below guideline levels, but the published research on RF exposures and health has limitations, and mobile phones have
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- only been in widespread use for a relatively short time. The possibility therefore remains open that there could be health effects from exposure to RF fields below guideline levels; hence continued research is needed."
The rapid expansion of mobile phone telecommunications has brought with it huge benefits to individuals and the business community. Government are however taking seriously the concerns that people have that there might be health effects resulting from exposure to radiofrequency signals from this technology. It is for this reason that the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP) was set up under the chairmanship of Sir William Stewart FRS, FRSE.
Sir William's expert group published its report on Mobile Phones and Health in May 2000 and it can be read in full on the website (www.iegmp.org.uk). The overall conclusion was that
"the balance of evidence to date suggests that exposures to RF (radiofrequency) radiation below guidelines do not cause health effects to the general population."
The siting of base stations was identified by the Stewart group as an issue of some concern. When they examined all the scientific evidence they concluded that
"there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines."
Although the Stewart Group did not identify any adverse health effects caused by exposures by mobile phones or base stations they were aware that if people are unduly concerned about potential exposures then that in itself may affect their well-being. They made a number of recommendations, therefore, designed to provide more information about mobile phones and base stations. The Department of Health has produced a pair of leaflets and these can be seen on the Department's website www.doh.gov.uk/mobilephones. A description of work undertaken by various organisations since the Stewart Report has been written by Dr. John W. Stather of the NRPB entitled "Mobile Phones and Health—an Update". This article was published on the NRPB website http://www.nrpb.org/publications/bulletin/no3/article3.htm) in March 2003 and provides more detailed information on the issues.
The sites of base stations in this country are now shown on the Sitefinder location of the Ofcom website www.ofcom.org.uk. Planning arrangements have been improved and a "Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone
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Network Development" has been developed with the aim of providing for more discussions between operators, local authorities and members of the public. The booklet and current planning arrangements (PPG8—Policy Planning Guidance on Telecommunications) can be found on the ODPM website www.planning.odpm. gov.uk.
Over the last few years a number of groups have assessed the possible health effects of exposure to RF radiation such as from mobile phones and mobile phone masts. These include reports from Canada (1999), the Netherlands (2000), France (2001, 2003) and the British Medical Association (2001). These groups have come to broadly similar conclusions to the Stewart Report and have recommended further research. The new AGNIR review also supports the Stewart conclusions.
Public interest in mobile phone base stations has been quite marked recently and a number of concerted campaigns against mobile phone masts have come to my attention. I am pleased that the AGNIR report has addressed this issue and concluded that
- "Exposure levels from living near to mobile phone base stations are extremely low, and the overall evidence indicates that they are unlikely to pose a risk to health."
Having considered research issues, AGNIR has helpfully made a number of specific recommendations that aim to improve the quality and interpretability of future health-related research and current health research programmes.
The Government, in conjunction with industry, are already sponsoring a £7.4 million research programme in this country on a number of important health related issues identified in the Stewart Report. The research is being carried out under the management of an independent Programme Management Committee. The research is mainly concerned with users of mobile phone handsets as recommended in the Stewart Report but has recently decided to extend its range of studies to accommodate concerns about exposures from base stations. Full details of the research studies and the committee membership can be found on the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research website: www.mthr.org.uk. This programme represents a significant contribution to a world-wide research effort encompassing the World Health Organisation (WHO), the European Union, the United States and others.
The Department continues to monitor research largely through the work of National Radiological Protection Board who have a statutory duty to advise on risks from all types of radiation. The AGNIR report was placed on the NRPB web site on 14 January 2004 http://www.nrpb.org./ review/docs nrpb/absd14–2.htm
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