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2 Feb 2004 : Column 691W—continued
Nanoparticles
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the potential for nanoparticles used in consumer goods to slip through membranes and lodge in the brain. [150115]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
My Department has not made any assessment of the potential for nanoparticles used in consumer goods to slip through membranes into the brain. We are aware that recent research has raised concerns in this area.
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Last year, my Department commissioned an independent study by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering to examine in detail the risks and benefits of nanotechnology. The study includes consideration of environmental, health and safety, ethical and social implications of the technology, both now and in the future, and its outcomes will be used to inform policy on what safeguards might be required, over and above existing legislation and guidance. We expect a report to Government in late spring 2004.
NHS Bereavement Services
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects his Department to undertake a follow-up survey on NHS bereavement services as outlined on the Chief Medical Officer's webpage. [148246]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department plans to support a follow-up survey on national health service bereavement services in the spring of this year as outlined in the Chief Medical Officer's web page.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of the Department's survey of the scale and scope of NHS bereavement services. [148247]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department's survey of bereavement services available in the national health service acute trusts was undertaken in the summer of 2001. A report of this survey is available on the Department's website at: www.doh.gov.uk/bereavement
NHS Governance
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what declaration of political affiliation health board convenors are required to make. [152152]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments requires that all candidates for appointment to non-executive positions on the boards of public bodies are asked to make a declaration on any political activity undertaken (as opposed to political affiliation). This is for monitoring purposes only and the information is not passed on to sifting and interview panels considering candidates for appointment. Complaints convenors who are also non-executives will therefore have been asked to make such a declaration. However, those who are not non-executives will not have been asked.
NHS Staff Council
Mr. Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the costs (a) are of establishing and (b) were estimated to be in each of the next five years of running the NHS Staff Council. [151149]
Mr. Hutton: There are not expected to be any additional costs involved in establishing or running the proposed new NHS Staff Council. The NHS Staff Council and the new Pay Negotiating Council for non-Review Body staff will between them replace the General Whitley Council and 11 functional Whitley Councils and other negotiating bodies for different national health service staff groups. This is expected to result in a more
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streamlined and efficient system for overseeing NHS pay issues and agreeing future changes to pay, terms and conditions.
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the fee to nurses is for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council; and what it was in each of the last five years. [152123]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 30 January 2004]: The Nursing and Midwifery Council is an independent statutory body and this information is available directly from that organisation.
Performance Indicators
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many performance indicators were in place for NHS Trusts in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2001–02. [148490]
Mr. Hutton: The independent Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) has published the set of indicators which will be used to rate national health service organisations in 2003–04.
The number of indicators are shown in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Acute and specialist trusts | 44 |
| Ambulance trusts | 24 |
| Mental health trusts | 38 |
| Primary care trusts | 42 |
The Department of Health published a limited set of performance indicators for 2001–02 in July 2002, as shown in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Acute trusts | 37 |
| Specialist trusts | 29 |
| Ambulance trusts | 10 |
| Mental health trusts | 16 |
| Primary care trusts | (28)21 |
(28) Primary care trusts were measured against these indicators, but were not performance rated in 2001–02.
Post-mortems
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) hospital and (b) coroners' post-mortems were carried out in each of the last 10 years. [150359]
Mr. Hutton: Information on hospital post mortems is not collected centrally. The annual total of coroners' post mortems carried out in the period 1993–2002, the latest year for which information is available, is shown in the table.
| Coroners post mortems | |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 129.1 |
| 1994 | 125.2 |
| 1995 | 126.4 |
| 1996 | 126.2 |
| 1997 | 123.0 |
| 1998 | 124.4 |
| 1999 | 124.8 |
| 2000 | 124.5 |
| 2001 | 121.1 |
| 2002 | 117.7 |
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Respite Care (Children)
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many projects he has visited that provide respite care that deal with children who are terminally ill. [151667]
Dr. Ladyman: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has not had the opportunity to visit any projects whose sole remit is to provide respite care for terminally ill children. Should an opportunity arise to undertake such a visit, he would give it his full consideration.
Secure/Forensic Facilities
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made with the Department's aim to ensure appropriate use of secure and forensic facilities by 2004. [150044]
Ms Rosie Winterton: As part of the Government's programme to modernise mental health services, an accelerated discharge programme is under way aimed at moving up to 400 patients from high security hospitals to more appropriate accommodation by 2004. The programme is on track to meet its target.
Acute Beds (Gloucestershire)
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) stroke units and (b) acute beds there are in the NHS in Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. [149465]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Information on beds is collected annually from each national health service trust. The average daily number of available acute beds for 2002–03 for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust was 1,142. Information on the number of stroke units is not held centrally.
Waiting Times
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to collect and publish information from NHS trusts on waiting times for diagnostic testing; and if he will make a statement. [150541]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 28 January 2004]: Data are not collected specifically on waiting times for diagnostic tests. Waiting times are collected on the consultant's main specialty. There have been no substantive changes to the basis on which waiting times are calculated during the lifetime of this Government.
The Government aims to improve access to diagnostic services and the Department is working in partnership with strategic health authorities and other stakeholders to ensure a responsive service.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish recent guidance which his Department has given to (a) health authorities and (b) NHS trusts
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on the recording of waiting times for (i) diagnostic tests and (ii) consultant to consultant referrals; and if he will make a statement. [150542]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 28 January 2004]: There has been no recent guidance issued by the Department.
The Department recently provided clarification on how angiographies should be recorded and reported.
Information on the recording of waiting times is available on the Department's website. Further advice is available directly from the Department via its mailbox.
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