| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
15 Mar 2004 : Column 119W—continued
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had concerning the dangers of oestrogen to women. [160256]
Dr. Ladyman: When the findings from the recently terminated oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) arm of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial are published, they will be carefully considered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) and its expert working group on HRT. When its review is complete, any necessary action, including updating the current product information will be taken and women and doctors will be clearly informed of the advice. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has copied in the Scottish Executive in all their communications. Further briefing can be found on the MHRA website at www.mhra.gov.uk.
15 Mar 2004 : Column 120W
Organ Donation
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if his Department will introduce a monitoring system to assess whether (a) intensive care and (b) accident and emergency staff routinely (i) check the Organ Donor Register whenever a new patient is admitted and (ii) approach patients and relatives about organ donation; [159599]
- (2) how many organs he estimates were missed, in intensive care units and accident and emergency wards, which could have been used for transplantation in the last three years; [159600]
(3) what measures his Department is taking to introduce training so that intensive care and accident and emergency staff (a) routinely check the Organ Donor Register whenever a new patient is admitted and (b) approach patients and relatives about organ donations. [159601]
Ms Rosie Winterton: An audit of potential donors has been undertaken by UK Transplant since April 2003. It captures information about every death in every intensive care unit in the United Kingdom and records whether the organ donor register was contacted to check the wishes of the deceased.
A recent analysis of the audit data carried out by UK Transplant shows that 250 out of 545, suitable for donation became donors, 25 were contraindicated for medical reasons, 206 relatives refused and for 64 families there was no record of any discussion about donation. In total there were 270 suitable donors who for different reasons did not donate. For physiological reasons not all donors can donate all organs.
UK Transplant will employ an education and training manager to follow up the best practice guidance issued in 2003. A national health service education programme will provide expert education advice on the training needs associated with organ donation and transplantation and produce an education strategy, including the development of an education pack for pre and post graduate use, to deliver raised awareness and knowledge among all relevant NHS staff.
Orthopaedic Surgery (Greater London)
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Greater London have been waiting for (a) less than six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) one to two years, (d) two to three years and (e) more than three years for an (i) in-patient admission and (ii) initial out-patient assessment in orthopaedic surgery. [158437]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 3 March 2004]: Figures are collected by specialty. Orthopaedic surgery is included in the speciality Trauma and Orthopaedics. As at December 2003, for Trauma and Orthopaedics in the primary care trusts (PCTs) within the five London strategic health authorities (SHAs), there were:
- 22,086 patients who had been waiting less then six months for inpatient admission.
- 6,536 patients who had been waiting between six and 12 months for inpatient admission.
- No patients were waiting more than 12 months for inpatient admission.
15 Mar 2004 : Column 121W
Figures for outpatients are not collected by monthly waiting time. As at December 2003, for Trauma and Orthopaedics in the PCTs within the five London SHAs there were:
- 3,094 patients who had been waiting between 13 and 17 weeks after a general practitioner referral.
- 969 patients who had been waiting between 17 and 21 weeks after a GP referral.
- Three patients who had been waiting between 21 and 26 weeks after a GP referral.
- No patients were waiting longer than 26 weeks after a GP referral.
Osteoporosis
Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of NHS progress with respect to (a) prevention of osteoporosis and (b) treatment of women who are (i) at high risk of osteoporotic fracture and (ii) have sustained a fragility fracture. [158868]
Dr. Ladyman: The prevention, treatment, care and support of those at risk of osteoporosis are important components in the delivery of the integrated falls services that the national service framework for older people requires to be in place locally by April 2005. The Department will be monitoring formally the 2005 milestone as this is included as one of the key targets in "Improvement, Expansion and Reform", the priorities and planning framework for 2003–2006. All strategic health authorities (SHAs) except one currently report that the April 2005 target will be achieved in their area. The Department has offered support to the SHA that may have difficulty meeting the target across the whole of its area.
Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he assesses will be the effect of National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance proposed in the osteoporosis appraisal consultation document on standard six of the National Service Framework for Older People. [158869]
Dr. Ladyman: Standard six of the national service framework for older people sets out clear milestones for the National Health Service, working in partnership with councils, to take action to prevent falls and reduce resultant fractures or other injuries in their populations of older people.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence's technology appraisal will give doctors the latest evidence-based information on the most effective treatments for osteoporosis. This will ensure that patients have access to dear, authoritative advice on the sort of treatment that might be best for them.
Waiting Lists/Times
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average length of time a patient was on the waiting list for treatment for (a) cancer and (b) heart disease in each London strategic health authority in each year since 1992; [159271]
15 Mar 2004 : Column 122W
- (2) how many (a) cancer and (b) heart disease patients resident in each London strategic health authority were on a waiting list for treatment in each year since 1992. [159272]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 5 March 2004]: The five London strategic health authorities (SHAs) were established in April 2002. Figures are available only from this date.
The tables show the average waiting times and the number of patients waiting for treatment for heart disease in London SHAs.
| SHA | March 2003 | December 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| North Central London | 2.3 | 1 7 |
| North East London | 2.9 | 3.0 |
| North West London | 2.8 | 2.2 |
| South East London | 2.2 | 1.9 |
| South West London | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| SHA | March 2003 | December 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| North Central London | 82 | 118 |
| North East London | 731 | 760 |
| North West London | 939 | 790 |
| South East London | 626 | 521 |
| South West London | 353 | 355 |
Information on the average waiting times and number of patients waiting for cancer treatment in London SHAs is not available centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan sets out our strategy to reduce waiting times for cancer patients. The ultimate goal is that no one should wait longer that one month from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment except for a good clinical reason or through patient choice; it is planned to achieve this by 2008.
There is a series of staged milestones towards this goal: from 2001 new targets of a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer and a maximum one month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for acute leukaemia, children's cancer and testicular cancer were introduced. From 2002, the target of a maximum wait of two months from urgent referral to treatment for breast cancer was introduced. By 2005, there will be targets of a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment and a maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for all cancers. Data on current targets are published quarterly on the Department's website for SHAs and trusts, at: http://www.performance.doh. gov.uk/cancerwaits.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for in-patient hospital treatment in the mid-Essex Hospital Trust area for each of the last two months. [159424]
15 Mar 2004 : Column 123W
Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 10 March 2004]: The information requested is shown in the table. This is the latest data that is available.
| Month | Number waiting for in-patient hospital treatment | |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust | December 2003 | 8,093 |
| Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust | January 2004 | 7,895 |
Figures for February 2004 will be available on 2 April.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |