| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
16 Mar 2004 : Column 245W—continued
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funding has been set aside for research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy; [159977]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the research into possible treatments for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.[159976]
Dr. Ladyman: The Genetics White Paper announced investment of up to £3 million to support gene therapy research on single gene disorders. Bids from researchers to access these funds have been received, but are treated in confidence. The specific clinical conditions to be addressed through the funding for research will depend
16 Mar 2004 : Column 246W
on what bids have been submitted by the research community and how the individual bids stand up to rigorous assessment through peer review.
The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). It is a long-standing and important principle of successive Governments that they do not prescribe the detail of how individual research councils should distribute their resources between competing priorities. In 2001–02, the MRC spent about £2 million on research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
EU Accession States (Medical Training)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances citizens of the 10 EU accession countries will have rights to medical treatment in (a) the UK and (b) other EU countries; and if he will make a statement. [156721]
Mr. Hutton: From 1 May 2004, residents of the new accession countries will be covered by Regulations (EEC) 1408/71 and 574/72, which co-ordinate the social security and health care schemes of the member states of the European Economic Area. Like the insured populations of the existing member states, they will then be entitled to receive treatment the need for which arises during a temporary visit to any other member state, including the United Kingdom, under the E111 arrangements. They will be able to travel specifically to receive treatment in other member states of the European Economic Area for pre-existing conditions only if their home country authorises them to do so by issuing a Form E112. The home country will bear the costs of treatments provided in any other member state, including the United Kingdom, through the E111 or E112 arrangements.
Citizens of the new member states who become ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom will be able to access NHS care on the same basis as any person currently resident in the United Kingdom. But for those who fall into the categories covered by Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72—for example, certain retirement pensioners or students—National Health Service costs will be paid by the person's home state. Accession state citizens resident in the United Kingdom will be entitled to E111s or E112s for medical treatment while temporarily visiting other member states on the same terms as any other UK resident.
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when (a) citizens of EU accession states working in the UK and (b) their children will qualify to receive free of charge NHS services and facilities. [157002]
Mr. Hutton: All persons legally working in the United Kingdom, and their family members, are entitled to immediate access to national health service services on the same terms as any person ordinarily resident in the UK. From 1 May 2004, this will apply equally to persons from the European Union accession states, who will have free access to the UK labour market subject to a registration system.
16 Mar 2004 : Column 247W
General Practitioners
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what financial help is available from the Government to assist general practitioner practices in the purchase of telephone systems; [160329]
- (2) if he will issue guidance to general practitioner practices on the use of premium rate numbers by which patients call to obtain appointments and services; [160330]
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of general practitioner practices within the NHS which use premium rate telephone numbers by which patients call to obtain appointments and services. [160331]
Mr. Hutton: Discretionary funding is available from primary care trusts to enable general practitioners to update their telephone systems. Otherwise the cost of installing and running telephony are an expense which the practice—like all other businesses—covers from overall practice income. The Department holds no information on the extent to which premium rate numbers are used in general practice, and has no plans to collect such data or to publish guidance.
Hospices
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will increase financial assistance from the NHS to children's hospices in England. [157909]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Funding is available for children's hospices from national health service primary care trusts. The level of funding is a matter for local discussion. Voluntary healthcare providers, such as hospices, are viewed as important in these negotiations.
Hospital Construction (Lichfield)
Michael Fabricant : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when construction will commence on the new hospital at the St. Michael's site in Lichfield; and if he will make a statement; [160789]
- (2) how many car parking spaces will be made available to (a) staff and (b) visitors at the St. Michael's site in Lichfield once the construction of the new hospital is completed; [160790]
(3) how many square metres have been set aside for future expansion of the new hospital at the St. Michael's site in Lichfield once it is completed. [160791]
Dr. Ladyman: Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority expects construction of the new hospital to start during the summer of this year.
There will be a total of 217 car parking spaces. Of these, 58 will be specifically for staff and patients using mental health services. There will be an additional 117 public car parking spaces, and 42 reserved for staff.
1,400 square metres have been identified for expansion, plus a further 65 parking spaces.
16 Mar 2004 : Column 248W
Medicines and Healthcare ProductsRegulatory Agency
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has to obtain data from clinical trials conducted outside the United Kingdom. [158525]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There is an obligation on companies making an application for a marketing authorisation to provide the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with all relevant information at the time of the application; this includes data from clinical trials conducted outside the United Kingdom.
For marketed drugs, the marketing authorisation holder's "qualified person", who is responsible for their pharmacovigilance system, has an obligation to inform the MHRA of any information relevant to the evaluation of the risks and benefits of the product, including post-authorisation studies conducted outside the UK. In addition, the holder must report serious suspected adverse reactions relating to the product which occur in the UK and serious unexpected suspected adverse drug reactions which occur in a country outside the European Union, and provide periodic safety update reports to the MHRA, which should include any relevant data from clinical trials outside the UK.
Sponsors of clinical trials conducted in the UK have an obligation to submit adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to the MHRA on an ongoing basis and to provide end of trial study results in a report. Under the Clinical Trials Directive, to be implemented in the UK as of 1 May 2004, sponsors of trials conducted in the UK will have an obligation to report serious unexpected suspected adverse drug reactions to the MHRA, even if those reactions occur at trial sites outside the UK. In addition, they will be required to provide an annual safety report, which must include all serious suspected adverse reactions occurring in the course of the trial.
The implementation of the Clinical Trials Directive into UK legislation will provide a statutory basis for inspections of clinical trials to ensure compliance with the requirements of good clinical practice. This will also include an opportunity for inspectors to visit sites outside the EU member states where necessary. A reciprocal arrangement exists within the EU.
Mental Health
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to support Mental Health Action Week. [160119]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department welcomes this annual initiative which aims to raise awareness of mental health issues among the general public. The Department is continuing to work in partnership with the voluntary sector, including the Mental Health Foundation, to provide better information about mental health issues, challenge the stigma and discrimination often associated with mental ill health and build better understanding among the general public.
16 Mar 2004 : Column 249W
General Practitioners
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the National Patient Safety Agency. [160606]
Mr. Hutton: The effectiveness of the National Patient Safety Agency is kept under regular review as part of the annual ministerial accountability review process.
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of the National Patient Safety Agency was in each year for which figures are available; and how many staff it employed in each year, broken down by (a) whole-time equivalent and (b) headcount. [160607]
Mr. Hutton: The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) was created as a special health authority in July 2001 and has published accounts for 2001–02 and 2002–03.
The annual costs of the NPSA and number of employees are shown in the table.
| Programme costs £ million | Whole time equivalent number of staff | Headcount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 1.763 | 5 | 6 |
| 2002–03 | 11.666 | 59 | 60 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |