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25 Mar 2004 : Column 1066W—continued
Pharmaceutical Packaging
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rules apply to the use by a pharmaceutical manufacturer of tamper-proof packaging on a medical product; and if he will make a statement. [161970]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The regulations covering the packaging of medicinal products makes no reference to the use of tamper-evident presentations. Any decision to use such packaging is a commercial decision for the marketing authorisation holder, provided the safety, quality and efficacy of the medicine is assured.
Prisons (Mental Health)
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on prison mental health services. [156019]
Dr. Ladyman: By the end of March 2004 national health service mental health in-reach teams will be operating in 90 English prisons where the need is greatest for these services. These teams will include 300 additional staff to provide specialist community-type services to over 5,000 prisoners with serious mental health problems in accordance with the NHS Plan. Investment in NHS mental heath services in prisons will double to £20 million a year by 2005–06.
Public Health
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) timetable and (b) budget for his Department's consultation on the Public Health White Paper is. [158536]
Miss Melanie Johnson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health launched a consultation document entitled "Choosing Health?" on 3 March 2004. Consultation will close on 28 May. We will publish a White Paper in the summer.
The consultation process will be managed within existing budgets.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2004, Official Report, column 331W, on public health, when his Department's discussions with strategic health authorities will be concluded. [159129]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Discussions with strategic health authority directors of public health about local public health reports are on-going.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2004, Official Report, column 1697W, on Public Health Skills Audit, how the voluntary register is maintained; and what it contains. [159158]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The United Kingdom public health voluntary register is an independent register of public health professionals who can demonstrate that they meet the nationally agreed competencies to practise at specialist level in public health.
The register was established in May 2003 and is supported by all four departments of health in the UK and was commissioned by a multi-agency group
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consisting of the Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH), the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) and the Multidisciplinary Public Health Forum (MDPHF).
Further information is available on the register web site at www.publichealthregister.org.uk.
Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinics (Crosby)
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rapid access chest pain clinics there are in Crosby. [160434]
Miss Melanie Johnson: There are no rapid access chest pain clinics in Crosby. Rapid access chest pain clinics are located at Aintree Hospital National Health Service Trust and Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust.
Science Strategy
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he has taken to enhance science in his Department, since the publication of the Government's science strategy, Investing in Innovation; [162252]
- (2) how his Department's chief scientific adviser has ensured that the Department's scientific activities are well directed, as recommended in paragraph 7.11 of the Government's science strategy, Investing in Innovation, published in July 2002. [162483]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Since July 2002 the Department has continued to work with its partners to sustain and develop the science base, and to develop policies and practice based wherever possible on sound science and research. We are building substantial portfolios of research in priority areas including cancer, coronary heart disease, mental health, services for older people and health inequalities. In June 2003, the Genetics White Paper announced new investment in research initiatives to translate genetic discoveries into improved care.
The recent Budget report announced that the Government will work with the national health service, industry and the medical charities to strengthen clinical research in the United Kingdom. To support this work, the Department will increase the national health service funding for research and development by £100 million by 2008.
The functions of Department of Health chief scientific adviser are carried out jointly by the chief medical officer and director of research and development in their respective capacities. The Chief Medical Officer is a member of the departmental management board and is also advised on scientific matters by the Chief Scientist. Details of how the Department's scientific activities are directed are outlined in its science and innovation strategy, which is available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/research.
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Sexual Health
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the extra costs associated with implementing in full the national screening programme for chlamydia immediately; [159729]
- (2) what reasons underlie the decision not to implement throughout England a chlamydia screening programme until 2008; [159732]
(3) what estimate he has made of the number of chlamydia infections that will go unidentified before the national screening programme is fully implemented in 2008; [159733]
(4) if he will estimate the cost to the NHS of (a) infertility treatment and (b) other treatment relating to chlamydia infections over the next 50 years. [159772]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Reliable cost estimates of introducing the full chlamydia screening programme immediately are not available. The Government are committed to completing the screening programme for chlamydia at the earliest possible date.
We believe that the phased introduction of screening, in line with advice from the national screening committee, is the most effective way forward. Local areas need support in establishing the programme which involves organising screening across a network of services and ensuring that samples are sent to laboratories, positive results are sent to individuals and that treatment, partner notification and contact tracing are undertaken. In addition laboratory staff are being trained to use the more reliable molecular amplification test, which we are supporting across all the regions.
In just two years, the programme has been rolled-out to over a quarter of primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The third phase of the programme will be launched this year, which will bring total coverage to one third of PCTs.
Estimates on future numbers of infections are not available. Estimates are also not available on the cost to the national health service of infertility and other treatment relating to chlamydia infection over the next 50 years.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 1 March, Official Report, column 708W on sexual health, if he will provide total figures for England for each year. [159974]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The total number of teenagers (patients who were less than 20 years of age) treated for sexually transmitted diseases in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in England from 1995 to 2002 are shown in the table.
| Sex description | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 14787 | 16949 | 19479 | 20979 | 23018 | 25225 | 27346 | 29795 |
| Male | 3986 | 4613 | 5664 | 6530 | 7768 | 9116 | 9694 | 11026 |
| Total | 18773 | 21562 | 25143 | 27509 | 30786 | 34341 | 37040 | 40821 |
The England totals shown here correspond to the total number of cases shown in the regional table given in the answer of 1 March, Official Report, column 708W. The strategic health authority data totals given in that answer differ from the regional data totals because these, and most of CDSC's other sexually transmitted disease data presentations, are calculated using an imputation method. Data below regional level are not imputed.
Data source:
Health Protection Agency, KC60 statutory returns from GUM clinics.
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Sport
Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department is giving to primary care trusts on how to raise levels of sport and physical activity to the Government target. [159954]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The national service framework for coronary heart disease and the NHS Plan require local action to tackle obesity and physical activity, informed by advice from the Health Development Agency (HDA) on what works. The Department commissioned the HDA to conduct a review of the evidence on the effectiveness of public health interventions for increasing physical activity amongst adults. This will be published shortly. The guidance will be available to national health service regions, strategic health authorities and primary care trusts as well as local government.
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The launch of the consultation on public health, "Choosing Health?", provides the opportunity to discuss at a national, regional and local level what needs to be done to develop a coherent strategy to improve health. The activity co-ordination team will publish its draft proposals setting out current and future action to increase activity levels. The Government will then publish a White Paper setting out its strategy for action in the summer.
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