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19 Apr 2004 : Column 250W—continued
Ambulance Services
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of insurance cover for ambulance personnel in the event of death in a terrorist attack. [166408]
Mr. Hutton: Normal cover arrangements under the liabilities to third parties scheme, run by the NHS Litigation Authority, would apply to attendance at any major incident, including the site of a terrorist attack. Cross-Government discussions are also taking place with insurance industry representatives to clarify the general position in respect of personal insurance policies if staff are exposed to risks as a consequence of terrorist action in the course of their duties.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department has taken to prepare ambulance personnel for dealing with a terrorist attack. [166409]
Mr. Hutton: All ambulance services have plans in place for responding to and dealing with a range of major incidents, including possible terrorist attacks. National guidance requires that those plans are regularly reviewed and practised.
All ambulance services have been issued with standard personal protective equipment and decontamination units and have access to spare equipment and drug countermeasure supplies. Standard operating procedures have been developed and implemented in conjunction with the Ambulance Service Association and each service has instructors and teams of staff specifically trained to operate and perform safely in a contaminated environment.
All ambulance staff are also receiving recognition and awareness training and additional investment has been made available to develop and maintain their capacity and capability. The Department is currently purchasing instruments to give early warning of radiation for all front line ambulance staff.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many exercises simulating a major incident involving ambulance personnel took place in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [166410]
Mr. Hutton: National guidance to National Health Service organisations requires that all major incident plans be reviewed and tested on a regular basis. Ambulance services have been conducting such exercises for many years, often in conjunction with local emergency partners. This includes testing their response arrangements to scenarios involving chemical, biological or radiological and nuclear materials. Such exercises are an integral part of testing local arrangements, identifying gaps and making continuous improvement. As such exercises are arranged and conducted at a local level, comprehensive information regarding numbers is not collected by the Department.
Asthma
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the prevalence of asthma among children under 16, broken down by health authority. [164815]
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Dr. Ladyman: We do not collect the information requested on the prevalence of asthma centrally. Asthma is estimated to affect around 4 to 6 per cent. of children and 4 per cent. of adults sufficiently severely to require medical supervision. We do, however, have some data on the number of hospital admissions as set out in the following table.
| Strategic HA of Treatment | Finished Admission Episodes |
|---|---|
| Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA | 1,049 |
| Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA | 754 |
| Essex HA | 455 |
| North West London HA | 732 |
| North Central London HA | 625 |
| North East London HA | 853 |
| South East London HA | 879 |
| South West London HA | 661 |
| Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA | 708 |
| County Durham and Tees Valley HA | 800 |
| North and East Yorkshire And Northern Lincolnshire HA | 882 |
| West Yorkshire HA | 1,306 |
| Cumbria and Lancashire HA | 1,098 |
| Greater Manchester HA | 1,980 |
| Cheshire and Merseyside HA | 1,598 |
| Thames Valley HA | 717 |
| Hampshire And Isle of Wight HA | 662 |
| Kent and Medway HA | 638 |
| Surrey and Sussex HA | 961 |
| Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA | 868 |
| South West Peninsula HA | 615 |
| Dorset and Somerset HA | 562 |
| South Yorkshire HA | 625 |
| Trent HA | 881 |
| Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA | 678 |
| Shropshire and Staffordshire HA | 676 |
| Birmingham and The Black Country HA | 1,755 |
| Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA | 687 |
| England | 24,705 |
A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 2001–02 and 2002–03, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the treatment of asthma cost the NHS in each of the last five years. [164816]
Dr. Ladyman: This information is not held centrally. However we estimate that the net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community for the treatment of asthma in England for the last five years is set out in the following table:
Source:
Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority.
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Asthma drugs are included in British National Formulary (BNF) Sections 3.1 (Bronchodilators), 3.2 (Corticbsteroids), and 3.3 (Cromoglicate, related therapy and leukotriene receptor antagonists). Appliances used in the treatment of asthma are contained within the Prescription Pricing Authority pseudo British National Formulary sections 21.1.2, 21.1.10 and 21.12.
The prescription information is from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system from the Prescription Pricing Authority, and shows data for all prescriptions items that are dispensed in the community in England. As well as prescriptions prescribed in GP practices, prescriptions prescribed in hospitals that have been dispensed in the community are included. Private prescriptions, and prescriptions dispensed in hospitals are not included.
The net ingredient cost refers to the cost (which the dispenser is reimbursed) of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees. It does not include any adjustment for income obtained where a prescription charge is paid at the time the prescription is dispensed, or where the patient has purchased a pre-payment certificate.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted into the reasons for increases in asthma rates in the last 25 years. [165259]
Dr. Ladyman: A range of research projects on the epidemiology of allergies have recently been completed or are ongoing. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood was formed in 1991. Phase one measured the prevalence of childhood asthma, hayfever and atopic eczema for international comparisons. Phase two began in 1998 and involves more intensive studies in a smaller number of countries. The Department funded the United Kingdom contribution to phase two.
King's College London has led a £2.1 million European Commission-funded prospective study of the incidence and prognosis of allergy, allergic disease and low lung function in adults living in Europe. King's College is also participating in the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, launched on 12 February 2004.
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This European and international research activity will contribute to evidence on the possible causes of the increase in asthma rates in the UK and other European countries.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has examined concerning asthma and a remodelling of the body's airways. [165406]
Dr. Ladyman: In April 2002, the National Asthma Campaign published its consultation document, "Where next in basic asthma research?" A copy of the report was sent to the Department. The charity identified seven key areas of basic asthma research, including airway remodelling, in people with asthma.
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