Previous Section Index Home Page

26 Apr 2004 : Column 837W—continued

Intermediate Care Places

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) intermediate care beds and (b) non-residential intermediate care places there were in March; and if he will make a statement. [168645]

Dr. Ladyman: The Department is currently collecting and validating this data. It is anticipated that the information will be available at the end of May 2004.
 
26 Apr 2004 : Column 838W
 

Medical Students

Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students completed their studies in medicine at each university in each of the last six years; and how many in each year chose not to continue their training at hospitals within the United Kingdom. [161482]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 22 March 2004]: This information is not available in the form requested. There is no precise data on how many students do not complete undergraduate medical degree courses, nor on how many do not join the national health service medical workforce after graduating. However, apart from those overseas students who return home immediately upon graduating, we believe that virtually all graduates from English medical schools take up posts as pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) in the NHS within 18 months of graduating.

The number of students who graduated from medical schools in England in the last six years is shown in table 1.
1. Actual medical school output in England 1997–99 to 2002–03

      Total output of students
University1997–981998–991999–20002000–012001–022002–03
University of Birmingham155169169192191189
University of Bristol141141139124158142
University of Cambridge115133132134128126
University of Leeds153181189158155155
University of Leicester122167146156164159
University of Liverpool180162173190180187
King's College (incl. United Medical and Dental Schools), London322320359309308322
University College Medical School (incl. Royal Free Hospital
      School of Medicine), London
338297352320305361
St. George's Hospital Medical School, London189150157160127189
Imperial College (St. Mary's and Charing Cross), London269207263257275273
Queen Mary's, London (Bart's and the London)220223212205164251
University of Manchester280280306304279352
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne164137161182193178
University of Nottingham162152168164188197
University of Oxford10610010210010294
University of Sheffield191144196189214198
University of Southampton154134149142149149
Total England3,2613,0973,3733,2863,2803,522




Source:
Higher Education Funding Council for England.




The number of United Kingdom-qualified PRHOs in England in the last six years is shown in table 2.
2. UK qualified house officers in England 1998–2003

Number
19983,173
19993,122
20003,297
20013,176
20023,205
20033,344




Source:
Department of Health medical and dental workforce survey.



Responsibility for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish medical schools is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.

Mid and South Bucks Health Community

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the definition is of the Mid and South Bucks Health Community; and whether this body has a statutory basis in law. [167600]

Ms Rosie Winterton [holding answer 23 April 2004]: The term 'Mid and South Bucks Health Community' refers to both the providers of health services and the people who use or have access to the health services in the Mid and South Buckinghamshire area.

The body does not exist in law, but, within the geographical area of Mid and South Buckinghamshire there are the following trusts:


 
26 Apr 2004 : Column 839W
 

Minimum Data Setting Software

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in the use of minimum data setting software in the care sector. [161631]

Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 16 March 2004]: I am not aware of any developments on minimum data setting software.

Work continues on the development of minimum data sets to support the sharing of information along care pathways and the production of comparative clinical information to enable services to monitor quality and clinical performance in each of the following national service framework areas:

In relation to social services, which are not covered by the majority of the above, core information requirements for adult and elderly social services were published in August 2001. More recently the Department has published a document defining the electronic social care record.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those local authorities which have been trialling minimum data setting software; and when they are expected to make an evaluation of its effectiveness. [161632]

Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 16 March 2004]: I am not aware of any nationally sponsored trials of minimum data setting software in local authorities.

Motor Neurone Disease

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans for (a) research into and (b) treatment of motor neurone disease. [167228]

Dr. Ladyman: The Government are investing an additional £40 million in stem cell research in 2004–06, which offers enormous potential in producing new treatments for diseases such as motor neurone disease (MND).

The Government are also funding the creation of a national stem cell bank. The first of its kind in the world, it will hold all types of stem cells as a resource for researchers.

The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments of diseases is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC spent £2 million in 2002–03 on research relevant to MND and on basic work on the function of motor neurones.

We are developing a national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions which will focus on services for people with neurological conditions such as MND.
 
26 Apr 2004 : Column 840W
 

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been asked to develop a clinical guideline on appropriate methods of feeding for patients who have difficulty in swallowing, which is due to be published in 2005.

We have also commissioned NICE to develop and publish evidence-based guidance on supportive and palliative care, which was published in March 2004.

Neurosurgical Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many neurosurgical registrars are due to obtain a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training in each six month period over the next three years. [167067R]

Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
Number of expected CCST completion dates, in six month intervals, for Neurosurgical Registrars for England—as at 31 March 2003

DateExpected Number
1 April 2004 to 31 September 20048
1 October 2004 to 31 March 20056
1 April 2005 to 31 September 20059
1 October 2005 to 31 March 20068
1 April 2006 to 31 September 20066
1 October 2006 to 31 March 20075




Source:
Department of Health Planning Extract—31 March 2003




Next Section Index Home Page