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28 Apr 2004 : Column 1091W—continued
Neurosurgical Consultants
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new neurosurgical consultancy posts are predicted for each of the next five years. [167065]
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Mr. Hutton: The Department does not have figures for planned numbers of posts.
If the number of specialist registrars in neurosurgery who are due to qualify in the next five years is taken into account, along with the likely levels of retirement and other recruitment and retention factors, it is expected that there would be sufficient trained specialists in neurosurgery to increase consultant numbers by around a quarter by 2008.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest average time between the award of a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training and appointment as a consultant for neurosurgical trainees is. [167066]
Mr. Hutton: This information is not collected centrally.
NHS Hospitals
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the introduction of single rooms in NHS hospitals in England. [167415]
Mr. Hutton: The proportion of single rooms in new hospital developments should aim to be 50 per cent., but should not fall below 20 per cent. and must be a higher percentage than the facilities they are replacing. The policy and design guidance for the provision of single rooms in mental health accommodation is 100 per cent.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of the patient environment and assessment team inspections of hospital food and cleanliness was in each year since the inspections began. [167423]
Mr. Hutton: Since the patient environment action team (PEAT) programme commenced in 2000, over 3,000 inspections have been undertaken involving over 700 assessors. The PEAT programme is a key element of national health service inspection and performance assessment processes, and the results of PEAT feed directly into the star ratings managed by the Healthcare Commission.
With very few exceptions, PEAT assessors are volunteers whose costs are met by their host organisations. Therefore, while there are costs associated with this work, they are not collected centrally.
NHS Staff
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how figures for returners to the NHS will take account of multiple re-entry by some individuals. [168068]
Mr. Hutton: Between 1997 and 2003, the number of nurses and doctors working in the national health service increased by 67,500 nurses and 19,400 doctors. Returners to the NHS form one component of overall growth, including the very few who may return more than once.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many whole time equivalent (a) radiologists and (b) radiographers were employed by the NHS on 30 September 2003. [168154]
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Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the tables.
Between September 1997 and 2003, the number of whole-time equivalent clinical radiology consultants has increased by 22 per cent., diagnostic radiographers have increased by 12 per cent. and therapeutic radiographers have increased by 15 per cent.
| Clinical radiology | Number |
|---|---|
| All staff | 2,505 |
| of which: | |
| Consultant | 1,669 |
| Non Consultant Career Grades(30) | 28 |
| Doctors in Training(31) | 799 |
| Hospital Practitioner/Clinical Assistant | 9 |
(30) Non Consultant Career Grades consists of Associate Specialist and Staff Grade.
(31) Doctors in Training consists of the Registrar Group, Senior House Officers and House Officers.
Source:
Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.
| Radiography (diagnostic) | Number |
|---|---|
| Qualified staff (whole time equivalent) | 9,642 |
| Qualified staff (headcount) | 11,687 |
| Radiography (therapeutic) | |
| Qualified staff (whole time equivalent) | 1,469 |
| Qualified staff (headcount) | 1,657 |
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce census.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent cardiologists were working in the NHS in each year since 1999. [168363]
Mr. Hutton: The information requested is shown in the table.
| England (32) | whole time equivalents | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | December 2003 | |
| All staff | 1,065 | 1,154 | 1,233 | 1,395 | 1,549 | n/a |
| of which | ||||||
| Consultant | 425 | 483 | 512 | 561 | 609 | 617 |
(32) Data as at 30 September each year except December data which is at 31 December.
n/a = not available. This is due to December being a mini census and collecting consultants only.
The number of whole-time equivalent consultants has increased by 192, or 45 per cent. between September 1999 and December 2003.
Source:
Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.
NHS Trusts
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS trusts in England have equipment libraries. [167426]
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Mr. Hutton: This information is not held centrally.
Nightingale Wards
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list NHS trusts which have yet fully to eliminate Nightingale wards. [166655]
Mr. Hutton: In line with "Shifting the Balance" of Power and initiatives to reduce bureaucracy for the national health service, data collections under estates return information collection take place annually. Information for March 2004 is currently being collected and I will write to the hon. Member when the analysis is complete.
Occupational Health
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on encouraging businesses to invest in occupational health services; and if he will make a statement. [167410]
Ms Rosie Winterton: With over 33 million working days lost each year, the Department's policy, together with that of other Departments, in particular, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), the Health and Safety Commission/Executive (HSC/E) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), is extremely supportive of all businesses which invest in occupational health services to improve the health of their employees. For example, in 1999, the Department launched the healthy workplace initiative to promote health in the workplace; and, in November 2001, a new occupational health service, called NHS Plus, a network of 106 national health service occupational health departments which sell a range of occupational health services to small and medium sized enterprises across England.
In addition, the Department fully endorses the cross government commitments to both reducing ill health caused by work and to help people access work espoused in the new HSC/E's "Strategy for Health and Safety 2010 and beyond". The Department also supports other Government Departments' initiatives, which encourage businesses to develop occupational health services, such as the DTI's "Partnership at Work" scheme.
Patient Records
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients have online secure access to their electronic patient records. [167702]
Mr. Hutton: Currently, no patients have online or electronic access to their medical records.
This functionality is planned as part of the national health service care records service that will begin to be rolled out from summer 2004, with phased implementation up to 2010.
The Department is exploring different ways that patients can access their own records through the "HealthSpace" project, which is supported by NHS Direct Online. In future, the intention is to provide "HealthSpace" as the gateway through which users can access a summary of their NHS care record when it becomes available electronically. The facilities in "HealthSpace" required to do this will build over time,
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with full implementation expected by the end of 2008. The secure authentication, access and review of any electronic patient records is of paramount concern and will be both proven and robust before any system can go live.
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