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18 May 2004 : Column 969W—continued

Public Bodies

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of (a) the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and (b) patients forums will be for each of the next three years. [171261]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The funding allocation for 2004–05 is £33.3 million and, subject to the outcomes of the review of arms length bodies, the planning assumptions for the next three years are that it should remain static.

It is the Commission's responsibility to ensure that within that settlement, forums are adequately funded to deliver their functions.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on (a) PHorum and (b) the Stakeholder Network, including their (i) remits, (ii) budget, (iii) administration budget, including payroll, (iv) number of staff and (v) capital assets. [163514]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The National Forum of Non-Governmental Public Health Organisations (NGO Forum) was established by the Department following
 
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the publication of the White Paper, 'Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' (1999). After a review in 2002, it was renamed the 'National NGO PHorum'.

The PHorum's remit is:

to provide Government with expertise and advice in developing, implementing and delivering its public health policies for England;

to facilitate an ongoing dialogue and discussion between the Government and the non-government sector, and

to consider the effective involvement of NGOs in action to improve health and tackle health inequalities.

It does not have a separate budget. It has no capital assets. It is managed by the Health Development Agency (HDA) from within the HDA's allocation, on behalf of the Department of Health. The HDA has one member of staff with specific responsibility for administrative work in support of the PHorum.

The Department is currently looking at the best way of relating to principal stakeholders as part of its overall change programme.

Rituximab

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of Rituximab for treating rheumatoid arthritis. [173582]

Dr. Ladyman: Rituximab is not licensed in the United Kingdom for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Solvent Abuse

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet a delegation from Re-Solv, the Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse. [172585]

Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 11 May 2004]: I am happy to accept the invitation from the hon. Member for Southend, West, to meet with members of Re-Solv, the Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Misuse.

Waiting Lists/Times

Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list time in the last seven years for the residents of Preston. [168101]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected on a constituency basis. The information shown in the table relates to the national health service organisations serving the Preston area.
In-patient waiting lists by provider

		Patients waiting for admission by month waiting
	Unit name	Total	0–2 Not seen	3–5 Not seen	6–8 Not seen	9–11 Not seen	12–14 Not seen	15–17 Not seen	18+ Not seen
1996–97	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	8,970	4,137	2,352	1,445	1,000	18	15	3
1996–97	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	1,857	1,079	463	249	66	0	0	—
1997–98	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	8,500	4,079	1,969	1,334	787	257	74	0
1997–98	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	2,121	1,299	537	183	102	0	0	—
1998–99	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	7,602	4,154	1,729	1,043	544	132	0	0
1998–99	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	2,051	1,126	527	248	132	17	1	—
1999–2000	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	7,025	4,110	1,701	853	359	2	0	0
1999–2000	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	1,967	1,228	453	186	90	10	0	—
2000–01	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	8,926	5,559	1,987	1,002	378	0	0	0
2001–02	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	8,891	5,565	2,055	995	276	0	0	0
March 2003	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	8,445	5,473	2,096	711	165	0	0	0
March 2004	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	8,275	5,527	2,123	625	0	0	0	0

Source:
Department of Health KH07





 
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Out-patient provider waiting list data

		GP Referral to consultant waiting list in weeks
	Name	Not seen 13 to 25	Not seen 26 plus
1996–97	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	281	19
1996–97	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	941	13
1997–98	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	761	110
1997–98	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	1,113	235
T998–99	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	1,563	443
1998–99	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	1,503	714
1999–2000	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	1,039	284
1999–2000	Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust	855	187
2000–01	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	1,904	287
2001–02	Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust	1,653	—

Date	Name	Not seen 13–17	Not seen 17–21	Not seen 21–26	Not seen 26+
March
2003	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	819	157	0	0
2004	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust	686	0	0	0

Note:
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was established 1 August 2002 from the acute services of Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust and Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. For 2001 and 2002, data for both trusts was reported under Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
Source:
Department of Health QM08.

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