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24 May 2004 : Column 1378W—continued
Emergency Planning
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how closely co-ordinated health authorities are with those bodies that would provide airlift relief in the event of a serious emergency. [174682]
Mr. Hutton: In addition to its own helicopter air ambulances, the National Health Service has long-standing arrangements to seek additional support, if required, from the armed forces. Further support is available, as and when required, through arrangements made at the local level.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how well advanced Government plans are for the co-ordination of NHS casualty units and co-ordination between hospitals in the event of a serious emergency. [174683]
Mr. Hutton: National health service organisations have well developed major incident plans, including mutual aid, and national guidance to NHS organisations requires that all major incident plans be reviewed and tested on a regular basis. The NHS has been conducting major incident training exercises for many years, often in conjunction with local emergency partners.
Initially, the ambulance service will co-ordinate the NHS response; deploy vehicles to the scene; and put hospitals on stand-by to take casualties. If the incident continues, local health services will take on further co-ordination of the response.
The NHS is an integral part of the integrated approach across government to protect the public and maintain essential services.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his Department's staff work in each of the English Government Office regions. [173839]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested can be found in Table D (page 40–41) in the publication, "Civil Service Statistics 2002". This is the latest published information available. Copies are available in the Library and also at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics/css.
Epsom and St. Helier Trust
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what study has been carried out by the East Elmbridge and Mid-Surrey Primary Care Trust on the viability of demerging the Epsom and St. Helier Trust. [173233]
Mr. Hutton: The South West London and Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authorities advise me that there are currently no plans to demerge Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals National Health Service Trust.
Chris Grayling:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the representation by East Elmbridge and Mid-Surrey Primary Care Trust to the Chief Executive of the South West London
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Strategic Health Authority during the recent arbitration hearing about the possibility of demerging the Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust. [173234]
Mr. Hutton: No plans exist within Epsom and St. Helier National Health Service Trust or South West London Strategic Health Authority for the demerger of Epsom and St. Helier. East Elmbridge and Mid-Surrey Primary Care Trust raised the matter during an arbitration hearing, but it has not been explored further.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes would be required to maintain accident and emergency services at Epsom hospital following a demerger of the Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust. [173230]
Mr. Hutton: This is a matter for the local national health service. Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust has not undertaken any detailed studies on the effect of demerger of Epsom and St. Helier hospitals.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital charges are payable on the Epsom hospital site. [173231]
Mr. Hutton: The total capital charges for Epsom Hospital for 2003–04 were £3.295 million.
Foundation Hospitals
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many places on the boards of governors of the first wave of foundation hospitals which (a) are vacant and (b) were filled unopposed. [168067]
Mr. Hutton: This is a matter for the office of the independent regulator of National Health Service foundation trusts. The chairman will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
GP Contracts
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce quality measures for dermatology into the general practitioner contract. [173924]
Mr. Hutton: Changes to the quality and outcomes framework (QOF) of the new general medical services contract will be negotiated between the NHS Confederation and the British Medical Association, following recommendations from an independent, United Kingdom-wide review group. The independent review group will decide which disease areas to consider for addition to the QOF.
Health Services (Derby, North)
Mr. Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of patients with suspected cancer in Derby, North saw an NHS consultant within two weeks in each year between 1997 and 2003. [173740]
Dr. Ladyman:
The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, information from 1999 onwards for the organisations that service the Derby, North constituency is shown in the table.
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| Total referrals seen during the year | Number of patients seen during the year by a specialist within 14 days of the decision to refer by their general practitioner | Number of patients seen during the year by a specialist after 14 days of the decision to refer by their general practitioner | Percentage compliance with the two week standard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 470 | 461 | 9 | 98.1 |
| 2000–01 | 1,336 | 1,306 | 30 | 97.8 |
| 2001–02 | 4,185 | 4,019 | 166 | 96.0 |
| 2002–03 | 5,300 | 5,212 | 88 | 98.3 |
| 2003–04(33) | 4,338 | 4,300 | 38 | 99.1 |
Note:
(33) Only three quarters data is available for 2003–04. Date for quarter ended March 2004 will be published on 4 June 2004.
Source:
Department of Health form QMCW
Health Services (Nottinghamshire)
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) nurses, (b) midwives and (c) health visitors were working within Nottinghamshire health authority areas in each year since 1997. [173525]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were issued to NHS patients within Nottinghamshire health authority areas in each year since 1997. [173552]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, information for the years that are available is shown in the following table.
| PCT/SHA where prescriptions prescribed | Financial Years | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PCTs | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 |
| Mansfield District | 1,250,648 | 1,319,701 | 1,380,595 |
| Newark and Sherwood | 1,528,463 | 1,601,288 | 1,676,492 |
| Gedling | 1,038,381 | 1,087,665 | 1,132,335 |
| Nottingham City | 3,282,767 | 3,433,254 | 3,623,316 |
| Bassetlaw | 1,405,639 | 1,492,650 | 1,547,934 |
| Broxtowe and Hucknall | 1,505,645 | 1,603,861 | 1,645,517 |
| Ashfield | 1,086,997 | 1,145,424 | 1,194,587 |
| Rushcliffe | 1,253,255 | 1,314,968 | 1,383,004 |
Notes:
1. This information was obtained from the prescribing analysis and cost (PACT) system, which covers prescriptions prescribed by GP practices in England and dispensed in the community. Prescriptions written within a GP practice but dispensed outside the PCT will be included in the PCT in which the GP practice is based. Prescriptions written in England but dispensed outside England are included. Prescriptions written in hospitals/clinics that are dispensed in the community, prescriptions dispensed in hospitals and private prescriptions are not included in PACT data.
2. Prescriptions are written on a prescription form. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item.
3. With effect from October 2002, the prescription pricing analysis (PPA) information systems were changed to reflect Shifting the Balance of Power. Shifting the Balance of Power saw the creation of SHAs and PCTs, which shifted the balance of power within the national health services away from Whitehall and towards front line clinical staff and their patients. Due to Shifting the Balance of Power, from the October 2002 release of ePACT.net, PCT data reflects the organisational structures in place on 1 October 2002. This was true for all 36 months historic data on ePACT.net, so data on ePACT.net prior to October 2002 was also amended retrospectively so that it was in line with Shifting the Balance of Power.
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