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30 Jun 2004 : Column 323W—continued
Peace Process
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process. [180485]
Mr. Paul Murphy: As the Prime Minister said on Friday, it is time to end the negotiations with a conclusive agreement or find another way forward. The Prime Minister made clear that there will be intensive talks in early September. Our position is clear: we need to see an end now to all forms of paramilitary activity, and it is imperative that we restore as soon as possible a stable and inclusive partnership Government in Northern Ireland.
Tyrone County Hospital/Erne Hospital
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources will be made available to maintain and develop services at (a) the Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh and (b) the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen; and what plans are in place for (i) service improvements in staffing and (ii) other investment for both sites over the next three years. [180299]
Angela Smith: I am fully committed to the timely and effective implementation of the new configuration of services set out in "Developing Better Services" (DBS). Until these changes can be effected, I will do everything I can to sustain services on existing sites.
Both Sperrin Lakeland Trust and the Western Health and Social Services Board are committed to this policy and with the Department's support are engaged in an extensive on-going programme of investment in staffing and infrastructure aimed at sustaining key services at Tyrone County and Erne Hospitals in the interim period. This programme of investment will continue over the next three years and beyond.
HEALTH
Amyl Nitrate
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health advice is given to young people about the use and side effects of inhaling poppers containing amyl nitrate, with particular reference to the products (a) Liquid Gold, (b) Pure Gold and (c) TNT. [178803]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Department has published two guidance leaflets specifically aimed at young people, which give advice about the use and side effects of a number of drugs, including poppers containing amyl nitrite.
The FRANK website, www.talktofrank.com, aims to inform young people and their parents, carers and families about the effects and risks of taking illicit drugs, including poppers containing amyl nitrite.
Barbeque Food
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2004, Official Report, column 1005W, on barbeque food, if he will set out the reasons for the comment made in the comment column for 2001. [179674]
30 Jun 2004 : Column 324W
Miss Melanie Johnson: For completeness the previous answer provided information on outbreaks reported as being associated with barbecues or with barbecued food. The "salmonella" enteritidis outbreak in 2001 was associated with tiramisu served as a dessert at a private barbecue.
Beauty Parlour Stroke Syndrome
Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many instances of beauty parlour stroke syndrome have been recorded over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [180639]
Dr. Ladyman: The information requested is not available centrally.
Blind and Deaf People
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are registered as (a) blind and (b) deaf in (i) Chorley, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) the north-west. [180431]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Information is collected not on a constituency level, but on a local authority basis. The table shows the number of people who are registered blind at 31 March 2003 and those registered as deaf at 31 March 2001 in Lancashire and the north-west.
| Number of people registered as: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Blind (March 2003) | Deaf (March 2001) | |
| Lancashire(13) | 3,920 | 915 |
| North-west | 24,215 | n/a |
n/a = data are not available for all councils within the north-west region.
(13) Data refer to Lancashire council with social services responsibilities.
Source:
SSDA902 and SSDA910.
Dentistry
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Gloucestershire are waiting to be registered with a NHS dentist. [180659]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the demand for NHS dentistry in Gloucestershire is met. [180660]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
We have provided new investment totalling £90 million to national health service dentistry over the last year. £59 million will support access and strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been advised of their shares and are working with their primary care trusts (PCTs), including those in Gloucestershire, to address access issues. £30 million is to support information technology and the balance of £1 million will support organisational development locally.
30 Jun 2004 : Column 325W
In Gloucestershire, the existing dental access centres offer emergency and routine dental treatment—this is prioritised according to patients' needs and the demands placed on the service.
All the PCTs in Gloucestershire have been invited by Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA to submit proposals to improve access to dental care, funded through the SHA's £2 million share of the access funding. They are also exploring the possibility of establishing an outreach-teaching pilot for dental and dental therapy students with Bristol University.
West Gloucestershire PCT is one of the 16 PCTs in England with which the shadow NHS dentistry support team is working. The support team has made several visits to Gloucestershire towards the end of 2003, and an action plan to establish new dental practices in Cinderford, in the Forest of Dean and Gloucester City will be agreed by the end of April 2004. Additionally, work is under way to explore the potential for overseas recruitment in Gloucestershire.
Cheltenham and Tewkesbury and Cotswold and Vale PCTs are taking similar action and are inviting all dental practices to participate and submit proposals for use of the extra resources available from 2004–05.
Departmental Administrative Budget
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total administrative budget of the Department was in each year since 1997. [180320]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Detailed information on administration costs for the Department back to 1998–99 and with projections to 2005–06, is set out in Figure 8.1 of the 2004 Departmental Report (CM 6204). Copies are available in the Library. Data for years before 1998–99 are not available on the same basis.
Departmental Policies (Hull)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact his Department's policies have had on the Hull North constituency since 1997. [174794]
Miss Melanie Johnson [holding answer 24 May 2004]: The Government has put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Hull North constituency.
At the end of March 2004, the number of people waiting more than nine months for inpatient treatment within West Hull Primary Care Trust (PCT) has fallen to 0, from 376 in June 2002.
At the end of March 2004 the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for outpatient treatment within West Hull PCT has fallen to 390, from 818 in June 2002.
In September 2002, at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, 63.7 per cent., of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Figures for December 2003 show an improvement to 92.4 per cent..
Between September 2002 and September 2003, the number of consultants at Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust has increased from 208 to 234. The number of nurses increased from 2,292 to 2,399.
Figures for December 2003 show that all patients within West Hull PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a primary care professional within two working days.
In the Kingston upon Hull local authority area, death rates from cancer per 100,000 population have risen to 227.2 in 2002, from 223.8 in 1997.
In the Kingston upon Hull local authority area, death rates from coronary heart disease per 100,000 population have fallen to 156.9 in 2002, from 181.5 in 1997.
West Hull PCT's allocation has risen to £163.4 million for 2004–05, a cash increase of 6.4 per cent..
In March 2003, a new women's and children's hospital was opened at the Hull Royal Infirmary, which brings together all maternity, gynaecology and children's outpatients services on the same site.
A £6 million eye hospital opened in November 2002, with 12 new beds and three theatres, enabling 1,000 additional eye operations to be carried out per year.
A £60 million private finance initiative oncology centre development at Castle Hill is due to open in 2006.
A £29 million new cardiac centre was announced by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, on a visit to Hull Royal Infirmary on 13 January 2004. The new unit will be at Castle Hill Hospital and will employ an additional 150 staff.
An additional computed tomograhpy scanner is due to be delivered by December 2004.
An additional magnetic resonance imaging scanner was delivered to Hull Royal Infirmary in March 2001. Another additional scanner is due to be delivered to the trust by December 2004.
A replacement linear accelerator was delivered to Princess Royal Hospital in January 2001.
Source:
Department of Health.
Office of National Statistics.
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