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19 Jul 2004 : Column 117W—continued
Instrument Sterilisation
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts let or in the process of tendering for the provision of instrument sterilisation services to NHS trust hospitals giving the (a) location of each service, (b) the hospitals for which it will provide the service and (c) the dates of the period of contract; and what further contracts for similar services he intends to let in each of the next three years. [184756]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 16 July 2004]: Contracts for the provision of sterile services may arise as a result of an individual outsourcing procurement, as part of a large private finance initiative or public private partnership or where one national health service trust provides such services for others.
Decisions on whether to let contracts and to whom are for individual NHS trusts to take, within the rules relating to such procurements and details are not held centrally.
As part of their strategies for modernising sterile services, strategic health authorities are encouraging the setting up of joint ventures, which entails a number of NHS trusts pooling their demand, and advertising jointly for a private sector partner. Information about the joint ventures established so far is set out in the table. The details of these contracts have not yet been agreed.
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Internet Drug Sales
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to prevent the advertising and selling of drugs via the internet that are only available in the UK with a general practitioner's prescription. [183492]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The responsibility for regulating medicines on the United Kingdom market lies with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an executive agency of the Department. The MHRA takes the view that internet and mail order sale and supply of medicines is acceptable, provided the legislative requirements are met. There are perfectly legitimate internet-based dispensing pharmacies, where patients can sign their prescriptions and post them to the pharmacist to be filled. Medicines are then sent back to the patient by post. The law allows for this.
The MHRA is also responsible for the enforcement of these requirements and any website brought to its attention for breaching regulations regarding advertising, sale and supply of medicines will be investigated. Such sites will be contacted, initially in order to seek compliance and although the MHRA has no powers to force closures of websites, it seeks to achieve compliance through internet service providers (ISPs), which are advised on UK law.
The MHRA recognises that, in order to deal with the risks posed by the internet, it is impossible to act unilaterally. To this end, the MHRA's enforcement group works closely with other Government Departments and law enforcement authorities, both in the European Community and elsewhere, in an effort to address possible courses of action.
Less-invasive Technologies
Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use of less-invasive technologies in the NHS. [174965]
Mr. Hutton:
Many diseases and illnesses which have been routinely treated with surgical intervention are now being successfully managed or cured with less invasive forms of treatment. Last year the Department issued guidelines to the national health service governing the use of new interventional procedures. The guidelines are supported by the work of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
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NICE is responsible for assessing the safety and efficacy of new technologies to protect the safety of patients. It also supports clinicians in the process of managing and introducing new procedures.
Myasthenia Gravis
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on support available for those suffering from myasthenia gravis; and what steps he is taking to raise awareness of myasthenia gravis among the medical profession. [184213]
Dr. Ladyman [holding answer 15 July 2004]: Patients with myasthenia gravis are able to access a range of national health service services. Although there is no cure for this condition, there are a number of treatments available to help control it. These include medication, surgery, and palliation.
We have no specific plans to raise awareness of the condition among the medical profession. However, we are committed to improving services for patients with neurological diseases. The national service framework for long term conditions will focus on improving services for people with neurological conditions. While the framework will not cover myasthenia gravis specifically, it will recommend improvements in standards, care and support that will benefit everyone with a neurological condition.
Non NICE-appraised Treatments
Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts in England do not fund non-National Institute for Clinical Excellence appraised products and treatments. [183988]
Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what grounds primary care trusts may refuse to fund non-National Institute for Clinical Excellence appraised products if a clinician wishes to prescribe them. [183989]
Ms Rosie Winterton: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to determine what criteria they use in deciding whether to fund a treatment or therapy which has not been appraised by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. However, we would expect PCTs to consider the available evidence on clinical and cost effectiveness of treatments.
Critical Care Networks (Transfers)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2004, Official Report, column 580W, on critical care networks (transfers), for what reasons patients are transferred between hospitals for non-clinical reasons; and if he will make a statement. [184206]
Ms Rosie Winterton:
Critical care transfers between hospitals occur for non-clinical reasons where critical care beds or other necessary resources are not immediately available. There are 29 critical care networks that work with commissioners and providers to assess the needs of the critically ill, plan services to meet those needs, agree standards and monitor the
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delivery of critical care. It is their role to ensure transfers for non-clinical reasons occur only within the network and only occur following consultant-to-consultant discussion and agreement.
Pharmaceutical Price Regulation
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what negotiations have been held with the pharmaceutical industry following the consultation on the future of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme; and when they will be completed. [183533]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Following consultation on the future of the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme (PPRS), the Department started confidential bilateral negotiations with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry on new arrangements. These negotiations started in February 2004 and are continuing. It remains the Government's preference to include another voluntary PPRS agreement with the research-based pharmaceutical industry and to do this as speedily as possible commensurate with a satisfactory outcome for the taxpayer and the national health service.
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